Carl Formaker: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Carl Formaker, the winemaker for Domaine Serene. In this interview, Carl talks about his journey to finding a passion and career in wine. 

Carl talks about growing up in California surrounded by vines. He shares about growing up around wine, but not viewing it as a career until later in life. Carl goes on to talk about his college days in California and studying to pursue a career in the medical field. 

Later in the interview, Carl shares how he found a passion for wine. He talks about initial harvests and how he became hooked on the wine industry and people involved in it. Carl then goes on to share how he found himself in Oregon making wine. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 29, 2024 at Domaine Serene Winery in Dayton.

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.