Penner-Ash Wine Cellars

Most people don’t realize that winemaking involves hundreds of decisions: when to pick the grapes, what equipment to use, what strain of yeast to inoculate with, when to rack and when to bottle. From growing the grapes to marketing the product, it’s more than a full-time job. And to do it well, you need a big dose of experience.

Exhibit A: Penner-Ash Wine Cellars.

Blessed with a penchant for science, winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash got her degree in enology from University of California–Davis, which is essentially the mecca of winemaking academe. She followed that up with various winemaking stints at California wineries, including Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Eventually, she made her way north to become Rex Hills Winery’s winemaker, president, and chief operating officer. At Rex Hills, she garnered awards and accolades, but more importantly, she gained the experience to take the next step. Together with her husband, Ron Penner-Ash (a self-described mature cellar rat), they dreamed of creating their own wines bearing the Penner-Ash label. That dream was to become a reality.

Collectively, all those years of experience were instrumental in the design of Penner-Ash Wine Cellars. Nestled between the Chehalem Mountains to the north and the Red Hills of Dundee to the south, the sustainable facility has an architectural layout that’s nothing short of fabulous. As in making wine, myriad decisions went into the design of this three-story gravity-flow winery with its wrap-around clerestory windows. Nothing escaped this team’s planning — from worker ergonomics to maximizing the surrounding views — as the foursome withdrew from their professional bank of knowledge.

The wines themselves — particularly Lynn’s pinot noirs and syrahs — are wonderfully well balanced, complex, and packed with berry flavors. What’s more, Penner-Ash wines are relatively affordable and accessible to savvy folks who appreciate Oregon wines. These wines are ready for tonight’s barbecue or can be considered as candidates for the cellar to enjoy years from now. And, as you visit the tasting room and are suitably impressed by the surroundings and the great wine, just remember that this moment in time didn’t happen overnight. It came together through years of collective experience, partnerships, and love.

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  Penner-Ash Wine Cellars was featured in WineTrails of Oregon as part of the Newberg WineTrail on page !