Origins

2015

In 2015, Chris and Kathryn Hermann planted the seed of what would become 00 Wines with a simple but ambitious idea: to transpose the nuanced precision and textural clarity of Burgundy’s finest white wines into cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, drawing on Chris’s lifelong study of terroir and European tradition. Inspired by conversations and friendships with some of Burgundy’s most respected voices, Chris Hermann hired Léa Lafon, who carries forward her family’s deep legacy of biodynamic, terroir-driven Chardonnay excellence in Meursault at Domaine Des Comtes Lafon to be the 2015 vintage winemaker.

The first 00 Wines Chardonnay was crafted: the flagship VGW Chardonnay.

2016

In 2016, just a year after the winery’s founding, 00 Wines took its early vision into concrete form with two landmark releases that would shape its identity: the first EGW (Extra Good White), a barrel selection of the top Chardonnay barrels from the vintage that blended fruit from standout sites including Bunker Hill and Black Walnut, and the winery’s first single-vineyard Chardonnay from Bunker Hill, a wine that crystalized 00’s commitment to letting site speak with clarity and tension. The EGW set a benchmark for texture, acidity, and nuance that became central to the house’s expression of cool-climate Chardonnay, while the Bunker Hill bottling underscored the belief that individual vineyard character could be a source of both precision and personality in each release.

2016 also marks the first barrel production of the 00 Wines Champagne project.

2017

In 2017, 00 Wines reached a defining moment in its early story with the first production of the Freya Hermann Cuvée, a Chardonnay that would become a touchstone for the house and eventually earn high acclaim among critics and collectors.

The idea for this wine came from a unique barrel of Chardonnay from the Richard Hermann Cuvée lots that experienced a stuck fermentation, and rather than adjust it, Chris Hermann and winemaker Maxence Lecat drew on traditions of extended barrel aging seen in high-acid white wines, letting the wine rest in a single 500 liter puncheon for two years with minimal intervention. The patient aging unlocked remarkable depth, texture, and complexity, and word of the wine spread quickly; in time, the Freya Hermann Cuvée came to be celebrated as one of the winery’s signature expressions of site and time, named in honor of Chris’s mother and emblematic of 00’s evolving voice in Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley.

2017 also marks the launch of the 00 Wines Burgundy project, with the first barrel of 00 Wines Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne.

2018

Inspired by the success of the Freya Hermann Cuvée, in 2018 00 Wines introduced the Kathryn Hermann Cuvée to the Family Series lineup.

The Kathryn Hermann Cuvée embodies 00 Wines’ pursuit of textural precision and site expression in cool-climate Chardonnay, honoring Kathryn Hermann’s role in shaping the winery’s creative and strategic direction as well as her deep engagement with the family’s vision. This rare, limited-production Chardonnay is crafted from select parcels in the Chehalem Mountains and typically showcases fruit from Wente-clone blocks, with extended élevage in French oak that adds richness and structural refinement. Across recent vintages it has drawn strong critical acclaim for its layered aromatics and complexity, from notes of citrus and orchard fruit to mineral tension and nuanced spice, and has scored in the mid-90s with top reviewers for its balance, depth, and aging potential. The Cuvée sits among the elite family-named releases in the Hermann series, reflecting the intersection of vineyard specificity, careful barrel selection, and a philosophy that prizes clarity and texture in Chardonnay.

2019

In 2019, 00 Wines continued to build its portfolio while gaining wider recognition for both its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir expressions. The winery released standout wines from the 2019 vintage, including the VGW Willamette Valley Chardonnay, celebrated for its bright acidity, citrus and stone fruit character, and classic cool-climate freshness shaped by the year’s moderate growing conditions. Both community and professional reviewers noted the wine’s energy and its capacity to develop complexity with time in bottle. The 2019 EGW Chardonnay followed with strong critical acclaim for its aromatic intensity, refined texture, and long, balanced finish.

That year also marked a significant milestone when the 2017 Willamette Valley Eola-Amity Hills Freya Hermann Cuvée was named to James Suckling’s Top 100 USA Wines of 2019, signaling broader recognition of 00 Wines’ Chardonnay program among thousands of American wines.

2021

2021 VGR (Very Good Red) Pinot Noir and the Willamette Valley single-site Pinot Noirs captured the vintage’s ripe yet transparent character, with critics noting fine structure and purity of fruit. Among the most notable achievements, the 2021 Richard Hermann Cuvée Pinot Noir earned a perfect 100-point score from JebDunnuck’s Oregon report, a rare distinction that underscored the winery’s capacity to craft wines of world-class depth and complexity in both red and white varieties from the Willamette Valley.

2022

In 2022, 00 Wines took a meaningful step beyond Oregon by beginning to make wine at Château de Bligny in Bligny-lès-Beaune, deepening a long-held connection to Burgundy and its traditions. Working within a historic cellar and with vineyards shaped by centuries of viticulture, the team applied the same patient, site-driven approach that had guided their work in the Willamette Valley, focusing on clarity of expression rather than scale. That year marked the production of the first Meursault Charmes under the 00 Wines label, a wine shaped by restraint, extended élevage, and careful attention to texture. The project reflected an ongoing desire to learn from place, to listen before acting, and to carry a consistent philosophy across regions while allowing each site to speak in its own voice.

2023

In 2023, 00 Wines took an important step in its Burgundy work with the first production of both a Chambertin and a Charmes-Chambertin, representing the winery’s entry into two of the Côte de Nuits’ most storied Grand Cru vineyards and a deepening of its exploration of Pinot Noir at the highest level in Burgundy. These wines marked the continuation of the winery’s commitment to places with historic resonance and a belief in letting terroir speak through patient, thoughtful winemaking, extending the family’s Oregon-rooted philosophy across regions.

2024

In 2024, 00 Wines expanded its international presence through direct engagement with global markets, traveling to Hong Kong, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Singapore to present the wines and deepen relationships with the trade. During the same year, the winery strengthened its importer partnerships in Korea, China, and Australia, reinforcing a growing network built on shared values of quality, patience, and site-driven expression. This continued focus on thoughtful distribution reflected an intention to place the wines carefully and sustainably, allowing them to find their audience through long-term relationships rather than scale.

2025

In 2025, 00 Wines visited mainland China and Thailand for the first time as a winery, marking an important step in its growing international presence. The visit focused on meeting long-standing partners, engaging directly with the trade, and sharing the wines in person, reinforcing a commitment to building thoughtful, long-term relationships in markets where appreciation for site-driven Chardonnay and Pinot Noir continues to deepen.