Tucked in the hills of South Salem on more than 30 acres, Vitae Springs Vineyard has been part of the Willamette Valley wine scene for two generations and counting.

Owner Joel VanVolkinburg was raised on the property and now runs the business with his wife, Michelle, who oversees sales and marketing.

The first vines were planted in the 1970s, and for many years, all the fruit grown on the vineyard was sold to other wineries.

The Vitae Springs label was introduced in 2005 with 350 cases of pinot noir.

"Since then we have continued to grow and develop our brand, treating it as a child that you nurture every step of the way," Michelle said.

The winery's first tasting room opened Thanksgiving weekend this past autumn.

Vitae Springs last month was a winner of a silver medal in the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine competition with its 2006 pinot noir.

Almost 5,000 wines were tasted in the weeklong judging panel in the Sonoma Valley, including several from the Willamette Valley.

The VanVolkinburgs will attend the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting Feb. 20.

"We are looking forward to representing our family and enlightening our consumers of the bounty the Willamette Valley has to offer," Michelle said.

In the 1970s, Earl and Pam VanVolkinburg, Joel's parents, developed a passion for growing grapes and making wine while based in the Mosel Valley of Germany while Earl was in the U.S. Air Force.

Upon returning to the United States, they set up their vineyard in Salem.

Joel and Michelle were married in 1996 and lived in California for several years, but Joel felt the family vineyard and the Willamette Valley calling him back, Michelle said.

He enrolled in a viticulture program in the Napa Valley and presented a business idea to his parents that he and Michelle take over the winery. The plan was put into action about three years later.

Today, Joel leads his crew in pruning, caring for the trellis system, weed control, tilling ground cover into the soil, shoot thinning, training the canes, hedging the canopy and hand-harvesting the grapes.

Love for the vineyard already has passed to a third generation. Joel and Michelle have two young sons, ages 6 and 4, who also are growing up among the vines.

Blocks of the vineyard are named for the boys: "Caleb's Run" and "Gavin's Hideaway."

"The boys are sure to let Joel know if they see anything that is not quite right and enjoy taking their friends on walks through the vines," Michelle said.

Vitae Springs produces pinot noir, riesling and grüner veltliner. Only 30 to 40 cases of grüner veltliner are made annually, along with 700 cases of pinot noir and 300 cases of riesling.

The family has plans to expand the vineyard in a few years and hopes to add a reserve selection to the lineup.

"The vineyard feeds our soul. It is a place where we come together to enjoy the beauty of the land and celebrate life," Pam VanVolkinburg said.