Our Story - Union Wine Co.

Ryan Harms,
FOUNDER + Owner

My name is Ryan Harms, and I founded Union Wine Company.

I moved to Oregon in 2001 and embraced wholeheartedly the region’s unique spirit and passion for craftsmanship, finally deciding in 2005 to satisfy that entrepreneurial bug that had been nagging me to start something that I could be proud of.

I’ve worked for some great Oregon wineries throughout my career. In so many cases, my friends wanted to support us, but simply couldn’t afford to. I decided that I wasn’t going to accept that wine made in Oregon had to be expensive. So, Union is about creating something that I can share with friends and family and make accessible, without sacrificing quality.

We opened up shop and made it our mission at Union to pay close attention to the details, while leaving the fussy parts behind. By being efficient about everything, from how we set up the winery to how we make wine, we knew we could successfully create that marriage of craft and small-scale manufacturing. We chose the name Union to honor and bring together the diversity, spirit and character of Oregon that we love.

At the end of the day, wine is just a beverage. And then it becomes part of something greater. It brings people together over a meal, for celebrations big and small. And that’s incredibly satisfying to me, and to all of us at Union.

Meredith McGough, Director of Supply Chain and Vineyard Operations

Her Italian mother and free-spirited father ensured that Meredith appreciated wine and travel early and often, leading her to dive headlong into a Viticulture and Enology education at UC Davis before she was of legal drinking age. The combinations of tradition and innovation, physical and mental, art and science sustain her passion for the craft of winemaking. A native Pacific Northwesterner through and through, Meredith found a home at Union Wine Co. after several years making decidedly pinkies-up wines in the Napa Valley, a few formative vintages braving the Oregon elements with a couple of our friends in the Willamette Valley wine industry, and some time harvest-hopping and adventuring in France, Australia, and New Zealand. As Winemaker, Meredith works with the rest of the team to put impressive, unpretentious wine in the can or bottle.

CHENEY VIDRINE, WINEMAKER

A number of years ago, Cheney agreed to help his brother, a winemaker, with one harvest and that was all it took for him to realize where he belonged. He found that winemaking perfectly merged his love of science with his passion for creativity. Valuing hands-on experience, Cheney’s held nearly every role in the wine industry from cellar hand to sales person, but it’s creating that perfect glass of wine that is his first love. As winemaker, Cheney ensures the quality of our wines from start to finish. When he’s not at work, he’s climbing mountains, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, or playing in whitewater. Whatever his adventure, he always carries a little extra weight, so he can celebrate a long day with a can of The Bubbles. Here at Union, Cheney ranks a close second only to his Australian Shepherd Sophie, who has become a beloved member our office team.

eric harms, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING

Yep. That last name does sound familiar. Eric has always held the spark of entrepreneurial spirit, hawking walnuts with his older brother Ryan throughout their childhood streets of Holland, MI. Being the numbers guy, he’s a whiz in the financial world and knows his way around an Excel spreadsheet like none other. Drawing on his 10+ years of experience as a financial analyst in multiple industries from healthcare to wine, Eric has added strategic leadership to Union’s growing finance team and is helping to support growth of the business with true family spirit. When not traveling to sunny or snowy locales on the weekends, he and his wife have recently made Oregon their official home and we are happy they are finally here to stay.

Patrick McBride, National Account Director

Up until he settled in the Pacific Northwest, Patrick was on the move between Ohio, a handful of midwestern cities, and California. He eventually found a soft landing in Portland, where he’s currently planting roots with his wife and two young kids. He started in the industry on the distributor side and has worked his way up, finding his groove in National Account retail sales. Patrick believes in the work hard, relax hard philosophy and enjoys his free time outside, either exploring coastal towns, hanging by the pool, or enjoying the bounty of hiking trails Portland has to offer. Patrick loves the natural beauty of Portland, the wineries, the breweries, and especially the creative energy that permeates the city.

Justin Hoffman, Northwest REGIONAL Manager

Follow the trail of skis, climbing ropes, scuba tanks, running shoes, and other outdoor paraphernalia, and you’ll find Justin sipping a can of wine at the end of a very good day. Justin has traveled the globe, mountain range to mountain range, tasting some of the world’s most renowned wines, but he always lands back in Oregon, where we’ve shown that fine wines don’t have to come at a high price. (Also, the cans fit easily in his backpack.) Justin was the first employee hired at Union Wine, so we can say with confidence, he has experience in every facet of the industry. Justin’s knowledge and passion for all things Northwest — from wines to wilderness — have been instrumental to our success today.

DEVIN SAVANO, WESTERN REGIONAL MANAGER

Devin cut his teeth in the wine biz early on, learning the beverage sales ropes over the course of a decade at Kendall-Jackson. He later went on to broaden his view of the industry with leadership roles for Foley Family Wines and J Vineyards & Winery. Oregon eventually called his name (we understand its allure!) and he landed here in the Willamette Valley, where he most recently served as Western Region Sales Director for Domaine Serene. We spied his desire for a less fussy way to share his passion for wine, and brought him on board to head Union’s sales efforts throughout the southwest. When he isn’t making his way through California, Arizona, or Hawaii, he is the devoted dad and coach of two sports-playing sons and finds his way to the golf course with his wife in those rare spare moments for relaxation.

KATIE BENJAMIN, MIDWEST REGIONAL MANAGER

After getting her degree in chemistry, Katie soon realized that life in a laboratory was not for her and started selling wine for a distributor in her home state of Indiana. She brings close to two decades of wine experience to Union Wine Company and loves the dynamic & continual learning process that comes with the industry. Her passion for enhancing her knowledge about the people and stories that surround the grapes has led her visit a myriad of wine country locations in Italy, New Zealand, and South Africa in addition to the United States.

Her love for wine is only outmatched by her love of spending time with her daughter and husband. You can usually find them together in the kitchen or by the grill, hosting #pinkiesdown parties for family and friends, and on the golf course when time allows.

Kristie Drew-Preuitt, SOUTHWEST REGIONAL MANAGER

A true Texan – born and raised – Kristie’s first love has always been the Southwest. Her taste for Pacific Northwest wines came later in life when she took a sales job for a national wine and spirits distribution company. She was immediately fascinated by the more complex story of wine, from the history to the grape to the glass. She found a passion for pairing the perfect glass with any dish. “The right glass of wine can transform a meal and elevate the entire experience,” says Kristie. When she’s not working, Kristie keeps busy weightlifting, working out, and spending quality time with her husband, kids, grandson, and their menagerie of pets – three dogs, six cats, two rabbits, two parakeets, one hamster, and eight chickens (so far).

PATRIZIO ZARATE-ZAMBRANO, East coast REGIONAL MANAGER

Patrizio brings with him a deep passion for wine and an extensive knowledge of the industry that spans the globe. With family from both Spain and Italy, he has lived all across Europe. Although the scenery may change, his home is always filled with an abundance of good food and great wine. Patrizio moved to the United States in 1999 and hit the ground running with jobs at some of the largest distributors in the country, that is, until a can caught his eye. Drawn by the innovative notion of packaging high-quality wine in a can that is accessible to all, Patrizio joined us here at Union Wine. With a passion for friends, food, wine, and innovation you can drink, he fits right in. When he’s not cooking or playing racquetball, he’s out walking with his two beloved rescue dogs.

THE REST OF THE PLAYERS

It takes a village to make good wine. And, we’re lucky to have quite the seasonal crew helping us out with harvesting, bottling, and anything that makes our process more efficient and streamlined. Our extended family is just as passionate about our finished product as we are, and is excited to share their hard work with the world with each and every vintage.