This feature-length documentary shares the stories of 21 women winemakers in Oregon's Willamette Valley. It explores how these trailblazing women have shaped and developed the region's thriving wine industry. Despite representing only a small fraction of Willamette Valley's approximately 736 wineries, these winemakers continue to be a growing and influential force.

How It All Started
The idea for the Women of Pinot wine documentary began in early 2020 during conversations with local winemakers about the notable presence of women winemakers in Oregon, particularly in the Willamette Valley, the heart of Oregon Pinot Noir. It was surprising to learn that, despite the valley being home to over 730 wineries, less than 9% are led by women winemakers. We immediately recognized this as a story that needed to be told.

Finding the Women Winemakers
You might think there would be a comprehensive list of women winemakers in Oregon, or at least within each AVA (American Viticultural Area). But no such list existed. Compiling one required months of extensive research—exploring wine organizations, combing through websites, sending emails, and reaching out to wineries. After painstaking efforts, we assembled what we believed was a robust list of women winemakers in the Willamette Valley. Even though we knew we wouldn't capture everyone, we decided it was time to move forward with filming.

Making Contact
Once we identified the women winemakers, the next challenge was obtaining their contact information and making initial contact. We sent 56 invitation letters to the women on our list and encouraged them to let us know if we had missed anyone. Coordinating schedules among filming locations, our production crew, and the winemakers themselves proved challenging. However, we were thrilled that nearly half of the women we contacted participated in the documentary. We are deeply grateful to each of them, as well as to everyone who supported and contributed to this project.