About Us
When Daniel S. Cooley Sr settled in the Willamette Valley, he chose to set up a farm on a plot of land outside the city of Eugene. The farm sat on a small rise off McBeth Road overlooking the Lorane Valley. Today, that land is covered in grape vines and tended by Dan Cooley Jr and his wife Nancy Cooley.
McBeth Vineyards was founded on the idea that fantastic wine doesn't have to have a fantastic price tag. Our goal is to produce affordable, high quality Oregon wines. Under the secondary label Spencer Creek Cellars, McBeth Vineyards has partnered with other Oregon winegrowers to produce Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and a Chardonnays. Visit Our Wines page to learn more, or check out the Where to Buy section to find a retailer near you.
History
Dan and Nancy Cooley’s wine journey began with their 1973 marriage at Winery Lake Vineyard in the Napa Valley’s pinot noir-friendly Carneros District where they had rented a house from legendary wine-industry icon Rene diRosa while they were student-teaching at Napa High School.
Following the birth of their first son, Grahan, at Napa’s Queen of the Valley Hospital they moved to the city of Eugene in Oregon’s Willamette Valley where two more boys, Jeffrey and Bradley, were born.
Inspired by their Napa roots, Dan and Nancy were soon passionately involved in the local gourmet food and wine culture. Dan’s experience included retail and wholesale fine wine sales as well as pioneering experiences in the craft and import beer world alongside the likes of Sierra Nevada’s Ken Grossman & Paul Camusi, Oregon brew-pub pioneers Mike and Brian McMenamin and Belgian beer luminary Bob Leggett.
Nancy found herself managing upscale gourmet food retail and wholesale venues, eventually establishing herself as one of the community's leading cheese experts and partnering in her own retail business celebrating fine food and beverages.
Dan and Nancy acquired the Cooley Family farm outside of Eugene upon the passing of his parents. Partnering with Dan's sister and brother-in-law, Ellen and Spencer Allen, the farm was converted into a vineyard growing pinot noir grapes.
The journey is just beginning with the Cooley Family’s fabric of commitment and indulgence ranging from the next generation’s input of vineyard labor, label design and website development to the very wine in the bottle signaling our evolving presence in Oregon’s wine industry. Welcome to our world.
Related Topics
In the News
May Meanderings: On Potholes and Pours By Lance Sparks
The Eugene Weekly
Helpful Links
Winedirectory.org - Large resource of websites about wine and wineries.
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