This interview is with Darcy Pendergrass of Amity Vineyards. In this interview, Darcy talks about her journey from tasting room associate to winemaker at Amity, and what she has been up to since then.
Darcy shares about growing up in Oregon and staying close by in Montana for college. After earning her degree in microbiology to work in healthcare, then later deciding that wasn’t for her, she moved back home and started Chemeketa’s new viticulture program.
Darcy talks about meeting Patrick McElligott there, who hired her at the Amity Vineyards tasting room and thus changed the trajectory of her career. When she met Myron Redford, he realized her potential and encouraged her to start working in the cellar.
Later in the interview, Darcy discusses her promotions from cellar master to assistant winemaker and eventually to winemaker, all at Amity Vineyards. She also started her own label, Tartan, and experimented with bigger bolder reds. Additionally, she spent 10 vintages overseas to continue her learning.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on February 16, 2026.
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.