Javier & Erik Marin: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Javier & Erik Marin of Marin Estate Wines. In this interview, the father-son duo discuss their history in the wine industry and what they hope to accomplish with their own brand.The two talk about their individual introductions to the wine industry. Javier joined the industry in 1990 as a crew member and vineyard manager. Once he got his contracting license, he purchased his own property for a vineyard. Erik joined the wine industry when he was 14, working for his dad in the vineyard during summers. While not planning on joining the wine industry, he ended up doing the wine program at Chemeketa and even worked a harvest in New Zealand. Through the program, Erik discovered that he enjoyed wine mechanicsJavier and Erik discuss what they have learned during their time in the industry and how they apply it to their vineyard. The family, especially Javier, have worked with many different wine makers and vineyard managers from across the Willamette Valley. From many, they have gotten different perspectives and take the best from each. After purchasing the property in 2013, they got to planting in 2018 and produced their first vintage in 2023.Later in the interview, the two talk about the labor that goes into the vineyard. With full-time jobs, the two would come home after and go straight to working on the vineyard. The property is 20 acres and they have planted everything themselves. They believe that doing everything themselves creates a better connection to the final product. For the future, Javier & Erik want to create a winery and tasting room on the hill and plant more vines on their property.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in McMinnville on July 6, 2026.