Benedetto Vineyards

Benedetto Vineyards is located in Dallas, Oregon, unlike any other winery and winemaker stories Nick, Lisa, Ben, Becky’s starts with a framing hammer and a skill saw. They produce Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, Chardonnay, Rose and Bubbly If you are looking to visit vineyards near Dallas, Benedetto Vineyards is a must. Benedetto’s tasting room is charming overlooking the vineyard.  

Benedetto partners Nick Marshall and Ben Fitzgerald met over 20 years ago working for the same construction company. Together with Ben’s wife Becky and Nick’s wife Lisa both families have raised a combined 7 children. We are truly more like extended family than just friends.

Eventually, Ben and Becky were able to upgrade from the subdivision where they lived in Salem, Oregon to some acreage just South East of Salem. Over dinner one evening Lisa and Becky convinced Ben and Nick that we should plant two acres of Grapes (Gamay Noir) and somehow jump into the wine business.

Over many years the two couples regularly found themselves visiting tasting rooms and over time had begun to discuss if they ever had a tasting room of their own. Both couples have similar tastes for wines and universally agreed customer experience in the tasting room is equally as important as the taste of the wine itself.  Please visit Benedetto Vineyards in person or Bendedetto’s website for more selections. 

Shortly after planting the first Gamay Noir Vineyard on Ben and Becky’s property east of Salem, Nick and Lisa were able to purchase a mature 15 year old vineyard just north of Dallas, Or. It’s about 15 minutes from downtown Salem, Oregon, the States Capital.

The Vineyard in Dallas is where the couples chose to build their tasting room. The tasting room sits in the middle of their 5-acre vineyard, which is carved out of the larger total 24-acre old growth Oregon Oak and Douglas Fir Forest. The vineyard itself consists of 4 acres of Pinot Noir (clones 114, 115, 777, Wadenswil, and Pommard), and 1 acre of Dijon Clone #96 Chardonnay.

The largest intrigue of the Dallas Vineyard was the 5 specific clones of Pinot Noir along with the acre of Chardonnay. Both couples had long been fascinated with experiencing how Pinot Noir Wines of specific clones compared to Pinot Noir Wines of Blended Clones. Acquiring a mature vineyard of only 5 acres with so much clonal diversity immediately allowed the couples to direct their winemaking in a direction of having several clone specific Pinot Noirs as well as estate blends.

Initially knowing nothing more about wine making other than what the couples liked and didn’t like they contracted with long time Willamette Valley wine maker Steven Anderson of Eola Hills Winery. The teamwork with and tutelage from Steven has developed into the couples complete involvement in the wine making process. Steve’s clearly stated, “I’ll let you ruin your wine if you want too” and pretty much leaves the blending and big decision making to the Benedetto Team.