Paul O’Brien Winery

Paul O’Brien was founded in 2013 by Dyson Paul DeMara and Scott O’Brien Kelley. The winery was founded with the intent to showcase Umpqua Valley’s unique terroir which boasts over 140 soil types and is the most complex in the United States.

POINTS OF DIFFERENTIATION

• Combined 60 years of global fine winemaking experience
• Classic fine winegrowing approach to everything ie. dry farmed, hillside sites, small lot fermentation
• Sourced from the most complex fine wine region in America… if not the world.
• Wines driven by proven super selected sites for specific varieties
• Proprietary concrete fermenters, oak foudre, cask and foudre etc. “Best of”

THE HISTORY

Paul O’Brien Winery is the culmination of twenty years of friendship between two winemakers who share a passion for fine wine, great food and a gracious life. Dyson Paul DeMara and Scott O’Brien Kelley met while working at Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley. Since then they have traveled the world’s wine regions learning the old world traditions and sharing new world techniques.

In 2013 the duo came together to start the Umpqua Valley’s first urban winery in the historic Hansen Chevrolet building in downtown Roseburg, Oregon. The duo chose their middle names to brand the winery as it speaks to their friendship and partnership.

THE TERROIR

Paul O’Brien Winery sources their grapes from dry farmed, hillside vineyards throughout the Umpqua Valley.  The winery partners with eight different growers who are dedicated to growing the finest grapes for the Paul O’Brien wines.

This approach allows the winery to ensure that the selected vineyard sites are perfectly matched to a particular variety.  The Umpqua Valley is one of Oregon’s more diverse climates capable of growing both cool and warm grape varieties.  The Roseburg area in particular is noted for its transitional climate.

The Umpqua Valley boasts more than 140 soil types.  More than any other region in the world.  Similar to old-world regions, such as Piedmont, vineyard soil type can vary greatly depending on its location in the region.  Most of the soils are derived from a mix of metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic rock.  Deep alluvial or heavy clay materials are predominantly found in the valley, while the hillsides and bench locations have mixed alluvial, silt or clay soils.