About Olea
Tom & Melinda Melillo, Owners
“Olea Vineyards has given us the opportunity to combine our passion for great music and fine wines. We take pride in hand-working the vineyard and hand-crafting our wines - from vine to bottle.” - Tom & Melinda
Tom and Melinda Melillo founded Olea Vineyards out of their passion for gathering family and friends around great music, fresh foods, and delicious wine!
We look forward to hosting you and sharing your experience of Olea wines with you. Of course, our lovable Golden Retriever, Molly, and her sidekick, Lola the French Bulldog, will always be available for hugs, belly rubs (thiers, not yours), treat-sharing, or a game of fetch.
About Olea Vineyards
Nestled on the south side of Parrett Mountain in the Chehalem Mountains AVA lies the quiet, peaceful vineyard that bears the name Olea. Olea, the Latin genus for Olive Tree, has long been a symbol of wisdom, purity, balance, and nobility, and is a tribute to our Italian heritage. It is also the namesake of Olea Records, the small, independent record label we founded in 2010. Olea Vineyards has given us the opportunity to combine our passions for hospitality, great music, and fine wines. We take pride in hand-working the vineyard and hand-crafting our wines - every step of the way, from vine to bottle. When we say our wines rock; we really mean it. It is a tribute to the Olea artists, who's works our wines are named after, and a testament to the red jory soil the vineyard sits atop. Planted in 2013, the vines have competed to establish themselves amongst the many rocks, allowing for maximum effort to focus on bearing superior fruit. Our Estate vineyard produces Pommard Clone Pinot Noir that expresses the best of the Chehalem Mountains, with ripe dark fruits, balanced tannins, and a full finish. Much like our music, Olea wines are approachable, enjoyable, and have a lot of character. Much like Olea artists, they are colorful, vibrant, and engaging. And, much like us, they are best shared with friends.
Established in Oregon’s Chehalem Mountains
Chehalem Mountains is contained within the Willamette Valley AVA. This viticultural area is 19 miles southwest of Portland and 45 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. It is 20 miles in length and 5 miles wide.
Chehalem Mountains’ winegrowing history dates back to 1968 when UC Davis refugee Dick Erath purchased 49 acres on Dopp Road in Yamhill County. He aptly called the property Chehalem Mountain Vineyard. By the mid to late 1970s, there was a patchwork of vineyards in the area, including those owned by such modern wine pioneers as the Adelsheims and the Ponzis. Over the next three decades other reputable winegrowers planted roots in the area. The appellation was approved in the late fall of 2006.
