Hamilton Russell Oregon is a producer of carefully selected single vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot noir and Chardonnay. It is owned and operated by Olive Hamilton Russell. She gained experience through decades long involvement in the world of wine, and played an active role in the management of Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Ashbourne and Southern Right wineries with her husband Anthony Hamilton Russell, the owner of these internationally renowned South African wineries. It is Hamilton Russell Oregon’s goal to express the very best attributes of Willamette Valley Pinot noir fruit in a classical style emphasizing spice and structure, and Willamette Valley Chardonnay fruit in a bright, restrained mineral style.
Serendipitous relationships enabled access to Pinot noir grapes from the very best vineyard sites from the beginning. With the Southern Hemisphere vintage safely maturing in the cellar, Hamilton Russell Vineyards winemaker Emul Ross was able to travel to Oregon to make the maiden vintage in 2018. Working initially with two famous Pinot noir vineyards in the sub-AVA’s of Eola-Amity Hills and Ribbon Ridge, the decision was made in 2019 to settled on a single Pinot noir from the Zena Crown Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, adding an exciting new (2014 planted) Chardonnay vineyard, Maple Grove. Today Emul is still making the wines, with Olive assisting.