Ransom Wines & Spirits

Ransom Wines & Spirits
23101 Houser Road
Sheridan, Oregon
USA 97378
Phone: 503-876-5022
http://ransomspirits.com/

Contact: Tad Seestedt
Email: [email protected]

Started with a small life savings and a fistful of credit cards, the Ransom Project was launched in 1997 with Ransom Spirits Distillery making small amounts of grappa, eau d'vie and brandy. The distillery is currently located in Portland, Oregon and continues to produce very limited quantities of grape based spirits. Still wine production began during the 1999 vintage with Ransom Wine Co. operating as a semi-nomadic entity. For the first five years Ransom Wine Co. followed the path of it's founder, Tad Seestedt, through several contract winemaking and custom crushing locations until 2004 when permanent housing was finally located in the heart of McMinnville's historical granary district.

Look for the last free standing fertilizer elevator, covered with gray steel siding with a fading "McDaniel Fertilizer" painted on the sides. Ten yards to the west is the winery. Sheathed in shiny new galvanized siding and sporting fresh green paint on the bottom is the refurbished grass seed warehouse. This revitalized warehouse is now home to our cooperative, two winery venture between Ransom Wine Co. and Lumos Wine Company. The two wineries share the space, major equipment, knowledge, and frequent lunches. The name "Ransom" was initially chosen to represent the investment necessary to become self employed. It has since come to represent the amount of debt payed to banks, and loaning institutions.

The intent of Ransom Wine Co. is to create artisan crafted wines that exemplify true varietal character and express the individuality of the growers, vineyard sites, and vintages. Our belief is that wine is best made by hand with minimal intervention and minimal use of mechanization, chemicals, computers, and high tech laboratory analyses. Winemaking decisions are mainly based on taste, the other four senses, a small degree of common sense, instinct, and of course what the grapes themselves want to do. Call it path of least resistance, laziness, low budget or anything that seems to fit. We prefer to call it "keeping it real". Very hands on, low tech, low hype.

Committed to helping reduce planetary toxicity, the majority of fruit sourced for Ransom Wine Co. is farmed organically or biodynamically. All of the Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Gewurztraminer bottled under the Ransom label is made from organically farmed grapes. We also have an additional label called "Jigsaw" which is a blend of Pinot Noir from organically and conventionally farmed vineyards. Another of our major commitments is to provide the highest quality, food friendly wines at a cost that allows for an affordable daily ritual of sharing wine, meals and company. We believe that wine itself is a food and should be an integral part of everyday meals. Drinking premium quality, handcrafted wines does not need to be either expensive or pretentious. It should not outweigh the food in either expense or emphasis, but instead compliment the food and add to the sense of delight and fulfillment found in gathering to eat and drink. it is the function of wine to enhance fellowship, discussion, and the exchange of ideas. So visit the market, invite over friends and family, and raise a toast to health and happiness through good meals, conversation and socializing!

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