A Vineyard Update with Netanya Welch

Netanya Welch knows a thing or two about Oregon vineyards, especially Seven Springs. After receiving her Bachelor's Degree in Science from the University of New Mexico in Santa Fe, she completed the Wine Studies program at Chemeketa Eola. Shortly after, she was hired by her former professor, Jessica Cortell, owner of Vitis Terra and former vineyard oversight at Evening Land Vineyards. While at Vitis Terra, Netanya worked with a myriad of sites across the Willamette Valley, though always felt particularly drawn to Seven Springs.

As of April this year, Netanya joined us full-time as viticulturalist and vineyard manager at Evening Land Vineyards. We are overjoyed to benefit from her wealth of knowledge! With harvest just around the corner, we checked in with Netanya to hear more about her first year at Evening Land, as well as what we can expect from this year's impending vintage.

Joining Evening Land full time has allowed Netanya to dive deeper into the unique nuances of this special place. "You can put as much effort into a 2-acre vineyard as you can a 200-acre vineyard," she says. While at Vitis Terra, Netanya also had the opportunity to connect with Sashi and our vineyard team on a deeper level, a link that she believes is essential to the winemaking process. "Having that symbiosis, that relationship between vineyard manager and winemaking team, it's really crucial to making great wine," she says.

It's been a big first year for Netanya, though her work at Seven Springs has only just begun. She and Sashi have been taking time to look at each individual plot to assess how they can be better cared for. Additionally, she reveals that sustainability advances have been made. "Since earlier this year, we've reduced our diesel usage by about 10% through several initiatives I've put in place," she says, highlighting her continued desire to reduce under-vine tractor work.

With regards to the 2025 vintage, Netanya describes it as simply lovely. She notes that budbreak hit right on time and was followed by a warm blooming season, along with very little need to manage yields. Although the season saw a few mild rain events, Netanya describes them as refreshing but not overwhelming, and that excessive summer heat has also been kept at bay.

Ultimately, Netanya notes that if things remain as is, that fruit quality -- and in turn, wine quality -- should be very high, thanks to the gentle growing season. "The vines set a reasonable cropload, meaning the grapes are able to accumulate sugars and phenolics in a very natural and consistent manner," she explains, stating that all of the energy is going into the plant and into the fruit. "These moderate temperatures will lead to a good balance of acids -- meaning our Eola-Amity fruit will maintain bright acidity, but with good concentration," she affirms.

So what's next at Evening Land? Netanya shares that she plans to reduce the winery's carbon footprint through shifting towards regenerative agriculture, including tilling less, implementing deliberate cover cropping, and planting wildflowers throughout the vineyards to create beneficial insect habitats. Beyond the vineyard, Netanya is looking forward to diving deeper into Evening Land's hospitality program through sharing her knowledge with visitors. "Oftentimes the vineyard is a big rarified area; guests will stand next to it, but not really dive in. I want to create a space where people can enter the place, touch the fruit, and ask questions," she says.

Above all, Netanya describes farming as a long-term game, and while she's already implemented some changes, she's taking some time to let the place speak to her. "As a farmer, I think it's wise to take time to get to know the place you're working at. Rather than making massive shifts, it's good to get to know the place and the people," she says. We are so grateful to have Netanya as part of the team, and we can't wait to see where her work takes us next.