Women in Wine: Meet Winegrower Sadie Drury

Sadie Drury is the General Manager of North Slope Management in the Walla Walla Valley. She oversees SeVein Vineyards, a collection of some of the highest quality vineyard land in the world and home to our Pambrun Vineyard. 

A Walla Walla native, Sadie quickly rose through the ranks at SeVein, gaining prominence in the wine industry. She now manages multiple Walla Walla Valley vineyards. She was named the 2020 Washington Winegrower of the Year and was included in the 2021 edition of Wine Enthusiast’s 40 Under 40.

Sadie Drury looks out at the vines at Pambrun Vineyard. This is just one of the vineyards she manages.

Sadie is featured in the book "Wine Country Women of Willamette Valley & Walla Walla,” which can be purchased in the Wine Shop at the Estate in the Salem Hills. Domaine Willamette Founder Jan Bernau is also included in the book.

Get to know Sadie, one of Willamette’s Women in Wine, in the Q&A below:

How did you get started in the wine industry?

In 2005, I took a job bartending at a local hotspot and started growing an interest in wine. I also met many great individuals working in the wine industry who quickly became my friends. I went on a date with someone who took me to a vineyard, and I immediately fell in love with the idea of growing grapes. The guy didn’t last, but my desire to grow grapes was set. 

I have always loved working in agriculture and being outdoors. I knew winegrowing was a way to combine all the things I loved at that time. I enrolled in the Enology and Viticulture program at Walla Walla Community College in 2007 and the rest is history.

How did you end up managing SeVein Vineyards?

I worked on a vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA for five vintages, from 2008 to 2012. During that time, I drove about 1.5 hours each way to work. By 2012, I was married and pregnant and looking for work closer to my home in Walla Walla. The job for Assistant Viticulturist at North Slope Management was posted on winejobs.com the day our first daughter was born. I applied and interviewed for that position when she was just a few weeks old and started when she was only 2 months old. I was promoted to Vineyard Manager and Viticulturist less than a year later.

Pambrun Vineyard is located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley AVA.

What is unique about Oregon wines?

There are several things I love about Oregon wines. The state as a whole is incredibly diverse. There isn’t a varietal that can't grow well somewhere in Oregon, meaning there’s a wine that pairs with every meal and every season. I also love that Oregon has been a leader in sustainability long before other states and regions, which is a testament to the quality and the care taken in making Oregon wines.

Do you have a favorite Pambrun wine?

I love all the Pambrun wines but I am always a sucker for the Merlot.

Pambrun is committed to crafting elegant, terroir-driven wines from high-elevation hillside plantings in SeVein.

What does your day-to-day work look like?

I usually start my mornings with my crew, making sure all the tractors and people are doing the work we need to get done that day. After that, I try to drive around all the blocks that we farm – over 100 – and walk into some of the blocks and check the vines for pests, diseases and irrigation needs. I try to physically walk through all the blocks at least once a week, but I drive around them all every day. 

I have to spend some time in the office making sure the bills and people are paid and all necessary supplies are ordered. I’ll write down any work, irrigation and tractor orders needed for the next day.

What was your reaction to being featured in the Wine Country Women book?

It was such a surprise to be asked to be included in the book, and it was a true honor to be included alongside so many amazing and successful peers.

What does it mean to you to be a woman in wine?

First and foremost, I always wanted to be great at my job. I didn’t set out to be seen as a great woman winegrower. I just wanted to be a great winegrower. I believe I’ve succeeded at that. When I decided to grow grapes 18 years ago, I didn’t know I would be only one of a handful of women vineyard managers. I didn’t know I would be paving the way for others. 

Now that I’ve been successful in my job and have shown other women it can be done, being a woman in wine means much more than I anticipated. I feel like I now have an obligation to mentor, support, hire and include other women in all the work I do. It’s been an amazing journey to watch the network of women in wine grow the way it has.

Sadie Drury hopes to inspire other women to make their own impact in the wine industry.

What do you do in your free time?

I hang out with my family and drive my kids to their sports during my free time. If I can sneak away from my kids, I try to go out and ride my horse, Sam, also seen in “Wine Country Women of Willamette Valley & Walla Walla.”