About Us

founder/winemaker

Erich Berg - Biography

After a lively career in Chicago’s fine-dining restaurant scene, Erich moved to Oregon in 2004 to learn how to make wine.  Erich’s first harvest was at the esteemed Domaine Serene, a place of high standards and expectations in the cellar; a great place to learn the art of winemaking. 

After three years at Serene, Erich had to have reconstructive hip surgery.  This ultimately ended his winemaking career.  So, while convalescing, he got his Master’s degree and became a high-school English teacher.  This lasted six good years. But winemaking kept calling; Erich missed it. 

Thankfully, Erich’s good friend Brad owned Illahe Vineyards, and in a short time, Erich became the Associate Winemaker, where he spent three years making low-interventionist, terroir-driven wines. 

As his winemaking experience deepened, Erich had the opportunity to work at Day Wines, a leader in the Natural Wine movement in Oregon.

the mission

Behind Ricochet Wine

To ricochet is to bounce back.  Not always in a predictable direction or velocity, but there’s a bounce off a wall, figuratively or otherwise.  Life is full of metaphoric ricochets.

The Ricochet Wine Company was founded because to advance two agendas:  

  1. Make killer, authentic, sophisticated, and honest wine that is accessible to a wide spectrum of folks.  Wine is community, after all.

  2. Give back to the community by donating 5% of sales to local and regional non-profit organizations that specialize in areas that help people bounce back from difficult situations.  Again, wine is community.  

 

Ricochet Wine Company was founded on a lark in 2018.  Only two tons processed–a ton of pinot noir; a ton of gruner veltliner.  Now, three years later, Ricochet is up to 12 tons (still super tiny, relative to the world of wineries), producing Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Mourvedre Rose, Pinot Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, and a bubbly Pet-Nat.  

"A good wine should taste great in a wine glass, but be perfectly suited for a coffee mug."