Chehalem Winery and Two Oregon Legends

It’s Oregon Wine Month, and—Holy Toledo, Batman!—there’s a lot going on.

Not just in terms of events, but across the board. It’s amazing. It’s spectacular. It’s an honor and a privilege to be part of a community I knew nothing about not so long ago.

Thank you for reading these newsletters. Truly—I can’t thank you enough.

Let's dive into some links!

The news about Kimberly Abrahams joining Archery Summit is awesome beyond belief. A little backstory, she is married to Matt Perry who used to be the winemaker at 00 Wines. Matt is also embarking on a new project that I will have to wait years to experience, but will be totally worth it!

Did you watch Game of Thrones? If you did, you are aware of the Dire Wolves. Well, the Dire Wolf is back from the dead.

Appassionata is helping to reduce cork waste​

What to know more about how spectacular Oregon's 2024 Vintage is going to be?

The Willamette Valley was featured in Vogue, oh my goodness!

Do you remember me telling a little birdy telling me about okta coming back? Well, it is now a reality and the prices are not out of this world.

Ever wanted to know more about Jared Etzel's Rodeo Hills project. Look no further!​

I have no doubt you want to know why the Dundee Hills is wonderful for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

There were a lot of awards given out to local wineries the other week. Can you guess who won Best New Tasting Room? Small hint, they are a Block 55 customer!

VinePair featured the Willamette Valley as one of the best travel destinations in 2025! I mean we are on the same list with Champagne!! Also, loved the shoutouts for Method Oregon, Lytle-Barnett and Soter for Sparkling. I feel they left out way too many wineries!

Huge news this past week, Vinovate bought Radiant Sparkling! Do you remember a couple months back me talking about my dinner at Ambar? The owner of Ambar also has Vinovate. The Oregon Sparkling Revolution is in high gear!!

One of the aspects of writing a monthly newsletter is how the stories seem to rise to the surface all on their own. It feels natural and authentic. Recently, I’ve had a couple conversations about the “authenticity” of baristas being required to write little messages on Starbucks cups. On one hand, I get it—Starbucks wants customers to feel special, and a short note can brighten a gloomy Monday morning. On the other hand, when it’s just a quick smiley face, it can feel forced and lose that special spark.

I’m also finishing up the book Unreasonable Hospitality. The staff at Eleven Madison Park in New York did some incredible things in the world of hospitality. It was expected of them—and I’m sure there were moments when it felt forced or unnatural. There’s such a fine balance to walk.

The reason I’m reading that book is to understand hospitality on a different level. My goal with Block 55 is to enable wineries to deliver “unreasonable” levels of hospitality to their guests. There’s a special bond between winery and customer. That trust builds loyalty and care. So much of what Oregon wine is built upon is trust—and authenticity. That grassroots ethos is what inspires everything I do.

Going back a bit—Chehalem Winery is nothing short of a story of inspiration. It was co-founded by two legends of Oregon wine: Harry Peterson-Nedry and Bill Stoller. I know you probably know who they are, but let me share a little context.

In 1980, Harry purchased land in what’s now the Ribbon Ridge AVA and planted Ridgecrest Vineyards—the very first vineyard in that AVA. If you haven’t been to Ridgecrest, get it on your list ASAP. (Here’s a link to make reservations. Tell Jon “A.J. sent me!”) Harry is a mighty yet gentle soul, and his contributions to Oregon wine are deep.

On July 16, 2021, the EU approved Harry’s petition for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for the Willamette Valley—a major milestone. This protects regional names tied to origin, like Champagne or Barolo. Now, the Willamette Valley joins Napa as the only two U.S. wine regions with this international recognition. Source

Harry also has a stellar daughter, Wynne Peterson-Nedry, who’s a phenomenal winemaker in her own right. I had her on the podcast—what a wonderful person. She’s made 100-point wines and currently makes wine for Ridgecrest and several other wineries in the Valley.

Bill Stoller grew up in Dayton on a turkey farm where his family raised a jaw-dropping number of free-range turkeys. In the late ’80s, he became one of the early investors in Ridgecrest Vineyards. In 1993, he bought his family’s 373-acre farm, and by 1995, he’d planted 20 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. His first vintage under the Stoller Family Estate label was made in 2001—at Chehalem Winery.

Harry founded Chehalem Winery in 1990. The name reflects the local Kalapuya word for the valley. In 1993, Bill and his wife Cathy became co-owners. Over the next 25 years, the partnership between Harry and Bill helped shape what Chehalem—and the broader Oregon wine industry—became.

In 2018, Harry sold his stake in Chehalem to Bill. It was an end of a chapter, but not the end of their shared legacy.

I’ll be honest—Chehalem Winery wasn’t always on my radar. It sat quietly on the edge of downtown Newberg, and I’d never really visited. That changed when I was invited to the new Chehalem Estate Tasting Room off Bell Road, right on the edge of Sherwood and Newberg.

I had no idea the facility had even been built. I must’ve driven by dozens of times without noticing. The entrance is subtle—blink and you’ll miss the sign. But step inside, and wow. What a space.

The tasting room has views for days. It’s a stunning space that feels both expansive and welcoming.

Let me take a detour. In 2001, I moved from Tennessee to Oregon. I’ll never forget sitting in my empty apartment, waiting for furniture, and listening to the radio—because my TV hadn’t arrived yet—when news of 9/11 broke. That moment is etched in my mind.

Soon after, I started a little business called A.J.’s Computer Bug. Not the easiest time to launch a company, but hey—when is it ever?

I joined the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce and even served on the board. One of the businesses I worked with was Adams Screenprint. It was a husband-and-wife team, Jake and Stephanie. Jake had left Nike and started screen printing in their basement before they moved to an industrial park. Stephanie was (and still is) an absolute pleasure to talk to. Fun fact: Adams Screenprint made the original Weinnotes T-shirts!

Fast forward to November—right after Thanksgiving—I attended the Joel Palmer House Industry Tasting. I was shocked to run into Stephanie! Turns out, she now works at Chehalem Winery.

The new tasting room has a beautiful upstairs space—I assume it’s a members-only spot, but it’s got so much potential for events. Let the pictures do the talking.

It was raining when I visited on March 20, so you’ll need to squint a little to imagine what it looks like on a perfect spring day…

Wait—scratch that. My editor told me under no circumstance should I make readers “squint” to imagine a spring day. So here you go:

My editor also demanded another bottle of Sparkling in return for the interruption. He claims he’s “wrapping up Experience Add-Ons for Block 55.” Honestly, all he thinks about is Sparkling and Block 55. One day, maybe he’ll get back to writing these newsletters every week again.

My second visit to Chehalem was for the Chehalem Mountains AVA Spring Meeting—representing Block 55. It was a great gathering. But it was also emotional.

The night before the meeting, Bill Stoller passed away in his sleep. He was 74.

What a story. What a legacy.

While writing this, I learned that Bill also purchased the Evergreen Aviation Museum out of bankruptcy—and invested heavily in Dayton, his hometown. His impact on Oregon wine and his community will be felt for decades.

This spring, make a point to visit the new Chehalem Estate tasting room. And if you see Stephanie, tell her: “A.J. sent me.”

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With Gratitude,

A.J.