May 19, 2026
Mimi Casteel grew up on a vineyard in
northwestern Oregon, where her family made wine as much for the
passion as for the livelihood. She left home to study forestry and
worked as a botanist for the forest service, but the pull of
agriculture brought her back to the family farm, where she
introduced regenerative practices and eventually started her own
vineyard, Hope Well Wine.
For Casteel, the practice of wine-making begins with the land—a
complex ecosystem teeming with wildlife, cover crops, and
livestock—all of which contribute to healthy soil. That soil is the
basis for robustly healthy vines, which keep pests in balance
without the use of chemicals, and keep the ground cool in the heat,
warm in the cold, and resilient in the face of droughts and
floods.
Casteel is a scientist, a close observer of nature whose
perspective pushes the limits of science, and an artist in the
millennia-old tradition of wine-making. She's also a passionate
advocate for regenerative agriculture and regional food
systems.