Etienne Lucier

3/29/2018

Etienne Lucier was a French-Canadian fur trader with ties to both The Pacific Fur Company led by John Jacob Astor, and later The Hudson Bay Company with John McLoughlin as the key figure.

He is known as the first farmer of European decent in Oregon. Truth, lore, or legend, local accounts have this coming about perhaps by accident. Skeptical this land would ever be settled, it is said his first desire was to travel back to Quebec. He literally missed the boat; another ship going around The Horn, then north, would not be coming through. With implements initially supplied by the Hudson Bay Company, he established a prosperous farm of wheat, peaches, pigs, and other livestock.

Years later, Lucier attended the Champoeg meetings in 1842, and was one of two French-Canadians to vote for the Provisional Government of Oregon. Accounts have him stepping over the line to make it decisive that the vast territory known as Oregon Country would become part of the United States.

Where Etienne Lucier homesteaded and farmed on French Prairie near Champoeg is a "stone's throw" from Lady Hill Winery. His descendants are neighboring farmers to this day. His great - great - great - great -great - great granddaughter, Lucie, 4, occasionally brings her parents by the winery to taste the latest Lady Hill line up while she plays on land familiar to her remarkable ancestor.

We are happy to present our sumptuous Lady Hill Bordeaux blend with fruit incidentally grown by another pioneering farmer of French-Canadian descent. Bruce Morford, Slide Mountain Vineyard, produces premier fruit on his family's historic Yakima Valley farm. Two Quebeques meeting over a century later to bring a deep and delightful wine in your glass.