CHRIS LAKE BECOMES THE WINEGROWER AT ABACELA
ROSEBURG, OR. – July 18, 2016; Abacela Winery is pleased to announce that Chris Lake, a native of California, will become the manager of Abacela’s Fault Line Vineyards in July of 2016. Chris obtained a Bachelor of Science in Plant Science at Fresno State University in 1993 and has over 20 years experience in the wine industry.
Abacela and its Fault Line Vineyards are celebrating their 21st year in the industry and are best known as pioneers of Tempranillo and Albariño in America. Abacela has also introduced several other site-climate matched grape varieties to the region and in 2013 was recognized as the “Oregon Winery of the Year” by Wine Press Northwest magazine. In 2015 the Oregon Wine Board presented Earl and Hilda with the industry’s “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Chris will bring to Abacela’s production team valuable experience from California, Arkansas and Oklahoma. He comes to Abacela directly from Umpqua Community College where he headed up the Southern Oregon Wine Institute and directed its educational and administrative matters for the past eight years. Chris voiced, “After serving as a teacher and administrator for these last eight years I look forward to getting back into the field in one of Oregon’s premier estate vineyards and wineries.”
He will join the Abacela wine team, which consists of Earl, the general manager, Andrew Wenzl, head winemaker, and Ryan Dudley, assistant winemaker in the growing and crafting of award winning wines.
Earl added, “We are pleased that Chris is bringing a blend of practical and academic thought to help us develop one of Oregon’s most interesting vineyard properties to its full potential.”