Legacy

"All our children have contributed to what Abacela has become. We're proud of them. They've been instrumental and influential in various ways." - Earl and Hilda Jones

 

Hanna was 12 when the Joneses moved from Florida to Oregon. She and her school friends pitched in planting and tending the vineyards in the early years. Her illustration of the vineyards, drawn when she was 13, became Abacela's iconic label. Hanna, a graduate of the University of Oregon is now an interior designer in Portland, OR. She also designed and decorated the Abacela Vine & Wine Center. 

 

Meredith, who was four when they arrived in the Umpqua Valley, went from playing amidst the vines to learning how to care for them, to supervising vineyard crews. She graduated from University of Oregon and Columbia University’s Public Health program and now works in New York.

 

Gregory, after a 25-year career as a wine climatologist and professor, is now the CEO of Abacela Vineyards and Winery. He has been active in Abacela from the beginning but is honored to now carry the family business forward working with his parents and sisters. Following his father’s approach to research driving the business, Gregory enjoys working with one of the most instrumented vineyards anywhere with Abacela’s three weather stations, 23 additional temperature sensors, and 40 soil moisture sensors. 

 

Laronda is a high school counselor in Colorado and Abacela's brand ambassador for the state. Her sons both spent summers working in the vineyards, making it a three-generation family affair. “The wine is always a hit. People in Colorado know Oregon for rain and Pinot Noir. I'd like people to know that at Abacela they can put their umbrellas away and enjoy wines that might turn their head from Pinots forever.”

 

Tamara, a physical therapist, lives in Honolulu and is Abacela's brand ambassador in Hawaii. The winery is a gathering place for the sprawling Jones family.  “It's been an extraordinary gift to each and every one of us.” says Tamara Uhr. “From grandchildren to grandparents, we work in the vineyard or winery together and evenings are spent talking, laughing, cooking and drinking fabulous wine.”