Peter Sturn learned to love wine while living in London, first as a graduate student and later as a successful finance professional. After decades living overseas, he returned to the states — Oregon, to be exact — to begin his own journey within the world of wine. By emulating those wines and winemakers that he loved (both domestically and abroad), his goal is to make “the most exceptional wine that could be made in Oregon.” Starting with small lots of superb fruit, Eila Wines’ 2021 vintage marks the premier release from this limited production house. Peter@EilaWines.com https://eilawines.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, memorable about your winery brand?
With circa 10,000 years of winemaking history, I doubt there is much unique about what I’m looking to achieve with my wines. My wine journey started as a young adult living in London, what was and likely still is the center of the global wine trade, spending my free time attending broking and wine trade group events, reading about winemaking, meeting winemakers at the en primeur events and traveling to wine regions in Europe and beyond.
When I returned to the US after several decades in Europe, I looked to make outstanding pinot noirs, looking at both California and Oregon. Oregon seemed the natural spot for many reasons. The wines of Burgundy will always be a reference point. Still, outstanding pinot noirs are also made in Germany, New Zealand, Australia, the US, and elsewhere and my goal is to create benchmark Oregon pinot noirs.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained. Sky’s the limit!
More than any other factor, time is the greatest constraint in winemaking. Winemaking is still relatively new in Oregon and new vineyards with great promise are still being planted. As I don’t own my own vineyard, I source fruit from several great Oregon vineyards and continue to look to add and experiment with others. Age increases wine quality for great vineyards. Without any constraints, I would have planted 1000+ acres in promising areas 50 years ago (many of which wouldn’t have been remotely viable then), and waited to see which few acres turned out to now make the best wine suited to my style. Most European wine regions have had many hundreds of years to figure this out, we are just getting started.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
2021 was my first vintage and the only to be released to date. All my 2021 wines are very good and distinctive, which was the goal, and represent the vineyards where they came from. If I had thought they made a better wine blended together that produced a better wine, I would have done so, but depending on my mood for the day, the Eila “Violet” is stylistically what I’m looking to be known for and most emblematic of my brand. Click here to read this wine review.
Bonus Question – Why Winemaking?
Twofold – I love wine in all its complexity – it is a beautiful product that grows, evolves and changes over time. Having worked in finance and engineering, it is also great to work with a something I can touch, feel, taste and enjoy, with the benefit of working with nature.