How it all began...
Our story started with friendship and has turned into something dreams are made of.
In 1997 we met at West Linn High School. Within a few months, we became best friends and were inseparable.
In 2000 we were Married. Aaron took up a new hobby and began making beer and wine at home in our garage. Picture boxed wine kits and bubbling carboys fermenting in our bathtub.
From 2004-2007 we added two kids to the mix and became a party of 4. Hobbies were put on the backburner as we tried to figure out the whole parenting gig and raising humans.
fast forward...
In 2017 Aaron's family bought Ten Peaks Vineyard in McMinnville, Oregon.
That year we traveled to Paris, Dijon and Beaune, France. We fell more in love with all things French and ALL the wine. Then and there, we started dreaming big. We started asking,
"What If We Did This For Real?" That harvest we dove head first into winemaking and never looked back.
With lots of studying, online college courses, mentoring, and a few harvests under our boots,
In 2019 Rue Cler was born!
It's Official...
In 2020 we launched our Rue Cler wines and opened our #CRUSHCLUB for founding members. All online thanks to Covid. We had big plans set in place for 2020, and as you know it was a year none of us could have predicted. But the support and outpouring of generosity propelled us into a new year, with new opportunities full of connection and growth.
Being such small producers, we didn't have a winemaking facility of our own. So, we started out crafting our first few vintages at a licensed and bonded Cidery in Forest Grove, Oregon. With the support from our friends at Bull Run Cider, we were able to launch our wine dreams into motion.
Moving day...
In October 2021 we moved out of Bull Run Cider and into our very own urban winery located in Downtown Hillsboro! A space where we could now expand and grow.
We never imagined that winemaking would become such a huge part of our story. Our excitement and love of wine has quickly turned into our passion and purpose.
the well lit road...
So here we are, doing what drives us. Striving to do our best, learning from every failure and refusing to quit even when it feels impossible. We want to share this adventure and all that comes with it. Crafting wine and creating connection with everyone we meet. We don't know where this road will lead us, but we are certainly anxious to find out.
