Fine wine marketer Wilson Daniels, New York, announced the addition of Bergström Wines to its national portfolio, adding Oregon’s Willamette Valley to the range of revered winegrowing appellations it represents. A family legacy rooted in small-scale, biodynamic farming and winemaking for 24 years, Bergström Wines is in perfect alignment with Wilson Daniels’ commitment to represent families who produce terroir-expressive wines through environmentally responsible practices, the company says.
“We’ve had the privilege of working with the Bergström family since they joined our wholesale portfolio in 2015,” said Rocco Lombardo, president of Wilson Daniels, in a statement. “Not only has Bergström already proven to be a great partner, but they are doing incredible work to produce these monovarietal wines with deference to the land. After witnessing these wines resonate with both buyers and consumers in the New York Metro and Pacific Northwest for six years, we’re looking forward to our expanded working relationship with the Bergström family nationally and our continued success together.”
Following a successful 40-year medical career, Dr. John and Karen Bergström purchased the land that would eventually become Bergström Wines in 1996. Their dream was to create a new business that would become a legacy for their children while also paying tribute to John's agricultural upbringing in Sweden.
In 1999, Josh Bergström, the fourth of their five children, returned home from Burgundy, France following a postgraduate program in Viticulture and Enology in Beaune. He was accompanied by his fiancée (now wife) and business partner, Caroline, who, as a native of Burgundy, had also studied winemaking and beverage marketing at the famous Lycée Viticole in Beaune. They were married on the eve of their first harvest and have co-managed the family business, winery, and vineyards ever since.
“Bergström is the realization of my father’s Swedish agricultural upbringing and his passion for the Pacific Northwest’s viticultural landscape,” said Josh Bergström, general manager and winemaker at Bergström Wines. “In 1999, I readily embraced my parents’ dream, and so Bergström evolved into a family’s shared love for making wine in this place we call home. Our small-scale, artisanal approach to making wines expressive of the unique terroir of Willamette is something that Wilson Daniels understands intuitively, and we couldn't image a better partner to represent our wines on a national scale.”
The 70 acres that comprise Bergström Wines consists of five monopole, biodynamic estate vineyards ― Bergström Vineyard, Le Pré du Col Vineyard, La Spirale Vineyard, Silice, and Winery Block ― which span across three of the Willamette Valley's most exclusive AVAs. Each vineyard is farmed without the use of harsh fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides or system fungicides.
Bergström Wines produces extremely sought-after, ultra-premium wines, including six Chardonnays, six Pinot Noirs, and a tiny amount of Syrah that has developed a cult-like following, it says. Wilson Daniels will assume national representation for the full range from Bergström Wines in January 2022.
