Wine Enthusiast Magazine has named Ed King the 2025 American Wine Legend. King, co-founder and co-CEO of King Estate Winery in Eugene, Ore., will receive the award in New York City on Jan. 26, 2026, at the 26th annual Wine Star Awards gala.
“I’m honored to be recognized as an American Wine Legend by Wine Enthusiast Magazine,” King said. “When we bottled our first vintage in 1992, Oregon wine was still finding its place on the world stage. But we believed in its potential. It took vision, hard work and a shared commitment from the many hands who helped build King Estate. More than 30 years later, seeing how far Oregon wine has come and knowing we played a part is deeply rewarding.”
Oregon is the fourth-largest wine producing state in the country, comprising about 2% of the national wine market. Ed King is the first Oregon winemaker to win the American Wine Legend award.
About Ed King: With a work ethic honed in his native Kansas, Ed King came west and found his future in a 600-acre plot of land used to grow hay for cattle. In 1991, the nascent Oregon wine industry was still emerging as an economic and cultural force. King Estate planted its flag in Eugene, expanded to 1,033 acres, and made a name for itself as an early champion of Pinot Gris in a Pinot Noir state, opening up national markets to the varietal and to Oregon wine more broadly. In another ahead-of-its-time achievement, King Estate was certified as organic in 2002 and Biodynamic® in 2016, living out its commitment to stewardship, one of its core founding principles.
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Ed King is Oregon’s First American Wine Legend Winner - Wine Industry Advisor
