Meliora (Latin) / [meh-lee-OR-ah]
noun. ever better; the pursuit of something better.
01. Prologue
Hi, I’m Alex.
In 2023, I founded Meliora Wine Co.—a small, independent négociant winery devoted to crafting honest, transparent expressions of Pinot Noir from the wind-swept slopes of Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills.
The wines I produce are love letters to both the vineyards themselves and the age-old traditions of wine production that began over a thousand years ago in Burgundy and continue today in the Willamette Valley.
The name Meliora is both a guiding principle and a quiet challenge: to constantly improve and pursue excellence. For me, this means making wines that reflect the unique character of the vineyards—their terroir, which is shaped by the soil, climate, and topography. Pinot Noir is uniquely good at capturing the finest of these details. My goal is to transmit the voice of the vineyard in each wine with minimal interference.
I don’t believe there is a silver bullet to making great wine. Instead, I am committed to making small, focused improvements that I believe, over time, will yield great results.
Jump To: The Vineyards - The Wines - About
“What makes a wine really interesting, is what cannot be controlled. I am looking for a spontaneous expression of nature, without my interference.”
- Frédéric Mugnier
Join the Mailing List
Wines will be released to the mailing list members via allocation before being released to the trade or the general public. Please join the mailing list to be notified when allocations are open and you are able to purchase. The email offer will contain detailed descriptions of each of the wines. Orders are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so early orders are encouraged. There is no purchase requirement to retain your allocation. I simply want to continue to offer wines to the good people who supported the project in these early days.
02. The Vineyards
02. The Vineyards
Nuestro Sueño Vineyard
Nuestro Sueño is situated in the southwest corner of the Eola-Amity Hills on a gentle slope of west facing benchland. The vineyard is owned and farmed by an extremely attentive and conscientious man named Tom Symonette, a retired engineer, who lives on the site. There are cows and horses grazing freely along the drive to the vineyard. Seeing them is one of the many joys of working with this site.
The geology of the vineyard is a complex and ancient blend of marine and volcanic influences. The hillside is a result of both the uplifting of a prehistoric seabed and numerous volcanic eruptions, floods, and landslides. What makes this vineyard so compelling is how much the marine components of the soils influence the textures and flavors of the resulting wine. The soils here are Nekia Series and are lighter in color and in texture. This is due to a higher proportion of marine sediments and sand than many surrounding vineyards that contain more clay and volcanics. The soils here give the wines an energetic red fruited, citrus-driven profile and the texture of silk.
My block at Nuestro Sueño cover roughly half an acre of own-rooted vines that are lovingly tended by Tom and myself. Tom is patient and trusting, allowing me to perform more of the viticultural work myself each year, which has been extremely fulfilling.
AVA: Eola-Amity Hills
Elevation & Aspect: 335’ on a West facing gentle slope
Soil: Primarily Nekia Series. Decomposed volcanic basalt and high proportion of marine sediments and sand on top of basalt cobbles.
Vine Material: Own-rooted (franc de pied) Dijon 114
Vine Age: Planted in 2000
Pruning: Guyot (Cane-Pruning)
Farming: Dry farmed and LIVE Certified Sustainable
02. The Vineyards
Folly of Man Vineyard
The Folly of Man Vineyard is located just outside of the town of Amity in the northern part of the Eola-Amity Hills. The vineyard spans across several rolling hills and contains a complex array of aspects. The vineyard is owned and farmed by winemaking couple Tracy and Aaron Kendall, who make wine under the same name, Folly of Man. The vineyard is farmed organically and biodynamically with LIVE Certification in progress.
I am thrilled to be working with Tracy and Aaron. Their passion for the work and commitment to regenerative farming is inspiring and the vineyard brings incredible character to the cellar. The first time I tasted the young wines after putting them in barrel and letting them settle in, the vineyard announced itself. I was greeted with the most intense and delineated floral aromas of violets, roses and peonies that leapt out of the glass and flooded my senses. The terroir here is a wildly varied mix of soil types, elevations and aspects and the wines mirror this energy and complexity.
