The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast23 Jan

David Harrelson: Oral History Interview

This interview is with David Harrelson, founder of Amaa Wines.

David talks about his background growing up in the Pacific Northwest, including being born in Eugene, Oregon, growing up in Tacoma, Washington, before moving to Dundee, Oregon. He discusses his family, including his father being a mountaineer, spending much of his childhood outdoors, and how these experiences shape his connection to land and culture. David also talks about being an Indigenous tribal member and the importance of his cultural identity, traditions, and relationship to land. He discusses his work with his tribe, including working in cultural resource and later becoming a department manager.

Next, David discusses his education and early career path. He talks about attending Lewis & Clarke College, being a rower, studying abroad in South Africa, and originally wanting to become a firefighter. He explains his time working seasonal fire jobs and how wine began as a side interest rather than a main career goal, also mentioning other experiences such as being a beekeeper.

David also talks about his journey into winemaking. He explains how a trip to Georgia in 2019 was a turning point for him, inspiring his approach to wine and house wine traditions. David discusses the transition from making wine at hoe to producing wine commercially, using shared vineyard space. He reflects on the Oregon wine community being welcoming and expresses pride in being an Indigenous winemaker, hoping to see more Indigenous representation in the wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on January 7, 2026.

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