EDUCATION SEMINARS
wednesday, MAY 13, 2026
The Willamette Valley Wine Auction offers dynamic seminars brought to you by industry leaders. Both panels take place at Abbey Road Farm on Wednesday, May 13.
Seminar 1 at 12:00pm
MODERATOR:
Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
Clive Pursehouse
On relocating to the US West Coast 20 years ago, Clive Pursehouse developed a deep appreciation for the wines of the Pacific Northwest, and has been writing about these world-class Oregon and Washington State producers and their wines since 2007. Pursehouse is also culture editor for Peloton Magazine, where he covers cycling, travel, wine and cuisine.
Panelists:
Adam Campbell, Elk Cove Vineyards
Elk Cove owner and Winemaker Adam Campbell is the son of Elk Cove founders Pat and Joe Campbell and grew up on the property. Like all the Campbell kids, he spent his summers in the vineyard and on the bottling line, but Adam developed a special connection to the vineyards. In 1995 he joined forces with his folks to make Elk Cove’s wines and in 1999 he became head winemaker.
Living his whole life among the vines, Adam has tremendous respect for the land on which the grapes were grown:
“High quality wine really starts in the vineyard. The time I spend stomping through our 350 acres of vines not only helps us make good decisions in viticulture, it also informs our winemaking decisions. Good winemaking is a mixture of art and science… But at the end of the day I need great vineyard sites and impeccable farming to make phenomenal wines.”
Ben Castillo, Bethel Heights
Ben is a member of the second generation now taking charge at Bethel Heights Vineyard. Oldest son of two of the founders, Terry Casteel and Marilyn Webb, Ben grew up at Bethel Heights and worked in the vineyard during the summers. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 1999, then headed for Burgundy to work the 1999 vintage at Domaine des Perdrix. Upon return from Burgundy, he spent the next five years at REX HILL, working his way up from cellarmaster to assistant winemaker. In 2005, he finally came back to Bethel Heights where he is now Winemaker.
Isabelle Meunier, Director of Winemaking | Aubaine
A native of Quebec, Isabelle Meunier studied winemaking and viticulture at the University of Dijon in Burgundy, and in New Zealand at Lincoln University. For years, she honed her craft under the mentorship of some of the world's most revered winemakers: French-Canadian Pascal Marchand at Domaine de la Vougeraie in Burgundy, Blair Walter at Felton Road in New Zealand, and Dominique Lafon of Domaine des Comtes Lafon.
It was Marchand who recommended her to Lafon for his then-new Oregon consulting project, Evening Land, and Isabelle arrived in the Willamette Valley in 2007. What followed was a defining chapter for Oregon wine. Her wines earned a place on the Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of the Year every year from 2009 through 2015 — a remarkable run that included producing both the highest-rated Oregon Pinot Noir and the highest-rated Oregon Chardonnay the publication had ever recognized. The arc reached its peak in 2015, when her 2012 'La Source' Pinot Noir was named the #3 wine in the world.
She oversaw Evening Land until 2014, and shortly after launched her own venture, LAVINEA — an artisan production of distinctive single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. LAVINEA set the stage for Isabelle to join Andy Lytle in 2019 to lead the winemaking efforts for Aubaine, focusing on single-vineyard bottlings of estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA.
Today, Isabelle brings the full measure of her global experience to the Eola-Amity Hills, crafting wines that honor both her Burgundian training and the distinct character of Aubaine's estate vineyards. Her restrained approach and masterful hand allow each vintage to express the genuine interplay of place, season, and artistry — wines that speak the vineyard's truth as well as her own.
Amael Orrego, Winemaker | Benton-Lane
Amael’s story as a winemaker comes full circle at Benton-Lane Winery. He grew up in the countryside outside of Santiago, Chile—where wine had a regular place at the dinner table—and earned a degree as an agricultural engineer specializing in oenology and viticulture. Chasing a fascination with both the science of farming and the creativity of winemaking in his early career, he cold-called Chilean wine industry legend, Agustin Huneeus. That conversation would shape his professional trajectory.
Amael was invited to work a harvest at Flowers on the Sonoma Coast, then returned the following summer to intern at Quintessa. This experience led to a position as assistant winemaker for Emiliana Vineyards in Chile, before becoming head winemaker for Kingston Family Vineyards, also in Chile, in 2015. He oversaw all winemaking and production operations for 7,000 cases annually, specializing in single-vineyard pinot noir and chardonnay. His work earned him Young Winemaker of the Year awards from La Cav and Tim Atkin, both in 2022.
When Amael was offered the position of winemaker at Benton Lane in late 2022, it felt like destiny. Not just because of his deeply rooted relationship with Huneeus Vintners—he had also met Sofia Araya, the woman who would become his wife, through his Flowers internship—but because of his longstanding love of the pure and noble character of pinot noir and chardonnay. For Amael, joining a classic brand like Benton-Lane is a dream come true, one that has gratefully brought him to Oregon’s Willamette Valley to work with his favorite varieties, while helping to bring this dynamic and biodiverse vineyard to its fullest potential and truest expression.