My block at Folly of Man covers a little over an acre of Spur-pruned vines that ripen late with high acidity and extremely low yields. This vineyard is the last to ripen its fruit of any of the 3 that I work with and the resulting wines are intense, concentrated, floral and spicy with a melange of red and black fruits.
AVA: Eola-Amity Hills
Elevation & Aspect: 450’-470’ on a gentle slope facing North and East
Soil: Jory & Nekia Series. Shallow decomposed volcanic basalt on top of marine sediments. Clay loam and sand.
Vine Material: Dijon 115 on 3309 rootstock
Vine Age: Planted in 1997
Pruning: Cordon de Royat (Spur pruned)
Farming: Organic, Biodynamic, Dry farmed and LIVE Certified Sustainable
02. The Vineyards
Orchard House Vineyard
Orchard House is situated in the southwest corner of the Eola-Amity Hills on a slope of south facing benchland that used to be planted to fruit orchards. The vineyard is owned and farmed by Oregon legend Joe Dobbes and his viticulturist, Rian. Joe lives on the property and the attention to detail he and Rian give vineyard is remarkable.
The geology of the vineyard is, like Nuestro Sueño, a complex and ancient blend of marine and volcanic influences. The hillside is a result of both the uplifting of a prehistoric seabed and numerous volcanic eruptions, floods, and landslides. The soils at Orchard House are mainly Jory Series, which are much more influenced by the volcanic elements of its geologic history. Orchard House has a high proportion of clay and iron-oxide, giving the soil a reddish, almost purple color and an ability to handle drought conditions extremely well. Orchard House produces wines that are powerful and dark, almost brooding, with a profile that lean towards black fruits with a distinctly savory edge.
The vines I work with at Orchard House come from the highest elevation parts of the vineyard from both Block 1 and Block 2 and are a roughly 50/50 mix of Dijon Clone 114 and 115.
AVA: Eola-Amity Hills
Elevation & Aspect: 485’-625’ on a South & Southwest facing slope
Soil: Jory and Nekia Series. Iron and clay-rich decomposed volcanic basalt and marine sediments on top of basalt cobbles
Vine Material: Dijon 114 & 115
Vine Age: Planted in 2000
Pruning: Guyot (Cane-Pruning)
Farming: Dry farmed and practicing organic (not certified)
03. The Wines
Orchard House Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023
The Orchard House Vineyard performed incredibly well in 2023, which was a warm and historically dry vintage. The high proportion of clay in the soil in combination with the deep roots of the 25 year old dry farmed vines allowed the plants to handle the drought with ease. Perfectly healthy grapes were picked by hand early in the morning of September the 17th and were then fermented naturally for 18 days before being pressed and put into barrel. After 12 months in a mix of new and neutral french oak the wine was put into tank for 6 weeks to clarify by gravity before being bottled unfiled and unfiltered on December 18 under DIAM 10 Origine Corks.
The predominantly Jory soils at Orchard House give the wine a powerful, spicy and dark profile that leans toward black fruits with a distinctly savory edge and the texture of velvet. The 2023 is distinctly charming and expressive. This is the most open and accessible wine of the range at the time of release. Drink Now through the next 10+ years.
Technical Information
AVA: Eola-Amity Hills
Harvest Date & Brix: September 17 | 22.5 Brix
Elevage: 12 months in 228 liter French oak barrels | 25% new
Alcohol: 13.47%
Total SO2: 45 mg/l
Production: 95 cases (1140 bottles) & 12 Magnums
For the Trade: Tech Sheet | Label Art
Shipping Note: Due to the current temps being unsafe for shipping wine, all Ground orders will be held until the Fall. I will reach out to coordinate ship dates when the weather cools off.
Shipping Offer: $25 off shipping on orders over $250 | $50 off shipping on orders over $500
03. The Wines
Nuestro Sueño Vineyard Rosé 2023
Perfectly healthy grapes were picked by hand early in the morning of September the 13th and were then whole-cluster pressed and put into steel barrel to ferment naturally. Fermentation was slow and finished the summer following the vintage, stopping just short of dryness. After 12 months in a single 300L stainless steel barrel, the wine was racked into tank for 6 weeks to clarify by gravity before being bottled unfiled and unfiltered on December 18 under DIAM 10 Origine Corks.
