Kristy Wenz: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Kristy Wenz. In this interview, Kristy speaks about her path to finding wine and her journey once she entered the industry. 

Kristy shares about her passion regarding stories and how her love for storytelling translates to her wine career. She goes on to share how she became hooked with wine early in life, but never sought out a career in the industry until later in her life. She then talks about how a trip to the Fingerlakes region of New York changed her life and shifted her thoughts regarding wine and her career. 

Later in the interview Kristy dives into working her first harvests and how she eventually found her way to Oregon. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on January 30, 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.