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64 WINES&VINES December 2016 G ray autumn clouds are descending as leaves turn color on the vines surrounding Domaine Roy & Fils, perched on a rise above the town of Dundee in Oregon's Wil- lamette Valley. Olive trees, their leaves glistening with rain, line the pathway leading to the entrance. Rolling south down the hill, the 15.5-acre vineyard surround- ing the winery is planted to Pinot Noir, with some Chardonnay thrown in for good measure. Pommard clones, which have performed well in Oregon, account for half the acreage, while heritage clones from California and a smattering of Dijon clones make up the remainder. There are stalwarts such as Mount Eden and Calera, as well as 667, 777, and the newcomer 943, all farmed organically (certification with Oregon Tilth should be completed before year's end). "It's been a nice diversity and complexity in what we can get," says Jared Etzel, the property's general manager and winemaker, who recently finished transferring wine to barrels for aging. Standing in the reception area of the winery, com- pleted at a cost of $3.6 million, Etzel says he sought "a perfect integration" of the vineyards with the building. With a compact design of just 14,800 square feet, the winery and associated service infrastructure occupy just 1.6 acres of the 21.5-acre site. Vineyards take up nearly three- quarters of the rest, coming right up to the south-facing deck of the winery. "Having the building really in the middle of the vineyard and the middle of the Dundee Hills gave us a system that would integrate the hospitality business and the production," Etzel says. The transformation of the property from a former hazelnut orchard into one of Oregon's newest estate wineries was quick. A venture of the partners in nearby Beaux Frères, launched in 1992 by wine critic Robert Parker and his brother-in-law Michael Etzel in partnership with Quebec property developer Robert Roy, Domaine Roy et Fils is a second-generation winery. Jared Etzel is Michael's son, while Robert Roy's son Marc-André Roy is proprietor. Alain Plamondon, former vice president of finance for the Roy family's construction business, is also a partner in the new winery. Purchased in November 2012, the property was stripped of hazelnuts and planted to grapes in April 2013. A couple of trips to the Napa Valley helped the owners and Etzel define a vision for the project that architect Stephen Lapp of Wa- terleaf Architecture Inc. in Portland, Ore., could use to draft a design. General contractor Andrew Scott Construction LLC of McMinnville, Ore., began work in October 2014 and wrapped up in September 2015. Domaine Roy & Fils New Pinot Noir estate in Willamette Valley integrates winery and vineyard By Peter Mitham TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT