Chehalem Winery Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains 2021

Following sustainable principles, privately-owned Chehalem Estate Vineyard makes elegant, characterful wines.

Chehalem Estate consists of four vineyards within the Willamette Valley. The origins lie with Ridgecrest Vineyard, started in 1980 and in what is today the Ribbon Ridge AVA. Bill Stoller invested here in 1988, his first venture into vineyards.The first Pinot Noir was harvested in 1990 and released in 1993 when Bill Stoller became co-owner, and in 2018 he became sole proprietor. Corral Creek vineyard was purchased in 1995 and is now the location of the winery while fruit is also taken from the Stoller Family vineyards. In 2018 and 2020, land was purchased in the Laurelwood District of Chehalem AVA and this vineyard is planned to be in full production by 2027. It comprises 85 hectares with 48 planted at the moment and will be the mainstay of the Chehalem Estate.
As at Stoller Vineyards, sustainability is all important with no herbicides used, irrigation only when absolutely necessary, biodiversity encouraged, and large areas reserved as a habitat for native plants and animals. They are also B Corp certified.

Pinot Noir is the major grape variety in all the sites along with Chardonnay, but Pinot Gris, Gruner Veltliner, Gamay and Riesling are also grown.

Katie Santora is the winemaker, part of an all-female winemaking team. The aim is to produce wines with balance, elegance and texture that let the terroir speak.