Penner Ash Wine Cellars

A long drive winds across a wetland, up a wooded hillside and through curving vineyards, ending at a striking building.  The anticipation of tasting the world-renowned wines of Penner Ash Wine Cellars heightens.  As the setting engages all the senses – with a riot of flowers in the gardens, strains of live music and laughter coming from the deck and a raptor coasting on a thermal overhead – the palate begins to open.

Photo By Rob Delahanty

When Lynn Penner Ash was offered a job making wine in Oregon, she was a little hesitant.  “I was very California-centric,” she confesses, flashing her dimples.  But clearly, the opportunity to make wine in Newberg was a perfect pairing for her and Ron, a young newlywed couple keen on outdoor adventure.  Twenty-six years later, they are thrilled to be where they are.

And why not?  Penner Ash Wine Cellars is widely known in the North Willamette Valley for its quality Pinot Noir, beautiful building and spectacular view of an agricultural valley nestled among forested peaks.  “One of the things we love about our facility is its sense of place,” Lynn says.  “You feel this immediate almost ‘Aha!’ moment as you drive up and see our building.”

Photo By Rob Delahanty

Lynn and Ron designed their facility to be the perfect combination of functional, warm and welcoming, so it is as appealing to the winery staff as it is to guests.  The patio is often deep with people taking in the views and admiring the gardens.  “We encourage people to bring a picnic lunch, come sit on our deck and enjoy a bottle of wine,” Lynn says.

They also encourage other winemakers to make use of their space, having embraced wholeheartedly the fantastic spirit of collaboration within the Oregon wine industry, where Lynn is a clear leader.  She trains new winemakers, who then go on to make their own wines.  She hosts tastings for other local winemakers in an effort to stem “cellar blindness”, which can occur when winemakers only taste their own wines.  And she hosts the collaborative Ten Shades of Shea, a walk-around tasting in which guests can sample various wines made with fruit from the Shea vineyard – just over the hill from Penner Ash – as interpreted by ten different winemakers.  “It’s a unique experience,” Lynn remarks, “to see all those wines in one place at one time.”

Photo By Rob Delahanty

“We lead a very active life here,” Lynn says, speaking both professionally and personally.  “We can be skiing in the morning and travel to the coast for a winemaker dinner in the same day.”  This unique geography is reflected in the local culture, where the careful blending of locals and transplants makes for a county that is full-bodied yet delicate, tasting of sunshine and rain, with just a hint of blackberry.