La Bete wines is a collaborative effort between John Eliassen and Kay Kusy-Eliassen.  Both John and Kay have worked in the Oregon wine business for a combined time of nearly 60 years.  Both of them also work other full-time jobs as well as the winery business.

La Bete wines released the first wine with the 1998 vintage.  John had been an amateur winemaker and volunteer at wineries for a number of years, and decided that he wanted a more “formal” education in winemaking.  In 1987 he and Kay moved to France and he enrolled simultaneously in the Lycee Viticole in Beaune and the Universite de Bourgogne, Dijon.  It is a great accomplishment that he graduated with degrees (Oenologie & Viticulture)  from both of these outstanding schools in the heart of Burgundy.  He also had the opportunity to work as an apprentice at Domaine des Lambrays (Grand cru estate) and Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard while studying.

The focus of his studies in Burgundy was the very old and traditional techniques used to make wine in Burgundy.  As a result of this, his approach to winemaking is distinctively non-interventionist and somewhat atypical of other Oregon wineries.  John prefers to allow the soils, micro-climates and terroir of a vineyard to express in his wines, rather than his signature as a winemaker.  Pinot Noirs are all produced in the same manner,  no cold-soaking techniques, and little or no use of new oak so as not to diminish the character of the vineyard.

Currently La Bete averages approximately 1,,500 cases per year.  In most vintages we produce small quantities of a few white wines; Aligote, Melon and Pinot Gris.  For those not familiar with these varietals, they historically were very important grapes used in producing white Burgundy.  We are the only producer of Aligote in Oregon, and one of only a handful who produce Melon de Bourgogne.

We also produce a small quantity of Gamay Noir but the focus of course is on Pinot Noir.  Depending upon the vintage a couple of blends of vineyard sources are produced (Willamette Valley and Selection du Cave) as well as a number of single vineyard designated Pinot Noirs.  Please refer to our currently available list for wines which are available.

Our electronic media is supervised and managed by our daughter, Paige.  If you did not already know, our logo, the Japanese characters on our label is her name in characters.