Grapes intended for Rosé are often picked quite early to preserve the acidity and the resulting wines can have unripe flavors that bring a slight bitter quality. However, the fruit for this Rosé kept a remarkable amount of its acidity as it ripened and I let it continue on the vine until it was fully ripe. I decided to treat it like a white wine and the result was a rich, powerful and round Rosé of Pinot Noir with fully developed fruit flavors of black cherries and blackberries balanced by great freshness and acidity. There is a touch of sweetness that makes this wine an excellent pairing for spicy dishes and cream sauces. Drink Now - 2027.
Technical Information
AVA: Eola-Amity Hills
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Harvest Date & Brix: September 13 | 23.0 Brix
Elevage: 12 months in 300L stainless steel barrel
Alcohol: 14%
Total SO2: 60 mg/l
Production: 33 cases (396 bottles)
For the Trade: Tech Sheet | Label Art
Shipping Note: Due to the current temps being unsafe for shipping wine, all Ground orders will be held until the Fall. I will reach out to coordinate ship dates when the weather cools off.
Shipping Offer: $25 off shipping on orders over $250 | $50 off shipping on orders over $500
03. The Wines
03. The Wines
03. The Wines
Nuestro Sueño Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023
Nuestro Sueño Vineyard also performed well in 2023, which was warm and historically dry. The soils at Nuestro Sueño contain more marine sediments than Orchard House and do not retain as much water, but the vines have very deep roots and were able to handle the drought pressure. Perfectly healthy grapes were picked by hand early in the morning of September 20th and were then fermented naturally for 17 days before being pressed and put into barrel. After 12 months in a mix of new and neutral french oak the wine was put into tank for 6 weeks to clarify by gravity before being bottled unfiled and unfiltered on December 18 under DIAM 10 Origine Corks.
The combination of complex soils and un-grafted 25 year old vines at Nuestro Sueño produce a complete wine with tremendous energy and texture. In 2023 the wine is intense, red berry & citrus driven. Think blood oranges and raspberries with texture of silk and an endless finish. The 2023 is layered and dense and will reward cellaring. Wait a year or two and then enjoy over the next 15.
Technical Information
AVA: Eola-Amity Hills
Harvest Date & Brix: September 20 | 23.0 Brix
Elevage: 12 months in 228 liter French oak barrels | 20% new
Alcohol: 13.45%
Total SO2: 45 mg/l
Production: 60 cases (720 bottles) & 12 Magnums
For the Trade: Tech Sheet | Label Art
Shipping Note: Due to the current temps being unsafe for shipping wine, all Ground orders will be held until the Fall. I will reach out to coordinate ship dates when the weather cools off.
Shipping Offer: $25 off shipping on orders over $250 | $50 off shipping on orders over $500
03. The Wines
Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 2023
In 2023 the Eola-Amity Hills is blend of 80% Orchard House and 20% Nuestro Sueño Vineyards. It seamlessly marries the best characteristics from both sites in harmony. Though Nuestro Sueño only makes up 20% of the blend, its presence and impact are clear. Perfectly healthy grapes were picked by hand early in the mornings of September 17th (Orchard House) & 20th (Nuestro Sueño) and were then fermented naturally for 17-18 days before being pressed and put into barrel. After 12 months in a mix of new and neutral french oak the wine was put into tank for 6 weeks to clarify by gravity before being bottled unfiled and unfiltered on December 18 under DIAM 10 Origine Corks.
Open and accessible, the 2023 Eola-Amity Hills is succulent and aromatically intense. The fruit profile is complex a mix of red and black fruits with citrus and saline notes as well. The texture is equal parts velvet and silk. The wine is drinking great now but will also reward cellaring. Drink now through the next 7+ years.
