Dag Sundby: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Dag Johan Sundby, owner of Johan Vineyards. Dag grew up in Norway, where he went to school for marketing, served in the army, and played football. He came to the U.S. to do an internship in 2004 where he began to learn about the Oregon wine industry and he learned there was a property with grapes for sale. It was then that his family decided to invest in the property, and Johan Vineyards was born. Dag moved with his wife to Oregon full time in 2008, where he became involved in the vineyard and winery completely. He described how his management style changed over the years, and spoke about what he looks for when hiring a member for his team. He shared how he values passion, honesty, and the ability to work in multiple aspects of the business. Towards the end of the interview he spoke about what it means to him to have the Van Duzer Corridor AVA approved. Dag concluded with advice for newcomers in the Oregon wine industry. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Johan Vineyards on March 15, 2021.