This interview is with Eric Weisinger of Weisinger Family Winery. In this interview, Eric discusses his 30 years in the industry and how he came right back to where he started.
Eric talks about how his father always had a dream of owning a winery. Eric was roped into this dream when his father suffered an injury and he had to take over. From there, he realized he was drawn to wine and could make a living from it. For many years, Eric would switch from the two hemispheres for harvest. It was when he hadn’t seen spring in over 10 years that he decided to return to his father’s business in 2011.
Eric discusses how him and his father were best friends, but bad colleagues. Eric had left his father’s business originally to learn about the industry from new places and perspectives. When his father asked him to return, he figured the worst that could happen is that he might fail.
Later in the interview, Eric talks about the future of the industry and Southern Oregon’s unique attributes to it. Eric believes that to stay relevant within the industry, you must be able to change. He also believes that Southern Oregon can evolve by leaning into its uniqueness of topography. Eric plans to change and stay relevant to continue carrying on his father’s dream.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Weisinger Family Winery on June 11, 2026.
What is The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast?
The Oregon Wine History Archive at Linfield University was created to collect, preserve, share, and continue the narrative of Oregon wine.
The growth of the Oregon wine industry extends from the farmers and winemakers to the marketers, scientists, innovators, and dreamers of the enterprise — all of whom are vital to the industry’s success. It is our aim to link the past, present, and future of the industry in hopes of sharing the story of Oregon wine.
Some oral history interviews are conducted on site and may contain background noise from nature, winery, or tasting room operations.