Joth Ricci, Family Buy Winderlea Vineyard & Winery
Joth Ricci and his family have purchased Wonderlea Vineyard & Winery in Dundee, Ore., from founders John Sweat and Donna Morris. Terms weren't disclosed. Ricci’s ties to Oregon wine deepened during his time as President and CEO of Adelsheim Vineyard, a winery with longstanding ties to Winderlea
Joth Ricci and his family have purchased Wonderlea Vineyard & Winery in Dundee, Ore., from founders John Sweat and Donna Morris. Terms weren't disclosed.
Ricci’s ties to Oregon wine deepened during his time as President and CEO of Adelsheim Vineyard, a winery with longstanding ties to Winderlea through pioneering winemaker David Adelsheim. Adelsheim helped lay out the original estate vineyard planted in 1974, well before Winderlea was founded as a winery.
Day-to-day operations will continue with no immediate changes planned. The existing team will maintain its focus on the winery and hospitality spaces, carrying forward the approach that has long defined Winderlea. Leading the business will be Lindsey Morse as Vice President of Strategy and Winery Operations, whose background includes leadership roles at Ponzi Vineyards and Stoller Family Estate, as well as Adelsheim, where she first collaborated with Ricci. The family is also supported by a close circle of trusted advisors and industry veterans, including Kim Bellingar, founder of Century Vineyards and former COO of Adelsheim, who will provide strategic support across business operations and organizational development.
Ricci’s daughter Anna, both a fourth-generation Oregonian and OSU graduate, is actively involved at the winery, taking a hands-on position supporting day-to-day operations and work across the estate. Her involvement reflects the family’s connection to Oregon wine, agriculture and hospitality, and brings a presence anchored in curiosity and respect for Winderlea’s history and character.
Ricci is a third-generation Oregonian who has held top leadership roles across some of the region’s most recognized food and beverage brands, including as general manager at Columbia Distributing and president of Stumptown Coffee Roasters, where he launched Cold Brew and led the brand to its existing partnership with Peet’s Coffee. He later guided Dutch Bros Coffee as CEO through its 2021 IPO, the largest in Oregon history. Ricci currently serves as executive chairman of Burgerville.