Chehalem Winery

Chehalem takes its name from a Native American word meaning 'gentle land' or 'valley of flowers,' a fitting description of the Chehalem Mountains landscape northwest of Newberg, Oregon. Harry Peterson-Nedry began planting Ridgecrest Vineyard on Ribbon Ridge in 1980, making it the first vineyard in what would eventually be designated its own AVA in 2005. The winery was formally founded in 1990, releasing its debut wine, the Ridgecrest Pinot Noir, from estate fruit then in its sixth harvest year. Bill Stoller joined as co-owner in 1993, the same year he began planting his family farmland in the Dundee Hills. In early 2018, after 24 years of partnership, Stoller purchased Peterson-Nedry's equity share and became sole owner, and Chehalem became part of the Stoller Wine Group.

• Peterson-Nedry was the first to plant vines on Ribbon Ridge in 1980, years before the AVA was formally established in 2005
• The winery's 1990 debut bottling was the Ridgecrest Pinot Noir, sourced from own-rooted Pommard and Wädenswil clones
• Corral Creek Vineyard, planted in 1983 and formerly known as Veritas, was purchased from the Howieson family in 1995 as the third estate site
• Bill Stoller became sole owner in February 2018; winemaker Katie Santora was appointed to lead the cellar team shortly thereafter

Chehalem occupies a pivotal place in Oregon wine history not only through its wines but through its founder's institutional contributions. Harry Peterson-Nedry played key roles in founding the Oregon Wine Board, the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, Oregon Pinot Camp, and the International Pinot Noir Celebration. He was also among the early champions of unoaked Chardonnay in the Pacific Northwest and helped spearhead the formal establishment of the Ribbon Ridge AVA. By demonstrating that Ribbon Ridge's marine sedimentary Willakenzie soils could yield world-class Pinot Noir, Chehalem helped define a sub-regional identity within the broader Willamette Valley that continues to attract critical attention.

• Peterson-Nedry helped establish the Oregon Wine Board, Willamette Valley Wineries Association, Oregon Pinot Camp, and the IPNC
• Chehalem was named Oregon Winery of the Year by Wine Press Northwest in 2014
• The winery was an early advocate for unoaked Chardonnay and aromatic white varieties such as Gruner Veltliner and Riesling in Oregon
• Chehalem's work on Ribbon Ridge helped define the sub-AVA's identity around Willakenzie sedimentary soils and structured, aromatic Pinot Noir

Chehalem farms four estate vineyards spanning three AVAs within the greater Willamette Valley, giving the winery access to meaningfully different soil types and microclimates. Ridgecrest Vineyard on Ribbon Ridge, originally planted in 1980 with own-rooted Pommard and Wädenswil clones, sits on the region's characteristic Willakenzie marine sedimentary soils; Chehalem currently retains 29 acres with 22 under vine after the vineyard was divided between Peterson-Nedry and Stoller in 2018. Corral Creek Vineyard, planted in 1983 and surrounding the Newberg winery, provides fruit in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. The Stoller Vineyard in the Dundee Hills, with 225 acres under vine, is the largest contiguous vineyard in that AVA. The newest site, Chehalem Estate, first planted in 2007, covers 210 acres in the Chehalem Mountains with Laurelwood loess soils and hosts 17 Pinot Noir clones alongside Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Gruner Veltliner.

• Ridgecrest Vineyard: first planted 1980 on Ribbon Ridge, Willakenzie marine sedimentary soils; 22 acres currently under vine
• Corral Creek Vineyard: planted 1983, purchased 1995, surrounding the Newberg winery in the Chehalem Mountains AVA
• Stoller Vineyard: 225 acres planted in the Dundee Hills AVA, the largest contiguous vineyard in that sub-appellation
• Chehalem Estate: first planted 2007, 210 acres total with 120-plus under vine on Laurelwood loess soils; target for full planting by 2024

Chehalem describes itself as a vineyard winery, aiming for minimal processing to let terroir drive the wines. The portfolio centers on single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from Ridgecrest, Corral Creek, and Stoller, alongside a blended Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. The INOX Unoaked Chardonnay, whose name derives from 'inoxydable,' the French word for stainless steel, is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel to preserve bright fruit character. The winery also produces Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner, and Gamay Noir, reflecting a commitment to white wines and aromatic varieties that sets it apart from Pinot Noir-only estates. The 2022 Chehalem Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir received 93 points from Wine Spectator, and the 2021 INOX Unoaked Chardonnay earned 92 points and Editors' Choice recognition from Wine Enthusiast.

• INOX Unoaked Chardonnay fermented entirely in stainless steel; the name references 'inoxydable,' the French term for stainless
• Single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from Ridgecrest (Ribbon Ridge), Corral Creek (Chehalem Mountains), and Stoller (Dundee Hills) anchor the portfolio
• White wine range includes Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner, and Pinot Blanc, reflecting Peterson-Nedry's early championing of aromatic varieties in Oregon
• 2022 Chehalem Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir scored 93 points from Wine Spectator; 2021 INOX Unoaked Chardonnay earned 92 points and Editors' Choice from Wine Enthusiast

Chehalem's approach to sustainability is among the most thoroughly certified in Oregon. All estate vineyards, including Ridgecrest, Corral Creek, Stoller, and Chehalem Estate, carry LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) and Salmon Safe certifications. The LIVE program requires a whole-farm approach encompassing non-grape crops, landscaping, building operations, labor practices, and packaging. The winery uses no herbicides, controlling weeds by hand and mechanization, dry farms wherever possible to reduce groundwater stress, and designates more than 20 percent of vineyard land as eco-zones for native plants and wildlife. In July 2018, Chehalem became the sixth Oregon winery to achieve B Corp certification, a rigorous standard assessing social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.

• All estate vineyards are independently LIVE Certified and Salmon Safe; LIVE requires whole-farm sustainability across all operations
• No herbicides are used; weeds are controlled by hand and mechanization, and the winery dry farms whenever possible
• More than 20 percent of vineyard land is designated as eco-zones providing habitat for native plants and animals
• Chehalem became the sixth Oregon winery to achieve B Corp certification in July 2018, joining sister winery Stoller Family Estate

Chehalem's legacy is inseparable from Harry Peterson-Nedry's broader role as a Willamette Valley pioneer. By planting on Ribbon Ridge in 1980, years before critical or commercial consensus recognized the area's potential, he established a terroir benchmark that later shaped the entire Ribbon Ridge AVA. Wine Press Northwest named Chehalem its Oregon Winery of the Year in 2014. Under current ownership and winemaker Katie Santora, the winery continues to earn strong critical scores while expanding its estate vineyard base with the new Chehalem Estate site. Peterson-Nedry, after departing Chehalem in 2018, refocused on his RR Winery brand, continuing to make wine from the Ridgecrest and Wind Ridge vineyard parcels he retained after the ownership transition.

• Named Oregon Winery of the Year by Wine Press Northwest in 2014
• Peterson-Nedry was a founding contributor to the Oregon Wine Board, IPNC, and Oregon Pinot Camp, shaping the institutional foundations of the state's wine industry
• Katie Santora, appointed head winemaker in 2018, leads an all-female winemaking team with deep knowledge of all estate sites
• After the 2018 ownership transition, Peterson-Nedry retained approximately 48 acres of Ridgecrest Vineyard and refocused on his RR Winery brand