A Tuscan sun in Oregon

You can take the boy out of Italy, but you can’t take Italy out of the boy. A first-generation American, Alfredo Apolloni spent his childhood summers on the vineyard in Italy that had been in his family for over 150 years.

With wine in his blood, Alfredo knew he wanted to raise his children on a vineyard. So, after traveling the world and building a successful engineering career, he and Laurine bought land in Forest Grove in 1999 and planted grapes.

Why Forest Grove? Because the climate reminded him of his family’s vineyard south of Venice, on the Adriatic Coast — and he wanted his kids to have similar experiences.

With a strong commitment to sustainability, the Apolloni estate is LIVE Certified, including a geothermal barrel cave built deep into a hillside.
Alfredo works with winemaker Kevin Green to produce wines in an Italian style, albeit with Northwest influences. On the estate, they grow Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Chardonnay – and source bolder red wines from warmer, drier vineyards in the Columbia Valley that produce big Italian-style reds with character and heft.