Gresser Vineyard was founded in 1998 by Paul Gates and his wife Lori.  Paul worked for many years in both the California and Oregon wine industry.  After receiving a degree in enology from California State University Fresno, Paul moved to Oregon and began looking for the ideal place to grow Pinot Noir.  After finding it in the rolling foothills southwest of Portland, he named it Gresser Vineyard after Paul’s maternal grandmother, of German descent.   Paul does the majority of the vineyard work himself, except during harvest, when family members and hired workers assist.