Owning Proteus Winery is a profound manifestation of resilience and renewal. The name, inspired by the Greek god of change, resonates deeply with my journey to this vineyard. After loosing my partner to epilepsy, I made the difficult decision to leave a life of 18 years in Philadelphia and embark on a new chapter in the breathtaking landscape of Oregon, bringing my three beloved dogs along for the adventure.
Our team and I welcome all to join us in celebrating life’s wonderful small moments, taking time to slow down and enjoy the present. We look forward to sharing a glass of wine with you, and to the possibility of creating lasting memories together.
Small-Batch and Hand-Hewn
A Legacy of Fine Wines
Proteus Wines is a tiny but purposeful estate creating boutique, lovingly-crafted vintages from grapes grown from the rich volcanic soils of Oregon’s Chehalem Mountain range. Small-batch and hand-hewn, our wines are exactly those we’ve enjoyed drinking over the years and sharing with our friends. Which is just how Proteus came to be.
It began with a long-held tradition of harvesting, bottling and celebrating over pot-lucks. The camaraderie of these events spurred us to create wines that could not only be shared among this close-knit “club” of friends but more widely offered, always retaining a personal approach. With production limited to only a few hundred cases annually, we’re able to craft our wine, our way – true to our values. This means a dedication to sustainable, natural and organic farming, meticulous, yet unmanipulated cellaring and thoughtful blending. The result is an appealing and approachable wine consistently over-delivering in quality and value.
Maximizing Flavor, Naturally
Farming for unreasonably low yields to capture as much grape flavor as possible, Proteus allows native yeasts to ferment spontaneously. We follow natural settling and stabilizing regimens and filter wines only lightly when absolutely necessary to burnish brightness and vivacity in the glass.
Why Proteus?
The vision behind Proteus originated from a retired opera conductor who suggests exploring innate rhythms of the vineyard and in the winery to leading a myriad of operatic forces, to delight not incontrolling things overwhelmingly, but allowing the “players” to realize their best performances…together.
Why Proteus, the shape-shifting deity of the sea? The image evokes the alchemical transformation of grapes to wine, to remain adaptable and relevant, and to challenge us with new ideas in the vineyard and the winery. In short, Proteus represents award-winning wines which are foremost about enjoyment alongside great food and great company. It is a promise of high quality and exceptional value without pretense.
MEET THE TEAM
Owner
BAILEY MAYER
Owning Proteus Winery is a profound manifestation of resilience and renewal for me. The name, inspired by the Greek god of change, resonates deeply with my journey. After losing my partner to epilepsy, I made the hard decision to leave a life of 17 years in Philadelphia and embark on a new chapter in the breathtaking landscapes of Oregon, bringing my three beloved dogs along for the adventure. This move was not just geographical; it was a pilgrimage to fulfill the dreams we shared of living in the Pacific Northwest.
For two decades, my partner and I toiled away in corporate America, confined to the sterile glow of computer screens, yearning for a life that felt more authentic. The loss of my partner served as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of pursuing one’s passions. I realized that if I wanted to truly live a dream, I had to take the leap and follow the path that our hearts had once envisioned together.
Owning a small boutique vineyard is not merely about cultivating grapes; it’s about nurturing a legacy of love, hope, and transformation. It represents a commitment to savoring the beauty of the present, embracing change, and creating a space that honors the joys of life, both past and future. Each bottle produced is a tribute to my partner’s spirit and a celebration of the journey that continues to unfold.
Winemaker
BILL SYNDER
Bill Snyder was born outside Saratoga, New York and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience. Bill fell in love with wine while working in the restaurant industry in Philadelphia and Tucson. After working at wineries in California and Australia, Bill worked most recently as Technical Director for Testarossa Winery in Los Gatos, California overseeing analysis, quality assurance, bottling, and winemaking operations. Bill also served as a consultant for First Growth Vineyard Management, specializing in establishing small vineyards intended for premium wine grape production in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Bill has experience making wine from both cool- and warm-climate growing regions, and under conventional and organic/biodynamic viticulture systems. He has taken advanced coursework in enology, viticulture, wine microbiology, food safety, quality assurance, and biodynamic agriculture. He loves education and training, and is passionate about sharing the wine industry with others.
Head of Marketing & Sales
Colleen Peters
Head of Creative
Jennifer Porter
Through our wines, we bring people together, creating meaningful memories where our high-quality products become the centerpiece of celebration—a purpose that deeply resonates with me. This role allows me to express my creativity while contributing to a brand that values artistry and authenticity.
The expertise, collaboration, and shared vision of our talented team inspire me every day, and I am honored to support my dear friend, Bailey Mayer, in carrying forward the legacy of his late husband, Gerry. Together, we are building something meaningful—a celebration of life, love, and community through the journey of winemaking.