Meet the Andante Team

working together to make wines of place

owner & Chief tractor operator

Joe Allan

Joe’s dive into vineyard ownership belies an unlikely upbringing in a family that didn’t touch wine. However, in the hot Nevada desert of his youth, far from any vineyards,  Joe honed the driving skills that serve him every day at Andante Vineyard. A retired physician and now full-time farmer, Joe is deeply invested in the land, keeping a close eye on the vines, the oak woods, and the pond every day. With his knack for precision and interest in sustainable materials, Joe designed Andante’s winery: a corten steel building that blends into the natural landscape.

Head Winemaker

Erin Percheron

Erin was born and raised in Richmond, California. After moving to Eugene, Oregon in 2008, she attended The University of Oregon where she received a B.S. in Environmental Studies. Bit by the winemaking bug in 2015, her first harvest was at Iris Vineyards and thus started her winemaking journey. Her love for the craft has taken her across the globe, working not only in Oregon and California, but New Zealand as well.

She has since received an official Winemaking Certification from UC Davis and after settling in the Willamette Valley, Erin joined the Andante family in 2020. Focusing on small-batch wine production, her delicate approach to winemaking showcases the elegance and complexity of each vintage.

Vine to Wine Principal

Brandon Correa

Brandon was born and raised on the island of O’ahu. His fondest memories as a child were exploring the natural flora and fauna of Hawai’i with his father, a biologist and master teacher. Brandon took up the violin at the age of 8 and his passion for music carried him through to a career in the arts, performing and conducting orchestras in Hawai’i, Illinois, and Europe. This eventually led him to Salem Oregon, where he taught state champion orchestras in the public schools.

Coming full circle to his passion for the natural world, Brandon enrolled in the vineyard management program at Chemeketa Community College where he completed his certification in vineyard practices and began managing vineyards in the Salem area. Brandon also led the wine tasting experiences at Brooks Winery in Amity before joining the team at Andante Vineyards as the Vine to Wine Principal -- a position that combines his passion for wine, tending to the vines, and even performing viola with the Salem String Quartet.

Director of Sales

José Cruz

José was born in Guanajuato, Mexico and raised in Oregon. José's interest in the wine industry started early in his life, when he helped his dad pick grapes in the vineyard on weekends. Shortly after graduating high school, José convinced his mom to sign paperwork allowing him to taste wine while attending Chemeketa Community College’s wine studies program as an 18-year-old. José's love for wine started with an appreciation for the work in the vineyard and the art behind making wine.

After graduating from Chemeketa Community College with a wine business degree, he spent the last five years at Willamette Valley Vineyards. Most recently, José made Adante Vineyard his new wine home. José's passion is to share his love for wine through education and in a way that is approachable to everyone. He continues to explore ways to connect his love for wine and cooking with his Mexican heritage and culture. 

Vineyard/Cellar Worker & Bee Keeper

Alec Justus

Alec was born in Bangor, ME, but has lived all across the States. He studied linguistics at the University of Arizona with the intention of becoming an interpreter. After moving to Oregon and meeting his wife in 2016, he discovered the Willamette Valley wine industry and quickly changed gears. Now, his dream is to travel the world and use his languages to study wine.

He has worked in several tasting rooms around the valley, but his Epicurean outlook on life and passion for winemaking ultimately led him to Andante’s doorstep. An avid apiculturist with a drive for sustainable agriculture, he is also our estate beekeeper.

owner & jill of all trades

Karen Saul

While she witnessed the growth of the region’s vineyards firsthand, Karen never expected to make wine herself. In many ways, Karen’s independent Willamette Valley upbringing — riding bikes on gravel roads, building forts in fields and trees, and bushwhacking through woods — prepared her for the hard work of farming. A lawyer by trade, Karen has immersed herself in the wine business, obtaining her certificate in Vineyard Operations at the Northwest Wine Studies Center at Chemeketa Community College. Her natural warmth and cheerfulness welcome guests to Andante Vineyard, while her indefatigable teamwork with Joe and Erin guides the winery’s operations every day.

Winemaker & Viticulturist

Laurent Percheron

Laurent was born in Saumur, France and raised on the banks of the Loire river in a small town, surrounded by vines from a very young age. As a child, he remembers his great grandpa making wine in his garage for the family every year.

It is no surprise that Laurent's love for viticulture and enology started in 2009 at Domaine de La Grange aux Belles in Anjou where he learned the basics before pursuing wine studies in Beaune, France. Since then, Laurent has worked in Burgundy, New Zealand, and Oregon, which he has called home since 2019.

When he is not in the winery, you'll find him in the vineyard fine-tuning our farming practices. With a decade of experience under his belt, Laurent’s connection to the vineyard brings a continuity from vine to wine and proves that the best wines are envisioned in the vineyard.

director of wine education

Barb Dearing

Barb Dearing, fondly known to many wine lovers as “Coach Barb,” has worked in the wine industry since her retirement from college athletics in 2017. In 2007, Barb came to Oregon and began tasting and exploring Oregon’s wines, especially its renowned Pinot noir. It was through this exploration that she found her new passion: guiding people to discover wines to match their own tastes. 

Through her journey into the world of wine, she developed a fascination for food and wine pairings -- she loves to find the perfect flavor combination! Her knowledge about wines, as well as wine and food pairings, makes her an integral part of the Andante team. Since joining us in June of 2020, she can be found guiding guests through wine tastings and sharing her latest recipe recommendation paired with an Andante wine!

Chef

David Mcleod

David has spent most of his life in the heart of the Willamette Valley. He grew up picking berries and working on farms, developing a deep connection to food and nature. Baking with his grandmother at a young age inspired David’s culinary journey.

He worked his way from the ground up in kitchens, starting as a dishwasher. Once he began working in fine dining, it fueled the fire for his passion for cooking and food service. It wasn’t just about making food anymore, David truly developed a zeal for the service industry.

Creating dishes inspired by the wine and beautiful surroundings at Andante Vineyard brings things full circle, as David once again enjoys being surrounded by Oregon’s gastronomical bounty.

Vineyard/Cellar Worker

Peter Brod

Originally from Ohio, Peter has worked almost 20 years in the wine industry. He first started working in vineyards and a winery north of Atlanta, Georgia and then moved to Oregon to pursue the adventure making Pinot at several notable Oregon wineries.

He is excited to start his next chapter at Andante with working in the vineyard as well as the winery.

Wine Sales Associate

Randy Harnisch

Randy is a born and raised Oregonian whose family farm near Jefferson goes back to the 1860’s. The flavors of the farm, dusty blackberries, pungent mint and earthy hazelnuts, are carried forward in Randy’s appreciate for good wines, particularly Oregon wines.

Randy and his wife took over and operated a small, eclectic wine shop in West Salem for several years that provided customers with personal service and unique wine options.

During that time they had the chance to learn more about Oregon’s wine marketing system and gain exposure to fine wines from around the world. Randy’s love of wine is enriched by his lifetime of experiences, but is based on the simple fact that he likes good wine, particularly Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Working in the tasting room at Andante provides him the opportunity to share those experiences and, of course, share some of the best wine Oregon has to offer.

Our Estate Wines

grown, made, and bottled at andante

Nestled in the rolling hills near the Van Duzer Corridor, our 15-acre estate vineyard is planted with our beloved grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Aligoté, and Gamay Noir. Our wines are fermented naturally, expressing the true nature of the grapes and the site on which they are grown.

With a small production every vintage, our wines are available in limited quantities at our winery, at our online store, and through select retailers and restaurants in the Willamette Valley.