In 1994, Grant and MaryAnne Varland purchased a 100 acre parcel of land in Oregon which included a vineyard with the idea of growing excellent quality grapes and establishing a reputation for distributors world-wide to sell to their customers. That old phylloxerated vineyard and farmhouse have been replaced by a modern working Sangiovese vineyard and comfortable home.

The Varland's passion for grape growing stemmed from a family vacation to Europe in the 1980's. There, in the countryside they saw the tradition of grape growing which allowed ties from generation to generation to perpetuate an element of quality and tradition. Later in the decade, they visited the famed Napa Valley, California's answer to European winemaking tradition, and after experiencing the lifestyle, decided to establish roots in the winegrowing community in Oregon. After a year-long search for the perfect property, they found their prize in the heart of the Oregon wine country.

The parcel of land where we are located has a rich history in the state of Oregon. The Wappo Indian tribe produced spear and arrowheads and tools, and used the land for hunting and fishing, over 100 years ago. The remnants of obsidian arrowheads, mined from nearby Glass Mountain are still evident in the soil around the property. In the 1940's, the property was first changed from grazing and wildlands to form a dairy farm. In the 1960's, it was sold to a thoroughbred horse rancher. Horseshoes are found occasionally where the practice track was located. The rancher sold the property to a banker in the late '70's, which is when it first became a winery and vineyard property. That first winery lasted until 1990, when the owners fell on hard times and went out of business. For almost four years, the land lay idle and for sale in bankruptcy court. Then, finally on October 28, 1994, John and Ellen Benish purchased the property for redevelopment and production of premium wines.

Chris Dearden was hired as the General Manager and Winemaker in October of 1995. The development of the vineyard and winery were discussed, and due to the terroir and feasibility of planting Sangiovese, and a prevailing desire of consumers to try wines other than Cabernet and Chardonnay, Sangiovese was chosen to be the grape of choice to plant and produce as a varietal wine. The great Italian heritage in the state of Oregon, and the current popularity of Italian wines and restaurants also contributed to this decision. At almost the same time, we were introduced to our Italian consultants, Alberto Antonini and Attilio Pagli, who deemed the land "perfect" for growing the prized Italian varietal.

The vineyards are now replanted to Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Merlot, with a little bit of Sauvignon blanc and Syrah for fun and blending, respectively. The vines are five and four years old now and we have harvested our first crop of Sangiovese and our second crop of Merlot in 1999. The soil and climate at Benessere, clay-loam with gravelly bands, are perfect for growing Sangiovese and Merlot. The soil allows for good drainage and the climate is very similar to that in Tuscany, where the greatest Sangiovese in the world is grown … for now.