This interview is with Eric Foster. In this interview, Eric talks about his experience working with several different wineries, including Keeler, Duke’s, Andante, and Left Coast.
Eric shares about his introduction to the wine industry when a friend asked him to join the harvest crew at Keeler in 2017. After this, he worked another harvest at Duke’s and at Andante. Around that time, Eric was also attending Oregon State to study earth science and oceanography.
Later in the interview, Eric discusses his more recent cellar job at Left Coast and what it was like to work in the cellar full-time rather than just during harvest. He also talks about his passion for the rehabilitation of the oak savannah ecosystem, which Left Coast devotes a portion of their land to.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Erratic Rock State Park in McMinnville on August 19, 2025.
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.