I fell in love with wine while working for Magan and Seth Kunin in 2017. They hired me to run their tasting room, which focused on educating visitors about the many microclimates and soils of Santa Barbara County. Having grown up working in my father’s geotechnical soil testing lab, I was thrilled to discover a connection between something as enjoyable as wine - and soil. Seth taught me about the vast diversity of grape varieties available to winemakers in the region, and his excitement was infectious.

While I had hoped this work would lead to me studying under Seth in the Winery, he passed away unexpectedly during harvest in 2017. I witnessed the community come together to help pick up the pieces of Kunin’s harvest, and during the giant gathering that was Seth’s memorial - I found myself in absolute awe over the love that pulsed through the wine community. 

The seed for this project was planted in the following year. While my first harvest was full of many challenges, I also knew I had discovered my calling. Despite moving on from Santa Barbara, these early memories have sculpted my views of what purposes wine should serve. It should bring people together, give friends and strangers something to laugh and talk over, and for those of us who want to dig deeper - it gives us a way to connect to the land in an age when we are often so disconnected from it.

Today, I am pouring my focus into the soils of the Willamette Valley, where there is still so much for us to learn. I hope you enjoy Oryx gathered around loved ones, and experiencing the wonder of this region.

-Melanie Cooper