Our Story
Family Run | Estate Grown | Artisan Wines
Our Location
The Beckley family has been in the Elkton area since the 1840s. Elkton is a bucolic town on the banks of the Umpqua River with a population of less than 200 people. It has survived and maintained its agricultural profile over the decades. Grapes were introduced to the area In the early 1980s. The local industry has grown to include several vineyards and wineries, bringing young families, jobs, and economic growth.
The 74,900-acre Elkton AVA (American Viticultural Area) was established in 2013. It resides within the greater Umpqua Valley AVA. Elkton features a cooler, but milder, wetter, and longer growing season than the rest of the Umpqua Valley.
Our Vineyard
Nestled in the coastal hills of Oregon, Knoll Vineyards benefits from the maritime-influenced climate of the Umpqua River Valley. Thirty-six miles inland from the Pacific, the cool climate contributes to the ideal terroir for outstanding Pinot Noir and other varietals. Knoll Vineyards is the venture of a fifth-generation Oregon family with a long tradition in ranching and forestry. The 42-acre vineyard uses regenerative and organic practices to nurture a sustainable agriculture environment.
Leslie and Steve Beckley began planting grapevines on their Elkton property in 2017. All the wines are made on-site from estate-grown grapes. Our 35-year-old barn houses the winery.
Our Founder/Winemaker
I am often asked why I planted my vineyard. The short answer is that I love wine and I had the land. What possessed me, in the autumn of my life, to embark upon a career in grape farming? And to go back to school to earn a degree in Viticulture and Enology? I even had to take three terms of Chemistry, something I had avoided since high school and mean Ms Alice Boone. After raising four children and a decades-long stint as owner of a real estate firm, becoming a winegrower just seemed right. I love spending time in the vineyard with my dog, Dozer. I love the intensity of harvest and the impossibly long days in the winery. I love learning about the microclimates in my vineyard and how each area and varietal clone expresses their unique terroir. I love the equipment, barrel tasting, pouring my wine for people…I love that wine brings people together and promotes social gathering. I learn something everyday in the wine industry and intend to keep learning as long as I can.
Leslie Beckley
The Swan
Did you too see it, drifting, all night, on the black river?
Did you see it in the morning, rising into the silvery air –
An armful of white blossoms,
A perfect commotion of silk and linen as it leaned
into the bondage of its wings; a snowbank, a bank of lilies,
Biting the air with its black beak?
Did you hear it, fluting and whistling
A shrill dark music – like the rain pelting the trees – like a waterfall
Knifing down the black ledges?
And did you see it, finally, just under the clouds –
A white cross Streaming across the sky, its feet
Like black leaves, its wings Like the stretching light of the river?
And did you feel it, in your heart, how it pertained to everything?
And have you too finally figured out what beauty is for?
And have you changed your life?
– Mary Oliver
Jesse James Brewster-Brett's caregiver and part of our family for over ten years...his support is behind the success of every project:)
Steve 'Deuce' Beckley and Brett 'Hooligan' Beckley
Carol 'Mops' Beckley-Matriarch and tireless advocate of 'digging in the dirt' and Nathan 'the Grape Cowboy' Wood-vineyard guru
Henriette and Elwin Heiny-grape lovers and best friends of the vineyard
Dozer the vineyard dog-will play fetch all day long
Our Mission
We produce artisan wines that express their unique terroir. We have deep roots in our community and support our team/family with the necessary resources to grow and excel. We promote sustainable agriculture and commit to being accountable as a leader in the wine industry.
Our Vision
Embracing our pioneer ancestry and traditions, we actively cultivate a sense of community which drives Knoll Vineyards to become a leader in collaboration, diversity, excellence and equity.
