Meet the J Wrigleys
John Wrigley
Owner, Winemaker and Vineyard Manager
John was raised on the farm and ranch homesteaded by his family in the early 1900s. The ranch was approximately 1200 acres in size and also had cattle, sheep, and hogs. Life’s lessons taught John about farming and taking care of animals. He uses those lessons now to manage and develop his own family vineyard.
The search for the J Wrigley Vineyard began in 2005 and ended with the purchase of the estate property in December 2006. Preparation and planting of the vineyard took an additional two years. Similarly, John’s wine making experience has been self-taught and fed by a passion for more knowledge on the subject.
His first experience with wine making was shortly after college with an experiment using plums and other fruit. Gradually opportunities to acquire wine-grapes led to several vintages of purchased fruit from other vineyards.
The 2011 harvest was the first opportunity for John to make wine from estate grown fruit with pint noir and pinot gris finding its way to the barrel. Expressing his true farming heritage, John’s winemaking philosophy is minimal intervention in the winery to allow the vineyard to express itself through the wine.
Above all, John is a family man. He will be the first to tell you his family is what makes all the hard work worth it!
Jody Wrigley
Owner
With a long love of wines, Jody met John on a trip to Oregon. It was at that first meeting the two knew they were not only going to share a love of wine, but also a love for each other and building what is now known as J Wrigley Vineyards.
Jody and John have invested their heart and soul in developing this family business. Jody’s mom Sharon plays a prominent role in the tasting room helping with our hospitality team. J Wrigley’s core value is Family and they live this value in every sense of the word. As it is often said, “Planting a vineyard and making wine is a lifestyle!” With the help of their team, John and Jody continue to share their passion with wine lovers one glass at a time!
Our Team
Dan Kavicky
Assistant Winemaker
Dan began his journey in wine in 2003. Since then he has developed a deeply knowledgeable skillset and a commitment to producing high-quality, world-class wines. In 2018, Dan deepened his professional skillset with an AS Degree in Winemaking from Chemeketa’s Wine Studies program. He currently resides in Carlton, OR with his wife Amy, an emergency room nurse, and has two daughters, Kierah and Olivia.
Jen Nyburg
Head of Hospitality
Jen is a lifelong Oregonian. She was born and raised in Eugene and now lives with her husband, son and daughter in McMinnville. She loves photography, good food and great wine. She and her husband also enjoy traveling with friends to destination runs, usually including visits to wineries along the way! She loves to entertain and create a welcoming space for her guests.
Lyuda Freeman
Wholesale Coordinator & Hospitality Associate
Lyuda is from Lobna, a small village in Ukraine. She graduated with a bachelor and specialist degree in economics from University in Nikolaev. In 2010 Lyuda move to Oregon and fell in love with its beautiful nature and the amazing wines produced here. She enjoys wine tasting, festivals, and serving wine to fellow wine enthusiasts. As your Hostess, she will welcome you with a smile and a great wine tasting experience.
Elaine Burke
Marketing Director & Hospitality Associate
Elaine grew up in Perrydale, OR and currently lives on a small farm in Sheridan with her husband and two boys. Her love of wine began when she returned to the valley after a few years away and remembered how much she enjoyed being surrounded by agriculture.
Dani Miles
Hospitality Associate
Born and raised in Oregon, Dani Graduated from Linfield College in 2006 and married her college sweetheart shortly after. The two established their permanent residency in the Yamhill Valley after falling in love with the beautiful wine country and the small-town connections and relationships they had developed.
As a mother of three, Dani stays busy enjoying time with her kids and family. She is a fitness enthusiast, training and competing in CrossFit, and loves outdoor activities such as running and biking.
With an affinity for good wine, connections with people and the outdoors, she is excited to be a part of the J Wrigley Vineyards team.
Michael Hampton
Hospitality Associate
Michael has been intrigued with Northwest wines since moving to Yamhill Valley in the mid 90’s. He serves on the advisory board for The Evenstad Center for Wine Education and coaches students for wine-related careers at Linfield College.
With a preference for Northwest and European cuisine, Michael seeks out complimentary wines, and sometimes ciders, at home or during travel with his family. He enjoys hosting friends for festive dinner parties which often include 80’s music and epic desserts. Running is an enjoyable pastime to decrease the impact of these indulgences.
Michael feels fortunate to be able to serve wine as part of the J Wrigley team.
J Wrigley is thrilled to be partnering with Chefs Mate Catering to bring you an assortment of food options to enjoy alongside our world-class wines!
Chefs Mate Catering
“Each dish I create and present has a piece of my heart in it. The look of satisfaction is the best thing next to children’s laughter!”
– Diana Backinoff, Chefs Mate Catering
When they moved to McMinnville last year, Diana and Scott Backinoff decided to make food their primary source of income and began building a company around concepts with food and wine. Since Diana is Jody Wrigley’s aunt, J Wrigley was the perfect place to center their talents! Chefs Mate Catering builds menus around J Wrigley wines with a goal of offering a small variety of options each week.
“J Wrigley has some of the best wine in the country and it is a delight to pair food that brings out the flavors and depths of their product.”
For private catering inquiries, contact Diana at Diana@chefsmatecatering.com
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