Seminar 2 at 2:30pm
MODERATOR
Zach Geballe, VinePair
Zach Geballe, VinePair
Zach Geballe is the co-host and producer of The VinePair Podcast, a twice-weekly, industry-leading podcast covering the beverage alcohol trade. In addition, he writes about the business and culture of drinks for VinePair. Previously, he spent two decades working the restaurant industry as a sommelier, bartender, and wine director for some of Seattle's finest restaurants and bars.
Panelists:
Kim Abrahams, Winemaker | Archery Summit
Kim Abrahams is a Louisiana native whose warmth, curiosity, and love of craft shape her life in Oregon wine country. Her winemaking journey has taken her from Napa to Tasmania, with formative chapters at Lingua Franca, Domaine Serene, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, and Delamere. Now rooted in McMinnville, she and her husband co‑own Mac Wine Lockers, blending community and creativity. Outside the cellar, Kim is a passionate beekeeper, food lover, and traveler who draws inspiration from every corner of life. She shares her home with her husband, their two young sons and their golden retriever, Cedar.
Kate Ayres, Winemaker | Penner-Ash
From a young age Kate has always held a strong interest in the sciences. Growing up on the north coast of Oregon, her younger years were spent fishing, crabbing, and gathering mushrooms. Kate’s love of animals led her to UC Davis and the Animal Sciences department, but her interest became piqued by the Winemaking department, and she quickly adjusted her major to Viticulture and Enology. In her junior year, Kate opted to take the fall quarter off to work for Cakebread Cellars. This time affirmed her love for winemaking, and she finished her degree while continuing to work at Cakebread Cellars for another vintage. While working for Cakebread Cellars, Kate was presented with the great opportunity to work in New Zealand as a harvest intern on brands such as Astrolabe and Jules Taylor. This time abroad helped Kate to continue her foray into winemaking by allowing her to work and learn from winemakers from around the world after graduation.
Between the years of 2009-2011, Kate worked harvests across the world. In 2009, Kate’s winemaker journey abroad took her to harvest in the south of Portugal, helping her to expand her knowledge by working with varieties common in the Alentejo region. Kate returned home to Oregon in 2010 for a brief stint to work harvest for Bethel Heights before returning to her travels abroad working the 2011 harvest in the Barossa Valley in Australia.
In 2011, Kate returned to the states and took a job with The Hess Collection Winery as Associate Winemaker. She remained there until 2016 at which point she traded in Cabernet Sauvignon for Pinot Noir and joined Penner-Ash Wine Cellars. Working in tandem with Founder and Winemaker, Lynn Penner-Ash, Kate quickly rose to her current role of Winemaker at Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in the Spring of 2018.
Remy Drabkin, Winemaker | Remy Wines
Remy Drabkin is the winemaker and owner of Remy Wines, a small winery making a big impact in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Remy Wines celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Remy was one of Oregon’s first publicly queer, female winemakers and has been a driving force for equity and inclusion not just in wine, but across Oregon’s overlapping business communities. She co-founded Wine Country Pride, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit bringing Pride and joy to rural Oregon, as well as Queer Wine Fest, an annual celebration showcasing queer-led wineries and winemakers. Remy was a Wine Enthusiast “Future 40,” among Wine Industry Advisor’s “Wine’s Most Inspiring People,” and named one of Worth Magazine’s “Groundbreaking Women.” Remy has also dedicated more than 14 years to public service in her hometown of McMinnville, serving on City Council and the Affordable Housing Commission, and as liaison to the city’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Taskforce. In 2022, she became the first woman and first queer-identified person to be elected Mayor of McMinnville.
Bryan Laing, Winemaker and Co-Founder | Hazelfern
Taking their name from the historic Hazelfern Farm in Portland, Oregon, Hazelfern’s journey from 5-gallon carboys in the family basement to their vineyard, winery, and farmhouse in the Willamette Valley has been a wild ride since 2006.
Sparked by the loss of a young family member and quarter-life crisis in 2014, Hazelfern’s co-founders Bryan and Laura Laing traded in their daily commute for a tractor and the wine life. Hazelfern’s Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are expertly crafted in an old-world style, and made to be paired with good music, great people, memorable stories & delicious farm dinners.
As Hazelfern’s winemaker, Bryan’s dedication to organic farming and thoughtful winemaking mirrors his love of cooking fresh, seasonally driven meals for his family and friends.
“I grew up in a family who appreciated great wine. I was taught that wine is something special yet something that is a staple of everyday life – a condiment with any meal… something to talk about over family dinners, something to share with good people and great friends. It’s an inclusive part of everyday life.”
Bryan specializes in critically acclaimed, micro-lot, single vineyard and artfully blended Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Hazelfern’s latest releases of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have landed on Top 100 lists from multiple world-renowned wine critics. Learn more about Hazelfern on Instagram @hazelferncellars or at www.hazelfern.com