Andrew Head, Afton Towry, and Chris Graves: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Andrew Head, Afton Towry, and Chris Graves of Apona Vienyards. In this interview, Andrew, Afton, and Chris speak about their wine paths and how they came to start Apona Vineyards.

Chris talks about his extensive winemaking experience and eventually coming to southern Oregon as a winemaker and instructor. Afton and Andrew talk about how they met and began their wine endeavor, and Afton tells of taking classes with Chris and eventually inviting him to join the team as the winemaker.

The trio also talk about the vineyard and the wines made so far, about the nearly completed winery/tasting room, and about what the future holds.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 2, 2025 at Apona Vineyards in Veneta.

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.