Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Freytag.
Hi Chris, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Knowing next to nothing about wine, my first experience engaging with it in a meaningful way was accepting an invitation from close friends a couple decades ago, to enjoy an overnight stay and wine tasting through the small wineries in Umpqua Valley’s Roseburg area. I found many of the wines to be delicious and the people behind them fascinating. The more I also considered that these wide ranges of wines all came from simply planting vines in the ground impressed me immensely. The concept of working with the earth to generate something so interesting that brings people together. After that weekend, I kept returning to those small wineries and became better acquainted with the winemakers, their wines, and the process of making wine.
In 2015 myself and a friend planted a small vineyard on the private property of a mutual friend, and we began crafting Marechal Foch a few years later in 2018. The winemakers in Roseburg whom I had developed friendships with were a huge help when it came to learning the winemaking process and provided occasional hands on help with some of the concepts.
Finally in 2020 I experimented with a few other varietals, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, and Merlot to see whether or not it was a fluke that decent Marechal Foch was being produced by our own grapes. When those wines turned out well, the decision was made in 2021 to step into commercial winemaking. In our area of Oregon, east Springfield, there were no commercial producers, or local wines being poured in the McKenzie River community. So we gained attention rather quickly with our initial McKenzie Crest Wines label. By 2024 my McKenzie Crest business partner no longer wanted to keep participating with the wine industry, so I have since continued wine production with the family label, Freytag Cellars, where people can experience a “micro-boutique” wine tasting experience. Last year we launched our first wine club as well and offer tastings on the First Saturday of the Month, tastings by appointment, and we continue to appear at various wine events throughout Oregon.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
While things have been largely smooth, there have been a small number of “lessons learned” when it comes to encountering wine flaws, equipment flaws, and also having to pivot in our branding and marketing. It was a bit challenging to leave building up the McKenzie Crest Wines label and, essentially, start from scratch with building our family label from the standpoint of brand awareness. A lot of regular customers were aware that I was behind the winemaking for both labels, but when it came to promoting our participation at wine events and trying to get a few wines into local retailers, suddenly operating with a different name and image was a challenge.
We are also still in our humble beginnings and to avoid the massive overhead that can be part of the wine business, we operate on a residential property in a charmingly-configured garage and driveway space. It can be a challenge not offering customers the typical, romantic views that you associate with a large vineyard and winery setting. However, the customer base we continue to build, those who take the opportunity to check us out, have really reacted positivity to our current presentation and love the low-key, “sipping wine at your friend’s house” vibe.
While we are fortunate to have some great relationships with grape growers in Oregon and Washington, it has been a challenge at times to find growers who are willing to work with a winery shopping for smaller quantities. Most vineyards aim to sell quantities by the tons, whereas we typically shop for amounts ranging from a quarter-ton to one-ton amounts.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I care for the winemaking with our family label. From grape harvest to fermentation, aging, and bottling. Our small winery is known for the unique range of varietals we produce. While being in the larger Willamette Valley, known for cool climate wines such as Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay, we offer varietals beyond simply Pinot Noir. Wine enthusiasts appreciate our rotating line-up that offers wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Barbera, Marechal Foch, among others. We also enjoy crafting a number of Rosé-style wines, one of which is made from 100% fermented Strawberries – a popular wine being produced by only our small winery.
I am most proud of our wines made from Barbera; an Italian varietal that is incredibly versatile. We produce a bold red style wine with this grape and every vintage always sells out quick. It’s very gratifying to see people’s reactions when sipping our wines and hearing them describe what they specifically love about the flavors and aromas.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most is giving people the best tasting experience we possibly can. Yes it’s important to make quality wines that appeal to the palate. But people’s favorite wines can vary – having a fun experience with it though? Is something we all want. We want to know about the wine we’re drinking. Where did it come from? What’s the story behind it’s production? We want to sit with our friends and laugh, and let life’s issues melt away for a little while. We want to have a good time and wine offers that. It brings people together, sparks conversation and intrigue, and makes people feel relaxed. So regardless of what wines we are pouring on any given day, and regardless of what people’s favorites are in that line-up, we want them to largely think back to the environment, how they were treated, the fun conversation, and the memories they made that day.
Pricing:
- Barbera $40
- Pinot Noir $35
- Strawberry Wine $25
- Marechal Foch $35
- Tempranillo Rosé $30
Contact Info:
- Website: https://freytagcellars.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/freytagcellars
