Welcome to the Pacific Northwest
Out here, our independent winemakers aren't just making wine — they are living off the land, defying the corporate rulebook, and letting the wild terrain dictate what ends up in your glass.
So, get the car ready, pack a jacket, and let two of Naked’s US icons show you the real America.
Meet your winemaker guides
Scott Kelley: Oregon’s outdoorsman extraordinaire
"Hi there, I’m Scott. I grew up fly-fishing the rivers of Oregon, and this rugged, green landscape is my home. For me, winemaking is the ultimate marriage of science and soil — but nature always takes the lead. Out here, we don't copy California. We let our cool, ocean-influenced climate and natural rainfall create wines of pure elegance and precision. Grab a glass, and let me show you what I mean…”
Dave Harvey: Washington’s high-desert trailblazer
"Hey everyone, I’m Dave. I was born and raised right here in Washington state. I have always been, and will always be, a part of this landscape. Forget what you think you know about Washington — no, we aren’t the rainy city next to Virginia and DC! Out here in Washington State, it's all about small family businesses built on hard work and passion. For me, world-class winemaking comes down to two things: the latitude and the attitude. Let’s head east into the desert and I’ll show you how we grow grapes of true distinction.”
Oregon: a rain-drenched frontier
Now, let's head north. Cross the state line into Oregon, and the golden, sun-baked (albeit breezy) hills of California disappear, completely replaced by a forest wilderness.
Indeed, as Scott Kelley exclaims with glee, “Oregon is green!”
Spectacularly green. The region is over 75% mountains and hills, packed with dense forests of towering fir trees, sweet cedar, and rolling oak savannah in the foothills.
Scott explains that the geography here acts like facets on a diamond: "Depending on which specific hillside or slope you are standing on, the microclimate and terroir shift completely. It’s a beautifully complex jigsaw puzzle."
His vineyards are often tucked away in small clearances right in the middle of dense, wild forests. "I think vines absorb their surroundings and pull from the soils". So when you taste his Pinot, you can detect those complex, rustic characters of the forest floor, cedar and wild earth.
And because Oregon receives a spectacular amount of annual rainfall throughout the growing season, winemakers like Scott can do something incredibly rare in American wine: they dry-farm.
With no need for irrigation, the vines dig their roots incredibly deep into the soil to find water. This creates wines with a profound sense of place. And the long, cool growing season means the grapes ripen slowly, resulting in wines that are naturally higher in acidity and beautifully balanced.
It’s not without its heartbreaks. All that beautiful rain brings intense challenges, from spring frost during flowering that can ruin yields, to a constant battle against mildew and rot in the cellar. Farming here isn't a job for the faint-hearted. "Humility," Scott notes, is the number one lesson, "Never underestimate the craft, because it takes ten full years of making decisions and living with the hard consequences before you can truly call yourself a winemaker."
Washington: Volcanoes, Ice Age Floods & Desert Valleys
Keep driving north and cross the mighty Columbia River, and Oregon's dense green wilderness suddenly gives way to something completely unexpected. Welcome to Eastern Washington.
If Oregon wine is defined by its cool coastal moisture, Washington wine is defined by its dramatic high-desert landscape.
"Our vineyards are located in deep river valleys that literally interrupt a blazing desert," Dave Harvey explains. "It's like a scene straight out of an old spaghetti western — totally dry and rugged, but lush and green wherever water is available."
But don't let the desert heat fool you; Washington shares the exact same 47th and 48th parallels as the greatest, most legendary winemaking regions of France. The intense summer days give the grapes maximum daylight to mature, but the blistering heat plummets into freezing desert nights. This dramatic temperature drop locks in a natural, vibrant acidity, creating bold, powerful reds that still maintain incredible balance.
When you drink a glass of Dave’s wine, you are tasting a landscape shaped by ancient history. The soils are a chaotic, nutrient-rich mix left behind by ancient volcanic eruptions and massive, cataclysmic Ice Age floods.
Just like Oregon, making wine in this extreme environment takes serious grit. "Climate change is real, and our weather patterns are changing dramatically," says Dave. "We are constantly battling more frequent spring and fall frost events, wildland fires, and sustained droughts."
But rather than competing, the local wine community tackles these hardships hand-in-hand. "There is a unique community of winemaking here. We aren't corporate, big-money operations. Winemakers out here actually work together to solve problems, share secrets, and improve the wine across all producers."
The Ultimate PNW Road Trip: Top Tips From Our Masters
Stop 1: Crater Lake (Scott's Pick)
“If you come to Oregon, you cannot miss Crater Lake. For me, it's the 7th wonder of the world.”
Formed by a collapsed volcano thousands of years ago, it is the deepest lake in America and boasts some of the most pristine, impossibly blue water on earth. It’s an incredibly spiritual place of pin-drop silence that completely resets your perspective.
Stop 2: the Oregon coast & Bandon Dunes (Scott's Pick)
“It's some of the most beautiful coastline in the world, and of course, we have Bandon Dunes just about an hour and a half away. Some of the greatest golf in the world is out at Bandon Dunes.”
Scott recommends exploring all the way from Astoria in the far north — where the mighty Columbia River crashes into the Pacific Ocean — down to Bandon Dunes. If you’re a golfer, Bandon Dunes houses some of the best natural links golf courses in the world, carved into the rugged coastal cliffs.
Stop 3: sneaking into Oregon wine country (Scott's Pick)
“And then you can't leave without hitting Oregon wine country…”
Once you’ve seen the coast, head into the heart of wine country. Oregon is home to around 985 wineries, but don't expect giant corporate visitor centers. The vast majority are tiny, boutique operations producing under 5,000 cases a year. It is an intimate experience where you’ll regularly find the winemakers themselves working the tasting rooms and sharing their unique, small-batch creations.
You could even drop in on Scott's Naked winemaker neighbor, Chris Baker, while you're out there.
Stop 4: a hot air balloon ride over Walla Walla (Dave’s Pick)
Once you cross into Washington, change your perspective entirely. Dave recommends booking a morning hot air balloon ride over the spectacular Walla Walla Valley. Drifting quietly over the patchwork of world-class vineyards framed by the Blue Mountains is the absolute best way to see how the river valleys slice through the desert landscape.
Stop 5: a jet boat excursion into Hells Canyon (Dave’s Pick)
Ready for some adrenaline? Head to the Snake River and blast into Hells Canyon on a high-speed jet boat. It is the deepest river gorge in North America (even deeper than the Grand Canyon!), offering jaw-dropping views of the rugged, volcanic rock faces that give Washington wine its signature volcanic soil.
Stop 6: fly fishing the backwaters (Scott & Dave’s Consensus)
Both of our winemakers are true outdoorsmen at heart, and their ultimate shared recommendation is to grab a rod and reel. Whether you are hitting the emerald waters of the North Umpqua River in Oregon where Scott grew up, or exploring any of the crystal-clear smaller rivers that crisscross Washington, the fly fishing out here is world-class.
Ready for your own roadtrip?
Head over to our Cellar Door page to book a tasting or map out an insider's tour through the stunning hills of the Umpqua Valley and the sun-baked river banks of Washington.
As you raise a glass to the Pacific Northwest, know that every sip supports the families who live right on the land. As Dave Harvey beautifully sums it up:
"Without Naked's support, quite honestly, my winery would not exist. The Angels have made it all possible! It allows us to focus on the close relationship we have with the valleys where we source our grapes—and they all make truly world-class wines."
Yep. There are definitely worse ways (and places) to make a living.
