Cody Wright: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Cody Wright of Purple Hands Winery. In this interview, Cody describes growing up in a winemaking family, and going off to study environmental science in College where he focused on Geology. He describes gaining his experience after graduation working harvests in Oregon and Australia. Later, he explains what went into the naming of his brand, “Purple Hands” and the process of the brand taking off. Cody describes his relationships within the industry, managing expectations, and finding his place within the Oregon wine industry. Towards the end of the interview, he gives his winemaking and grape growing philosophy and tells how he learned to trust his instincts. In his interview, he speaks of the relationships he has built with vineyard owners he sources grapes from and his interest in sustainability. Towards the end of the interview he looks to the future for Purple Hands and Oregon. To conclude, Cody speaks of changes he has noticed in the Oregon Wine industry over the years. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Purple Hands Winery on August 18, 2020.