St. Innocent Winery was founded in May 1988 by Mark Vlossak, the current winemaker and president, and a group of eight investors. The winery is located in Salem, Oregon, at the southeast corner of the Eola Hills, in the mid-Willamette valley. Their goal is 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.
The philosophy behind winemaking at St Innocent: the function of wine is to complement and extend the pleasure of a meal. The characteristics of a wine should enhance different food and flavour combinations – this interaction amplifies the pleasure of a meal. To this end, St. Innocent wines tend toward higher acid levels, and more diverse and balanced flavours.
St. Innocent Winery produced its first vintage in 1988. They harvested 10 tons, producing 600 cases: a Pinot Noir, Chardonnay from Seven Springs Vineyard, and a methode champenoise sparkling wine. Production increased to their full capacity of 6800 cases in 2004. Today, St. Innocent produces small lot, handmade wines: seven single vineyard Pinot Noirs and a blended Pinot Noir called the Villages Cuvée, two Chardonnay from Dijon clone plantings, two Pinot gris, and a Pinot blanc.