Technical Information
AVA: Eola-Amity Hills
Vineyard Blend: 80% Orchard House & 20% Nuestro Sueño
Harvest Date: September 17 (Orchard House) & 20 (Nuestro Sueño)
Elevage: 12 months in 228 liter French oak barrels | 40% new
Alcohol: 13.47%
Total SO2: 48 mg/l
Production: 86 cases (1032 bottles)
For the Trade: Tech Sheet | Label Art
Shipping Note: Due to the current temps being unsafe for shipping wine, all Ground orders will be held until the Fall. I will reach out to coordinate ship dates when the weather cools off.
Shipping Offer: $25 off shipping on orders over $250 | $50 off shipping on orders over $500
Stockists
In addition to being available for sale here on the website, the wines are also available at the following restaurants and retailers in the US, EU and UK. Support your favorite retailers and restaurants. We need them and they need you.
If you are a buyer from a US based retailer or restaurant and would like to work with the wines, please email me at alex@meliorawineco.com.
-
-
Right now the wines are only available locally in the Portland, OR area. If you are outside of Oregon, you can buy the wines on the website and I can ship to most states.
The only states I CANNOT ship to are:
Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Utah.
-
Beginning fall 2025, the wines will be available across the European Union and the United Kingdom through my importer and distributor Greenwood Fine Wine, based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
If you are a private client, restaurant or retailer based in the EU or UK and are interested in an allocation, please email jacob@greenwoodfinewine.dk.
04. About
04. About
Alex Fortson | Founder and Winemaker
My life and career began very far from the world of wine. I grew up in Florida, just outside of Orlando, surrounded by groves of grapefruit and tangerines. I went to college at Western Kentucky University and studied Photojournalism. I started taking commissioned projects overseas, mostly in East Africa, while still in school and worked with many NGOs and Non-Profit advocacy groups. I worked on projects documenting everything from formerly abducted child soldiers in northern Uganda to the human consequences of the Sudanese civil war. This work was heavy and eventually took both a physical and emotional toll. On one of my last trips I contracted a severe parasitic illness that nearly killed me and this, in combination with the emotional challenges, led me to seek a different path.
After deciding to take a break from photojournalism, I found work at Apple and spent the next few years working in technology in California. However, the concrete jungle that is Los Angeles led me to search for greener pastures and in 2015 I moved to Oregon. I still was a couple years away from discovering the magic of the wine world, but I was getting closer.
Since I was a teenager I have loved hiking, backpacking and climbing in the outdoors. Shortly after I moved to Oregon, I took a trip to the Austrian Alps. After a week of climbing and hiking, my body needed a break. When I got out of the mountains I drove down to Tuscany and rented a room in a converted barn at a small family-owned biodynamic winery in Greve-in-Chianti. They had a salt water swimming pool overlooking the rolling hills… and they left a bottle of their Riserva outside the door every morning. This turned out to be exactly what the doctor ordered and I left Tuscany with far more than just rested bones.
Growing up there was very little wine on the family table. I had no idea what wine was really about until I took that week of rest, drank the bottles that were left outside the door and walked through the hillside vineyards of Chianti.
I had been seduced.
After returning to Oregon, I threw myself into this new world and tried to learn everything I could. I leaned on local wine shops for insight and education. I spent my free time reading, tasting and visiting with winemakers all over Oregon.
In 2018, I immersed myself fully into the wine trade. In the years since, I've worked in both retail and sourcing, visiting over 100 respected winemakers across Burgundy, Piedmont, Champagne and the Loire and Rhône Valleys. These journeys through cellars, alongside importers and winemakers, provided an education no formal training could replicate.
I figured out pretty quickly I had a strong interest in how wine was made and how it was grown. I needed to know more and I had a lot of questions, so I enrolled in a viticulture and enology program here in Oregon. I learned after one semester the program I was in was not the one for me. I learned I was not looking for a professor. I was looking for a mentor.
One day I was buying wine and asked the shop owner what made a particular wine taste the way it did. He replied "Ask the guy behind you, he used to work there". The guy behind me was Chris Dickson, the winemaker at Twill Cellars. He answered my questions and extended an invitation to taste in his cellar and gave me his card. Fast forward 5 years; Chris was exactly the mentor I was looking for. Twill brought me on in 2019 and Chris and I worked together for five formative harvests and I will forever appreciate his skills as a teacher and his willingness to share his knowledge.
