Mike Brunson is the Winemaker at Domaine Rogue Winery and Valley View Vineyards in the Applegate Valley of Southern Oregon. A fourth-generation Sonoma County native, Mike grew up surrounded by wine grapes, vineyards—and let’s not forget, prune orchards! But it wasn’t until volunteering at SKY Vineyards in the early 1990s that he discovered the magic of winegrowing and winemaking. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz, Mike set his sights on a winemaking career, learning from some of the industry’s most respected pioneers: Fred Payne, Merry Edwards, Phil Freese, JP Pawlowski, Daryl Groom, Javier Acevedo Sr., Lore Olds, and Hank Skewis, all of whom shaped his approach to growing and crafting wine.
In 2003, Mike embraced organic and Biodynamic farming practices, committing to converting the vineyards he managed to organic methods—not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because it genuinely improves grape quality when done well. Having spent most of his winemaking career on the West Coast—with brief stints in Italy and France—Mike landed in Oregon in 2021, ready to begin the next chapter of his winemaking journey on what he calls Winemaking on the Best Coast.
Media Inquiries: Mikerbrunson@gmail.com | https://valleyviewwinery.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
Heritage. The organically farmed estate vineyard and winery have been in the Applegate Valley for 50+ years. Couple that with my 35+ years in the biz (started when I was 18) and you’ve got a dynamic duo for growing and making world-class wines that showcase a very sweet spot in the world of winegrowing. I can say that because I’ve made wine in some of the premiere winegrowing spots in the world. Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey, Napa Valley, West Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, Valtellina Superiore in Italy and now, the Applegate Valley.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
Great question! I’d love to have the opportunity to make wines again with everyone I’ve ever worked with. Gather everyone from around the world into one facility and make wine. Fly them in, provide them a lovely spot to stay, feed them the finest meals, have their favorite bands playing live, all with the intention of making the best wines we can while enjoying each other’s company. The wine business is very seasonal and people come and go. When you work in tough conditions, long days with no breaks, you get to know people really, really well. In most cases they become lifelong friends, except you’re not working together any longer. It would be great to have a facility that could host everyone, and we could make world-class wines with dear friends from all over the world again.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
Our Domaine Rogue Syrah. It’s a lively little beast. Every year is a little different than the previous. Our winemaking efforts pay off in this wine with phenolics for days and concise, varietally correct aromas and flavors. It plays nice with food, but can be enjoyed all on its own (even chilled just a bit). It’s not a wine to drink straight from the bottle though, because if you spill it on your shirt it’s going to leave a stain. Read the Domaine Rogue Syrah wine review here.
Bonus Question: What’s the one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
I’ve played live music for the President of the United States of America (Bill Clinton), the Secretary of State (Hillary Clinton), The Governor of California (Gavin Newsom), and a handful of Senators. I’ve also drummed with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead a couple of times.