1859 Magazine: WOODARD WINES one of top shops in Oregon

CULTURE: WINE SHOP STORIES

WOODARD WINES Highlighted as one of the top three wine shops in Oregon

1859 Magazine, By Megan Oliver: July | August 2014:  Wine Retail has changed over the years. Wineries now market and promote their own wines directly from the vineyards. Step into any of these three wine shops and take a journey with the purveyor. Raise a glass and support the art of wine curation... 

... Multiple generations of Woodard's family members have owned businesses in McMinnville. He followed suit when he opened WOODARD WINES in May 2014. His bottle stock is small (0ver 200+ labels), yet carefully crafted. Each bottle is hand-selected and personally tasted by Woodard. "I want to provide travelers with a small-production Oregon wine they can't get at home," he says, "and give locals an international bottle they've never experienced before"...  

News-Register: The Cork Stops Here

SHOP'S A FIRST ON THIRD

Descendant adds wine selling to family's pioneer legacy

News-Register, By Karl Klooster: May 30, 2014:  Until Thursday, Mac's central district had never before been graced by an independent wine shop. Now it is, thanks to Jeff Woodard, proprietor of Woodard Wines. 

The business has been a dream of Woodard's for years, and he's delighted to have secured a high-profile space - the former Shutterbug building behind the U.S. Bank Plaza. 

"It's a great spot for tourists and locals," he said. "They'll get a huge breath of Oregon in one stop." Once potential customers step through the door, they won't be able to resist being drawn in by the proprietor's infectious enthusiasm. "I've personally selected every wine here," he said. "I know them all and can guide a customer to precisely what he or she is looking for."

Woodard approaches his work with a level of energy and vitality that can be attributed to inherited genes. Far from denying that possibility, he celebrates it. Justifiably proud of his family heritage, he will readily relate that his great-great-great-grandfather, Jacob Conser, came to Oregon in 1847. That makes Woodard a sixth-generation Oregonian ...

... It's no exaggeration for Woodard to say he tastes everything he puts on the shelves. "How else can you wholeheartedly recommend something?" he asked. 

Woodard Wines not only boasts an inventory of limited production releases from small Oregon wineries, it also features hand-selected wines from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Hungary. And this isn’t just an accumulation of brands you could readily find elsewhere. These wines come from portfolios of importers who scour the European continent, seeking little-known finds and securing exclusives for their export.

With his knowledge of and passion for wine, supported by dozens of wine people from Oregon and elsewhere, Woodard is well positioned to succeed in making his dream of entrepreneurial success a reality.... 

Meet Proprietor Jeff WOODARD

Jeff Woodard was born and raised in McMinnville, as a sixth generation Oregonian. His family was one of the original pioneers and served on the first territorial legislature that signed the state as part of the Union. He graduated from Linfield College, with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and Public Speaking (with a strong emphasis in the wine industry). 

For more than a decade, Jeff has developed a strong background in the wine business. He has led some of the most successful marketing and sales programs for wineries in the Willamette Valley.  

In 2009, Jeff was recruited by The Carlton Winemakers Studio to become their first ever Wine Director. Jeff took “The Studio” to a new level and more than doubled the sales within the first year. In 2010, he launched the Liquid Synergy Wine Club and recruited members, making it one of the most successful clubs in the region. Jeff was actively involved as the “face of the winery” - representing a dozen of the region’s most highly coveted producers. 

He excels at selling wine, establishing solid relationships with buyers and thrives on educating consumers about wine. Opening a wine shop in downtown McMinnville has been a career dream and goal ever since college. He has been touted as one of the top wine educators, sales and marketing professionals in the industry. 

Jeff has always been very active with providing service to his community. He was one of the youngest members ever to be appointed on the Yamhill County Sherriff ’s Posse, a public relations arm of the Sherriff’s Office that also serves and protects the community. In 1993, Jeff was the youngest member to participate in the 150 Year Anniversary for The Oregon Trail Sequential Trail Ride. In 2008, he attended and graduated the Law Enforcement Academy. Jeff became a paid Reserve Sherriff ’s Deputy in Yamhill County, while also working in the wine business. 

When Jeff is not seen at the wine shop, or volunteering in his community - there's only one place he can be: casting his line on the river. He's an avid fisherman and is known for catching his dinner after a long day of work.