Chehalem Winery
Harry Peterson-Nedry was driven toward winemaking. With degrees in Chemistry and English, his right- and left-brain tendencies have served him well. Crafting premium Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris in the Willamette Valley, Harry offers insight into his winemaking philosophy and how he strives for both structure and vibrant fruit. He also explains why white wines from this cool climate will age well and have a striking level of complexity.
Harry Peterson-Nedry was driven toward winemaking. With degrees in Chemistry and English, his right- and left-brain tendencies have served him well. Crafting premium Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris in the Willamette Valley, Harry offers insight into his winemaking philosophy and how he strives for both structure and vibrant fruit. He also explains why white wines from this cool climate will age well and have a striking level of complexity.
...Chehalem, pronounced Chuh-hay-lum, is a Calapooia Indian word for "gentle land" or "valley of flowers", so I shouldn’t have been surprised to find that Chehalem Wines is a model for environmental conservation. Thomas Sichta, Sales Manager, greeted me as I arrived at the winery and vineyards in Newberg. Thomas, an Atlanta transplant, had been working the Portland region wine industry for a decade before joining Chehalem, and was the perfect person to convey how significant Chehalem is to the area. Chehalem was founded by Harry Peterson-Nedry in 1990. Harry had degrees in Chemistry and English, so initially indulged in winemaking simply as a hobby. When he planted the 55-acre Ridgecrest Vineyard in 1980, the hobby shifted gears into a passion and a real business. Ridgecrest was also the pioneer vineyard in the newly approved Ribbon Ridge AVA! Over the years, Harry acquired more sites and developed Chehalem into a premier producer of cool climate varieties. This was not the first time I’d heard Harry Peterson-Nedry’s name. Previous to the trip, I’d been reading Forecast: The Consequences of Climate Change, from the Amazon to the Arctic, from Darfur to Napa Valley, by Stephan Faris. Harry is sought out to discuss how Oregon’s Willamette Valley is becoming warmer and more dry due to climate change, saying expertly, “Is there a change? Duh.” Earlier and earlier grape harvests are occurring, one warm vintage on record is beat out by next year’s even warmer vintage. Harry thoughtfully opines in the book that although there are short term gains in greater ease of growing, the industry should come together to adopt strategies and principles for managing these changes in the long term. As Thomas walked me through the vineyards, he discussed the improvements to viticulture and environmental conservation taking place at Chehalem. All vineyard sites are working toward full organic farming and all are LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) Certified. Their participation in the Oregon Certified Sustainable program entails several measures: Salmon Safe practices, dry farming to reduce the stress on water sources, and native diverse cover crops to encourage biodiversity and soil health. A large percentage of the property is also left untouched as eco-zones, which was clear to me as we walked through wild brambles and popped ripe hanging fruit into our mouths. The wild fruit was a primer for the awesome tasting waiting back in the winery. As we tasted out of barrel and bottle, I realized the breadth of Chehalem’s portfolio. One of my favorites was the 2013 Ridgecrest Vineyards Gamay Noir, a very interesting grape from the first vineyard. I just go nuts over Beaujolais Cru... Chehalem’s version is sourced from some of the oldest Gamay vines in the US, is spicy, and yet rich with plum, baking and Indian spices and refreshing acidity. Later in the day we finished the bottle off at Nick’s Italian Cafe in McMinville, and I thought of the bright future that producers like Chehalem are leading the wine industry towards...*
Chehalem winery & tasting room
- See more at: http://www.vinestories.com/video.php?video=118083622
10 Best WV Wineries in 2018 (Adelsheim, Bergstrom, Chehalem, Shea, DD, The 4 Graces, Beaux Frere, Tristaetum, Grochau & Cristom)
*https://www.localwineevents.com/wine-food-and-drink-articles/whos-the-greenest-of-them-all-oregon/1137
- See more at: http://www.vinestories.com/video.php?video=118083622
10 Best WV Wineries in 2018 (Adelsheim, Bergstrom, Chehalem, Shea, DD, The 4 Graces, Beaux Frere, Tristaetum, Grochau & Cristom)
*https://www.localwineevents.com/wine-food-and-drink-articles/whos-the-greenest-of-them-all-oregon/1137
Hey There!
Our new space in the back of our Tasting Room – appropriately called The Backroom – is officially open and available to book for private events, large group tasting reservations, or for an evening glass of wine at the bar during our extended hours. We are open 11-5pm Monday-Wednesday and Sunday, and 11-8pm Thursday through Saturday. Please give me a call anytime for booking information and rates.
Please RSVP to me at [email protected] to get on the list.
Click here for more about the event.
What?
The historic space in downtown Newberg has been many things over the years including, most recently, a storage space for our wine. It’s now open and airy featuring exposed brick, natural wood beams and lots of natural light with beautiful finishing touches utilizing upcycled materials.
It’s the perfect combo of small town hospitality and urban style. Don’t just take our word for it – come see it and meet our team!
Why?
We wanted to fill a void in wine country by offering a wine-specific spot for people to enjoy afterhours as well as a space to host larger groups, private tastings and events including dinner parties, business meetings, retreats, celebrations and more. Now it’s here!
Let me know if you can make it or have any questions and don’t forget to RSVP
Sincerely,
Brittney Eisele
[email protected]
503.538.4700 – winery
Our new space in the back of our Tasting Room – appropriately called The Backroom – is officially open and available to book for private events, large group tasting reservations, or for an evening glass of wine at the bar during our extended hours. We are open 11-5pm Monday-Wednesday and Sunday, and 11-8pm Thursday through Saturday. Please give me a call anytime for booking information and rates.
Please RSVP to me at [email protected] to get on the list.
Click here for more about the event.
What?
The historic space in downtown Newberg has been many things over the years including, most recently, a storage space for our wine. It’s now open and airy featuring exposed brick, natural wood beams and lots of natural light with beautiful finishing touches utilizing upcycled materials.
It’s the perfect combo of small town hospitality and urban style. Don’t just take our word for it – come see it and meet our team!
Why?
We wanted to fill a void in wine country by offering a wine-specific spot for people to enjoy afterhours as well as a space to host larger groups, private tastings and events including dinner parties, business meetings, retreats, celebrations and more. Now it’s here!
Let me know if you can make it or have any questions and don’t forget to RSVP
Sincerely,
Brittney Eisele
[email protected]
503.538.4700 – winery