In 2023, after years of dreaming, saving funds and working on securing vineyard sources, I was able to start Meliora, which is a culmination of everything I have learned from Chris and the hundreds of winemakers and growers that have inspired me over the years. In 2024 I left Twill Cellars to focus entirely on my own production.
04. About
Vineyard & Winemaking Practices
In the Cellar
It is my aim to make wine as naturally as possible without sacrificing the integrity of the resulting wines. There are many differing opinions on what makes a wine “natural” and I certainly do not claim to know the answer. However, In my opinion, the following practices are critical to making natural wine and I am deeply committed to them.
Indigenous Yeast Fermentation
The most important practice in my opinion is using only indigenous (also known as ambient or native) yeast to ferment the wines. At Meliora, all fermentations are done with indigenous yeast with no exceptions. I believe inoculating with commercial yeast removes any possibility of the transmission of terroir and would obscure the magic of the “spontaneous expression of nature” that results from a natural ferment.
Limited Sulfur Use & Limited Additions
Sulfur (SO2) is an important tool for making clean, stable and ageable wines and a little goes a long way. I add small amounts of sulfur to my wines after malo is complete but keep the total SO2 under 50mg/l. I have found this is plenty of sulfur to protect the finished wines and make sure they are stable and will age beautifully but without the negative impact of heavy sulfur use, which I find can tighten up the wine and alter the texture. In addition to sulfur, I may choose to add a small amount of tartaric acid if the pH of a ferment shoots up, which has only happened once, but it still bears mentioning for the sake of transparency. Aside from sulfur and the rare event that I add tartaric acid, no other substances will be added to the wines for any reason.
Minimal Intervention
As a practice, all wines are made as simply as possible with timeless methods and very little, if any, technology. I believe in letting the wines “make themselves” as much as possible. I do not have a pre-conceived flavor or style profile that I am trying to make the wines to fit into. Instead, I prefer to simply guide the wines through fermentation, ensure their cleanliness and stability and then let them become what they are. The vineyard must have the loudest voice. In my opinion the best way to achieve this level of transparency is to work with the best growers with the best vineyards and then let the magic happen in the winery. Each wine is fermented naturally, aged in barrel without racking or moving of the wine, clarified by gravity and then bottled unfined and unfiltered.
For additional thoughts on important elements of natural and non-interventionist wines, check out RAW Wine’s Charter of Quality. I have a profound respect for RAW and it’s founder Isabelle Legeron and am in the process of qualifying to be a member. I am currently working to meet or exceed all criteria mentioned in the Charter.
In the Vineyard
Meliora is a purely négociant wine project, meaning I do not own any of my own vineyards. This makes the partnerships I form with my growers extremely important and we need to be aligned on our core values of land stewardship and growing practices. All of the growers and vineyards I work with meet the following standards:
100% Dry Farming
Dry Farming, or farming without the use of irrigation, is my primary concern when working with a grower. I am steadfast in my belief that dry farming is the best method for growing the highest quality wine grapes and it is also the best practice for sustainability. For this reason I will not work with a grower that uses irrigation in their vineyard. I am in the process of meeting the requirements to join the Deep Roots Coalition and will officially be a member winery in 2026.
Sustainable Farming
Organics and Biodynamics are great methods and are welcome but they are not a requirement for me. Organic treatments can be heavier and more toxic than their synthetic counterparts and I do not fault my grower partners for choosing a treatment with the smallest impact on both the vines and the people that care for them. What I do care about is sustainability and that my growers do not use pesticides or herbicides under any circumstances. LIVE Certification is a process I support and encourage my growers to seek.
Low Yields
Keeping yields low is a qualitative principle that I take very seriously. I think the best expressions of Pinot Noir come from vineyards that are in balance and produce small crops of highly concentrated grapes. Typical yields in the vineyards I work with are around 2.5 tons per acre and I will not go much above this threshold.