This interview is with Bailey Mayer of Proteus Wines. In this interview, Bailey talks about how he ended up owning a vineyard in Oregon and what he has learned in the process.
Bailey shares about growing up in Colorado and attending the University of Colorado in Boulder to get a degree in finance and accounting. Shortly after, he moved to Philadelphia and worked in bank regulatory compliance for 20 years. It was in Philadelphia that he met his husband, Jerry, after joining a swim league.
Bailey was introduced to wine by a sommelier friend, and he and Jerry focused many of their vacations around which wine regions they wanted to visit and learn about. Though they both worked office jobs in Philadelphia, they dreamed of moving to Oregon and joining the wine industry.
Later in the interview, Bailey talks about finally moving to Oregon after his husband passed away. While he wasn’t looking for a vineyard property, his real estate agent showed him the Proteus Wines property, and he fell in love. He got straight to work developing a 4-year plan to expand and boost the brand. He also created a wine to honor his late husband and donates the proceeds from that wine to epilepsy research.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Proteus Wines in Newberg on August 7, 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.