ABOUT US
AlexEli (pronounced “alex el-ee”) is located along the western foothills of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon’s beautiful East Willamette Valley. We take pride in raising healthy fruit for handcrafted estate wines. Our operations are intimate and hands on from picking to pressing to pouring.
Our goals at AlexEli are to create unique and high-quality wines that ultimately bring people together, either around the dinner table, during celebration or here at the vineyard. The hard work and challenges that come with vineyard management, wine-making and caring for the land are enriching and something we enjoy sharing with our community of friends, family, neighbors and patrons. We hope to continue to grow in areas of sustainability, community work parties, education, and the always rewarding areas of patience and respect for mother nature.
VINEYARD HISTORY
AlexEli vineyard is home to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Muller-Thurgau European grape varietals, planted in 1980 and 1981 by Joe Dobbes. A small plot of Syrah was also planted in 2012. We value sustainable practices in the vineyard without the use of pesticides or heavy metals to maintain the health of the vines, which is truly where the wine is made.
Anita Katz and her two sons, Phil and Tony Kramer, acquired the property in 2007 and began improvements on the tasting room, winery, then 28-year-old vineyard and 60-acre property. AlexEli, a combination of Phil and Tony’s middle names, became the new label. The passion and focus of AlexEli was and continues to be about a commitment to quality over quantity and a respect for the earth and what she provides.
MEET ALEXELI
PHIL KRAMER . Owner, winemaker and vineyard manager, Phil is our fix-it, solve-it, build-it, hands-on project man, involved with every step of the process here at AlexEli. Phil attended RPI for his undergrad in engineering and the University of Illinois at Chicago for his masters in Urban Planning and Design. Throughout his education, he spent time learning and working in sustainable agriculture. After several years working as an urban planner in Chicago and Philadelphia, Phil’s passion for farming called him to Oregon. Vineyard management and wine-making have been self-taught skills since then and he is both inspired and humbled by the craft and challenges of caring for the grapes in every stage of winemaking.
(phil@alexeli.com)
ANITA KATZ . If you’ve had a chance to stop by the AlexEli Tasting Room, chances are you were greeted by owner Anita’s smiling face. Anita has an extensive background in business and marketing and enjoys applying her interests and skills to the family business.
TONY KRAMER & DEB NISON . Tony and Deb helped get AlexEli on it’s feet in 2007. They both helped in creating a family label and introducing AlexEli in Oregon. In 2010, their beautiful daughter Jordan was born and in 2011 opportunities led them to Burlington, Vermont. Although they are missed dearly here in the northwest, they continue to be a great sense of support for AlexEli.
HEIDI HOFFMAN . Heidi joined AlexEli in June of 2011. She assists with the hands-on processes of harvest and bottling and has taken a great interest in the gardens here at AlexEli. With a background in photojournalism as well as marketing and communications, Heidi helps with marketing and provides photography for AlexEli.
(heidi@alexeli.com)