Member Profile: Meet Earl Williams From Holloran Vineyard Wines



Produced in partnership by Travel Dundee and the Dundee Hills Winegrowers Association.

Wine country has a way of sneaking up on you and stealing your heart. That’s what happened to Earl Williams, who began his career as an agricultural studies teacher at Yamhill-Carlton High School. He was introduced to the wine industry through a school board member and quickly fell in love with it. Soon, he was spending his spare time volunteering at wineries and learning the ins and outs of daily operations. A staunch advocate for sustainability and earth care, Earl’s background in agricultural education combined with his friendliness and warmth made him a natural fit in the world of wine. For him, there are no strangers – just future friends.

At the prompting of his father-in-law to pursue an industry he truly loved, Earl left teaching and entered the wine industry professionally – motivated by his desire to tell the story of wine to people who love to drink it. During his tenure in sales and distribution for large companies, it was Oregon Wine Month and the International Pinot Noir Celebration that opened his eyes to Oregon wines. They became his passion and he looked for opportunities to tell the history of the founding fathers of Oregon wine, many of whom established their vineyards in the Dundee Hills.

After more than a decade working in distribution, Earl received a call from Bill Holloran, owner of Holloran Vineyard Wines. He met the team, fell in love with the winery and its place in the Dundee Hills, and became their Direct to Consumer and Wine Club Manager, responsible for selling wine directly to Holloran’s patrons as well as packaging and shipping wine to club members each quarter. “I do a little bit of everything, including pouring in the tasting room Monday through Saturday,” he says. 

“What I do now is my dream job,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to tell the story of a family-owned, boutique winery. And now, I get to do that where Oregon wine really got its start – the Dundee Hills – and be part of Holloran’s tasting room expansion and other plans for our future. There’s just no other place I’d rather be.”

Earl’s Top Three Reasons to Visit Holloran Vineyard Wines

  • There isn’t a better view in the Dundee Hills. Any seat in their tasting room has a view of at least six wineries stretched across acres of lush vineyards.
  • Holloran has unique varietals for the Willamette Valley – like Tempranillo and Sauvignon Blanc – as well as exceptional traditional varieties including Pinot Noir,  Chardonnay and Riesling. All are available at unbeatable prices.
  • The vineyard team listens to the soil and adjusts their farming practices to give the vines what they need, but always within the practice of organic and biodynamic farming. They take the commitment to sustainability even further by implementing it into the winemaking process. 

Learn more about Holloran Vineyard Wines and meet Earl Williams by making a reservation here.

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