Founder Focus: Bob Gross

Born in NYC, Bob and his wife traveled west in 1976 with their 3 children in tow. His love of Pinot Noir landed them in Oregon.

It all began with a simple vision: growing grapes in a landscape that inspires. Dr. Robert Gross and his wife Corrine felt so strongly about this vision that they committed completely, despite thriving careers in medicine and social work and a growing family. The beauty of the Coastal Range to the West and the deep connection to the soil they worked each day instilled a farmer’s appreciation for the Willamette Valley and the labor it takes to grow their fruit.

First they were strictly growers, selling their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in the Old Vines Vineyard, as it came to be called. Then in 1987, the family produced a Pinot Noir as their first label from the estate vineyard. Now Cooper Mountain Vineyards produces 7 varietals under 3 labels.

From the beginning, Cooper Mountain embraced holistic farming practices and became a leader in the winemaking industry for organic and biodynamic production. The notion of restoring the land that produces the crops made perfect sense. We take and we give back. In 1995 Cooper Mountain was certified organic by Oregon Tilth and in 1999 earned biodynamic certification from Demeter, the largest biodynamic international certification organization.

Bob lives on one of the vineyard sites and still splits his time between a natural medicine practice and Cooper Mountain. His innovative vision continues to guide his dedicated team.