Chris Berg, the winemaker/vintner behind Roots Wine Company, was born in Racine, Wisconsin, and grew up in Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Kansas, Chris was uncertain about his career path. However, when his parents, Chuck and Dian Berg, moved to Oregon from Illinois, Chris followed them and planted a small vineyard. That was back in 1999. Three years later, Chris and his wife Hilary picked their first harvest of a whopping three tons, which were made into 72 cases of Pinot Noir.

The name “Roots” pays homage to Chris’ birthplace, Racine, WI, which means “root” in French. The “Klee” label is a tribute to one of Chris’ favorite artists, the German Expressionist/Bauhaus/Surrealist painter Paul Klee. The label artwork is their own adaptation of an obscure 1924 Klee painting, Lösung “ee.” der Geburtstagsaufgabe. The “Un Autre Monde” label features artwork by French surrealist J.J. Grandville, from his 1844 book, Un Autre Monde.