My Latest in The Drinks Business:
Oregon wineries celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
by L.M. Archer
In 1988, the US enacted Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated between 15 September – 15 October each year to honour the contributions of Hispanics in America. db looks at some key industry programmes.
Earlier this year the drinks business reported that the brunt of US agricultural labour is provided by migrants. The Oregon Wine Board, for example, reports that about 90,000 migrant agricultural workers contribute to a wine industry that is responsible for more than US$7.21 billion annually.
In honour of this year’s US Hispanic Heritage Month, db examines a few notable Oregon Hispanic wine industry programmes.
Celebrating Hispanic Roots
Celebrating Hispanic Roots (CHR), or Raices Unidas, comprises a group of Oregon winery and vineyard owners, winemakers, and business leaders with Latin “roots.”
“What makes it unique is that it’s a celebration of our heritage, and there really isn’t anything that spans the geographies we all come from – all the way from Argentina to Mexico,” says CHR founding member Ximena Orrego, winemaker and co-owner of Atticus Wine in Yamhill, Oregon.
”It is also a celebration of the unique journeys that brought us to this industry, our entrepreneurial spirit, our leadership, and our desire to give back to the Spanish-speaking community here in Oregon.”
Now in its fourth year, CHR has doubled from six to 12 members.
“From its inception in 2020, we have always supported a non-profit focused on the Spanish-speaking community here in Oregon, with efforts around education and entrepreneurship primarily, and this year focused on healthcare,” she adds.
To that end, participants offer special wine selections to consumers throughout Hispanic Heritage Month.
This year, wineries include Alumbra Cellars, Atticus Wine, Beacon Hill Winery, Cramoisi Vineyard, Parra Wine Co., Nueva Aventura Wines, Gonzales Wine Company, Mijita Wine Company, Iterum Wines, Coria Estates, Valcan Cellars, and Subterra Kitchen and Cellar.
10% of bottle sales, as well as proceeds from a food and wine pairing dinner at Latin-owned Subterra Kitchen and Cellar with Chef Javier Santos, go towards funding the ¡Salud! auction.
I’m honored to share Oregon’s Hispanic wine industry programs with you in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.