St. Innocent began as an idea conceived in a moment of passion and inspiration in 1983. Mark Vlossak spent the next five years studying, taking classes, and apprenticing with Oregon wine pioneer, Fred Arterberry. In 1988, St. Innocent Winery was founded with a goal to produce wines that respect the quality and tradition of the Old World in one of the newest and most exciting wine growing regions on the planet: Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Mark Vlossak is founder, president and winemaker of St. Innocent Winery in Salem, Oregon. He oversees the vineyards and represents St. Innocent in the national marketplace. Mark’s exposure to wine began at the age of seven when he began tasting wines daily with his father, a wine importer. During his university training, he developed a love for Champagne. After reading an article in 1983 on American sparkling wine in Bon Appetit magazine, he was inspired to become a winemaker. St. Innocent has grown from 600 cases in their first year to their current production of 10,000 cases, yet each wine is still handcrafted.