Penner-Ash Wine Cellars

In 1998, Lynn and Ron Penner-Ash founded Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in the Northern Willamette Valley's Yamhill-Carlton AVA, producing just 125 cases in their inaugural vintage. Lynn had joined Rex Hill Vineyards in 1988 as one of Oregon's first female winemakers, eventually rising to President and Chief Operating Officer before leaving in 2001 to devote full attention to Penner-Ash. After breaking ground in 2003, the gravity-flow winery was completed in time to process the first on-site vintage in 2005. In April 2016, the winery joined the Jackson Family Wines portfolio, with Lynn staying on as founding winemaker and later mentoring Kate Ayres, who now leads day-to-day winemaking.

• Founded 1998 in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA; first vintage was 125 cases
• Lynn Penner-Ash: Rex Hill winemaker and President (1988-2001); Oregon's first female winemaker
• Winery broke ground 2003; first on-site vintage processed 2005
• Acquired by Jackson Family Wines, April 2016; Kate Ayres now winemaker

Lynn Penner-Ash arrived in Oregon in 1988 as the first female winemaker in the state, joining Rex Hill Vineyards at a time when there were fewer than 50 wineries in Oregon. She trained at UC Davis in viticulture and enology and had previously worked at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Domaine Chandon, and Chateau St. Jean before moving north. Her willingness to experiment with vineyard practices in the 1990s, including new thinking on thinning timing for Pinot Noir, helped shift Oregon's viticultural philosophy. The winery has twice landed on Wine Spectator's annual Top 100 list, and the 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir reached No. 19 on the 2025 Top 100.

• Lynn Penner-Ash: first female winemaker in Oregon; trailblazer for women in the Pacific Northwest wine industry
• UC Davis-trained in viticulture and enology; prior experience at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Domaine Chandon, and Chateau St. Jean
• Boutique ethos preserved post-acquisition: small-lot, indigenous-yeast fermentation and extended cold soaks remain the winery's signature
• 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ranked No. 19, Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2025

The LIVE-certified gravity-flow winery reflects the values and philosophy that Lynn and Ron embedded from the start. Fermentation proceeds in small lots, with indigenous yeast preferred and extended cold soaks used to build texture and complexity without extraction. Each lot is evaluated individually and either blended into the flagship Willamette Valley Pinot Noir or bottled separately as a vineyard designate. Oak influence is kept deliberately restrained: the Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, for example, sees 10 months in French oak with around 23 percent new wood. Current winemaker Kate Ayres has evolved the program in response to warmer vintages, reducing cap manipulation and refining the oak regimen.

• LIVE-certified sustainable gravity-flow winery; 15-acre Dussin Estate Vineyard surrounds the building
• Small-lot indigenous yeast fermentation with extended cold soaks; each lot assessed barrel-by-barrel
• Willamette Valley Pinot Noir aged approximately 10 months in French oak, around 23 percent new
• Kate Ayres has refined cap manipulation and oak use to adapt to Oregon's warming climate trend

Penner-Ash sources fruit across six of the Willamette Valley's sub-AVAs, a range that is unusually broad for a boutique producer and that gives both the flagship blend and the single-vineyard designates their distinctive character. The 15-acre Dussin Estate Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton anchors the program. Beyond the estate, key sources include Shea Vineyard (Yamhill-Carlton), Bramble Hill Vineyard (Ribbon Ridge), Zena Crown Vineyard (Eola-Amity Hills), Bella Vida Vineyard (Dundee Hills), and the Knudsen and Elevee vineyards in the Dundee Hills. The Old Vine Hyland Riesling draws from the Hyland Vineyard in the McMinnville AVA. Access to Zena Crown deepened after Jackson Family Wines purchased that vineyard in 2013, prior to acquiring Penner-Ash itself.

• Dussin Estate Vineyard: 15-acre home block in Yamhill-Carlton AVA; southeast-facing hillside near Shea Vineyard
• Flagship Willamette Valley Pinot Noir blends fruit from six sub-AVAs for vintage-consistent style
• Key vineyard partners: Shea (Yamhill-Carlton), Bramble Hill (Ribbon Ridge), Zena Crown (Eola-Amity Hills), Bella Vida and Knudsen (Dundee Hills)
• Hyland Vineyard (McMinnville AVA) supplies old-vine Riesling fruit

Penner-Ash Pinot Noirs are built for balance: they carry enough structural grip to age but remain accessible on release, with fragrant aromatics, red and dark fruit, and savory herb notes. The Willamette Valley blend is the broadest expression, drawing on 12 or more vineyard sites across six sub-AVAs and delivering plum, blood orange, red berries, and floral lift. Single-vineyard bottlings add specificity: Shea Vineyard brings spice and tannic structure from Yamhill-Carlton sedimentary soils, while Zena Crown from Eola-Amity Hills contributes focus and acidity. The Viognier, made without malolactic fermentation and primarily in stainless steel, shows stone fruit, citrus, and heady floral aromatics. The Old Vine Hyland Riesling highlights crisp acidity and stone fruit from the cooler McMinnville AVA.

• Willamette Valley Pinot Noir: multi-AVA blend from 12-plus sites; plum, blood orange, red berries, floral notes
• Single-vineyard Pinots showcase sub-AVA differences: Shea for spice and structure, Zena Crown for focus and acidity
• Oregon Viognier: no malolactic fermentation; primarily stainless steel; stone fruit and floral aromatics
• Old Vine Hyland Riesling: crisp acidity and stone fruit from McMinnville AVA old vines

The current Penner-Ash lineup spans Pinot Noir across multiple AVAs, alongside Oregon Viognier, Old Vine Hyland Riesling, Willamette Valley Chardonnay, Rosé of Pinot Noir, and the premium Pas de Nom Pinot Noir and Pas de Nom Chardonnay. The Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is priced at $60, with vineyard designates ranging from $70 to $90 and Pas de Nom Pinot Noir at $140. Wine Spectator has recognized the winery twice on its annual Top 100 list, most recently with the 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir at No. 19 in 2025. Kate Ayres now leads winemaking, having worked closely with Lynn Penner-Ash before Lynn's retirement.

• Portfolio: Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($60), multiple vineyard designates ($70-$90), Pas de Nom Pinot Noir ($140)
• White wines: Oregon Viognier ($40), Old Vine Hyland Riesling ($40), Willamette Valley Chardonnay ($45), Pas de Nom Chardonnay ($90)
• Wine Spectator Top 100: 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ranked No. 19 on the 2025 list
• Kate Ayres is current winemaker; mentored by and worked alongside founding winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash