A Love of Wine and Horses

Dave’s interest in fine wines began in the early 1980s when he visited the Napa Valley. It was a case of love at first sight and taste! When Dave and Mary started dating, they both decided that Mary needed to "learn how to drink wine." Subsequent trips to various Oregon and California wine regions became their favorite vacations and Dave dreamed of someday owning property to grow wine grapes.

Mary, a horse lover forever, bought her first Arabian mare, Kristal, in 1994. Since then she has selectively bred her mares to produce high-quality foals showing classic Arabian beauty, athleticism and solid minds. Mary’s dream was to someday live in the country, where she could look out her kitchen window and see her horses in the pasture. The vision of someday becoming wine growers, combined with desire to have their horses at home, drove the Hansens to pursue their dreams of finding property in the country that could support both.

Dave and Mary began looking at properties in mid-1999 and found their new home on 30-acres of prime land on Calkins Lane, outside of Newberg, Oregon, late that year. In January of 2000 they moved in. The property, enjoying significant history and character, had most recently been used as a walnut and hazelnut farm. The house was built in 1910 and the 1940s-era barn housed a walnut-drying facility until Dave and Mary converted it to a horse barn and, later, the tasting room.

While Mary was taking care of a pregnant mare, Dave immediately immersed himself in reading books, researching the Internet, and anything else he could get his hands on that involved growing grapes and making wine. He sought professional assistance from day one with the goal of building a premium vineyard. In 2001, while Mary herself was expecting, the first block was planted and ArborBrook Vineyards became a reality.

Today, ArborBrook is a family adventure, with Mary, Dave, their daughter, Sydney, and Dave’s son, Brendan. We are blessed to have our dreams of owning a vineyard and producing the highest-quality Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris come true. And we hope that through enjoying our wines, you will experience what being part of ArborBrook Vineyards means.