Most oenophiles venturing abroad to get a taste of the Old World French wine culture bring home memories of unforgettable meals or a new favorite producer. Ian brought home his life-calling and a passion for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. His post-college winemaking stints abroad—propelled by a wine education degree from Cal Poly—instilled an undying appreciation particularly for cool-climate winemaking.

“The Loire is where I fell in love with wine,” Ian says. “Burgundy is where I fell for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.”

Stephen left DiStefano Winery for Montinore Estate in 2006, having previously spent extensive time working in Australia, where he gathered much of his larger-scale winemaking experience. A vintage in Alsace, France sealed Stephen’s love of cool-climate white varieties. Under Stephen’s direction and expertise, the winemaking team crafts superior Pinot Noir, fascinating Italian varietals, and an array of aromatic white wines not widely available in the Willamette Valley. As Montinore Estates' head winemaker, Stephen captains all aspects of the winemaking process; from vine to bottle. His creative vision and attention to detail pave the way for beautiful wines that are true to the terroir.

I moved out to Oregon from Michigan (go State!) for graduate school at OSU. I received my degree in genetics and promptly started an internship in a winery quality control lab. I thought it was just going to be something different and fun to do for a harvest, however, that was 2005 and I have not turned back. My interest in wine started as a hobby with my Dad and now I'm teaching him things. He's not complaining about the education. I spent 5 years training with one winery and have since traveled around to learn and experience harvest in other parts of the globe. I've tried both large and small scale winemaking on the south island of New Zealand in beautiful Marlborough and stunning Central Otago. I also explored winemaking in the South of France near the village of Limoux, producing a diversity of wines including bubbles (one of my favorite styles of wine). I'm happy to be on the team here at Sokol Blosser and am pleased with seeing Mt. Hood every time I walk out to my car (well in the summer that is).

Katie Santora joined Chehalem in 2012 as assistant winemaker. In her eleven-year tenure, Katie has facilitated every aspect of the winemaking process. Her expert knowledge of our vineyard sites and house style made her the perfect candidate to assume the role of winemaker in 2018. In her current position, Katie considers herself a conductor as she empowers her team, ensuring everyone feels happy and productive. Winemaking allows Katie to be in tune with the grapes as they progress through the season, allowing her to have a deeper understanding of the vintage, and the world at large. Originally from Utah, Katie became interested in wine while attending UC Davis where she graduated with a degree in enology and viticulture.

Nate was born and raised in rural Wisconsin. While earning a degree in food science at the University of Minnesota, Nate began to cultivate an interest in both home brewing and wine, which led him to work in the cellar and vineyards at family-run Falconer Vineyards in Red Wing, MN. Eager to gain a deeper understanding of the luxury winemaking process, Nate moved to Oregon in 2005, and joined the team at Argyle, where he quickly distinguished himself as an integral part of the team, and was soon promoted to enologist.

Owner and Winemaker Adam Campbell is the son of Elk Cove founders Pat and Joe Campbell and grew up on the property. Like all the Campbell kids, he spent his summers in the vineyard and on the bottling line, but Adam developed a special connection to the vineyards. In 1995 he joined forces with his folks to make Elk Cove's wines and in 1999 he became head winemaker.

Melissa Burr, an Oregon native, graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor of Science degree with the intent to practice naturopathic medicine before discovering her true passion in wine. She studied winemaking and fermentation science at Oregon State University and interned during harvest for several local wineries before becoming production winemaker for Cooper Mountain. In 2003, Melissa joined Stoller Family Estate as the winery's first dedicated winemaker.

In 2013, Melissa partnered with Bill Stoller to launch History, a brand dedicated to paying homage to historic vineyards in the Pacific Northwest. The collection will continue to evolve as she tells more stories about these esteemed vineyards and the people who started them.