Our Story
DANCIN is a love story
Romance and wine have gone hand in hand for centuries. It’s only fitting that the creation of DANCIN Vineyards has its roots in a love story. It starts with the tale of founders Dan and Cindy. It’s chock-full of passion, serendipity, and fated meetings.
Suffice to say, inclement weather and a chance meeting twice on the same day brought the pair together. They were married three months later and have been DANCIN ever since.
It was only a year after the couple met that they started to take a serious interest in the wine industry. They enrolled in enology and viticulture classes. Their first class was on emerging varietals taught by Glenn McGourty, the Viticulture and Plant Science Advisor for Mendocino County.
“We just became very interested in wine. We continued taking classes. We started looking at land. But nothing really seemed to work out. Until we discovered Southern Oregon and the Rogue Valley.”
That’s where the couple bought their first vineyard property and discovered their love of Oregon Pinot noir.
It was their dream to plant Italian varietals on their new vineyard. So, during one of their classes at UC Davis, they asked their instructor for advice on what would work in the area. They were referred to another teacher who happened to be teaching a class a mile and a half from their new vineyard site. The instructor’s recommendation? Pinot Nero! They were skeptical at first, but it turned out the man making the recommendation was none other than Glenn McGourty, the couple's first teacher some 12 years earlier! He pointed out that the area where DANCIN sits was similar to the Anderson Valley, where world class Pinot Noirs are produced.
And the rest as they say, is history! As their Southern Oregon vineyard expanded, Chardonnay was planted and soon thereafter, they discovered great sources for Barbera, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Zinfandel along with Syrah wine grapes.
The Next Chapter – A Multi-Generational Business
As they watched their winery grow, their three children grew with it. But their youngest son, Austin, demonstrated an interest in his parent’s business. As a child, he helped prepare the grounds for planting, assisted in sorting through the fruit, and helped with harvest. As a young adult, he directed his interests to culinary arts and hospitality. He completed his education at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley while working at Auberge du Soleil, a restaurant with fifteen consecutive Michelin Star awards. He then moved to Portland, Oregon and started work at The Nines, one of the top ten hotels in the Pacific Northwest, according to Condé Nast Traveler. While there, he was trained in hospitality and hotel operations. Shortly thereafter, he returned to work with his parents at DANCIN.
With Austin’s experience in the industry and in all aspects of the family business, it was time for DANCIN to become a multi-generational winery and restaurant. In January 2024, Austin was promoted to DANCIN’s General Manager.
DANCIN's tasting room was built with a focus on authentic hospitality and a memorable experience, just like the little tasting bar Dan visited with his family in Southern Italy nearly four decades earlier. It was a memorable experience and one they would like you to enjoy here!
In addition to serving artisanal bites and pizza on location, we offer live music events at our Medford winery, host private Wine Club Membership events, and winemaker dinners featuring ballet, along with salmon bakes, and more. We look forward to serving you! If you are not in Southern Oregon, you may visit our online wine store.