As co-owner/founder of the Newberg, Oregon winery, Peterson-Nedry makes some of the most distinctive, Burgundian-style Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris wines in the state. Words like muscular, sensual, supple and chewy are tossed into the mix when describing the Chehalem Pinot Noirs.
The winery grows its own grapes on a 167-acre estate, with 65 acres planted. About 12,000 cases are produced each year, including several vineyard-designated Pinot Noirs, a dry Riesling reserve, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay.
Passionate about big red wines, Peterson-Nedry also helps to perpetuate the wine industry by working with young people, teaching his skills and methods and sharing the joys and anticipation of winemaking. His assistant winemaker, Cheryl Francis is learning under Peterson-Nedry, although she spent time working in the wine industry in Burgundy, New Zealand and Oregon before coming to Chehalem in 1996.
"She has the passion and the talent," Peterson-Nedry said. "There's quite a few out there right now, apprenticing, learning the craft and eventually going on to produce their own wine.
"By learning under someone, they can take that knowledge to their own winery, and eventually pass it on."
In business since 1980, Peterson-Nedry has seen a number of different people enter the wine business, including technical school renegades, doctors who drank wine and decided to make it, home winemakers who decided to do it commercially and the new crop of apprentices.
"I like this new crop of people-they make it their job to reinvent themselves and come in with fresh ideas. The younger people will come in and take the lead. It is how it should be."
Peterson-Nedry creates wines that age exceptionally well. It is the difference between Chehalem wines and other Pinot Noirs in Oregon.
"We like the elegance, but we also like intensity," Peterson-Nedry said. "You can drink our wines now, but they have staying power and cellar very well."
Chehalem Pinot Noirs are big, with deep fruit and good acid. He continues to strive for refinement in experiment after experiment, using enzymes to break down the fruit, and vigorous punch downs.
"When you quit experimenting, you quit improving," he added.
"Our wines are drinkable young, but they aren't optimum until about two years after release. We're not a big oak house either, so you won't have all that oak flavor-just a big concentration of fruit."
Go To Page: 1 2
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Christina Kelly's Northwest U.S. Wines topic, please visit the Discussions page.