“When Pigs Fly!”

Jared Rallison’s friends and family were utterly incredulous when they heard he wanted to be a winemaker. More than one said, “When pigs fly!” when he told them of his dream.

After all, he lived in Utah, had a full-time job as a pharmaceutical executive, and was the father of three young girls. When pigs fly, indeed. But dreams don’t die.

After trying to make wine in Utah, Jared and his family moved to Sherwood, Oregon, and found a place to plant some grapes. Today, Rallison Cellars is a small but amazing little label – producing less than 800 cases a year, almost all sold on site and to wine club members.

In recognition of the challenges they’ve overcome, his wife Lari gave him a flying pig weathervane to put atop the winery built next to the Rallison family home.

And just a few weeks before we first visited in November 2014, a huge windstorm came through – and the pig was ripped from the roof, took flight, and landed in the vineyard. When pigs fly!