Cal and Judy Schmidt: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Cal and Judy Schmidt of Schmidt Family Vineyards. In this interview Cal and Judy talk about their journey into winemaking, their background, and how they built their vineyard and business together in Grants Pass.Cal describes his early life, including his time in the military and aerospace before earning a degree in business. He explains how his path eventually led him to working with land, building on property in Healdsburg with 35 acres, and later moving the business to Southern Oregon. Judy shares her background as well, explaining how she studied psychology and spent time in San Diego and Santa Rosa.Together, they talk about their move to Grants Pass and how they developed their vineyard over time. They planted their first acres of grapes in the early 2000s and produced their first vintage in 2004, followed by their first bottled wine in 2006. As a family—run operation, they emphasize the role their children and grandchildren played in helping build and maintain their vineyard.Later in the interview, Cal talks about starting new projects and his plans to grow the business through events and distribution. Judy reflects more on what the vineyard has brought to the community, emphasizing their goal of creating quality wine. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Schmidt Family Vineyards in Grants Pass on March 15, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!