history of the farm
A Land Made for Wine
For Bill Stoller, purchasing the family property brought his connection to our estate full circle. Working the family farm in his youth and serving as a partner at our sister winery, Chehalem, Bill understood that our sloped, rocky terrain with low-yielding soil, would be ideally suited for a world-class vineyard.
Bill’s father and uncle purchased our farm in 1943 to raise turkeys. Over the next five decades, they grew the farm from a small family operation into one of Oregon’s largest with nearly 700,000 free-range turkeys at its peak. When the family farm ceased its operations in 1993, Bill seized the opportunity to acquire it with the vision of cultivating an enduring legacy for our land and Oregon wine industry.
A Vision Comes to Life
Bill’s vision stemmed from much more than wishful thinking. With knowledge from his investment in Chehalem, and the help of Burgundian winemaker Patrice Rion and local vineyard consultants, Bill confirmed that the very factors that made our land a poor choice for traditional crops made it perfect for an award-winning vineyard.
In 1995, Bill planted 10 acres each of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. He combined the experience of consulting viticulturists with innovative vineyard techniques to maximize the grape’s quality. Today, we have 225 acres planted to vine. Of that, 70% is planted to Pinot Noir, 25% is planted to Chardonnay, and 5% is planted to other varieties including Aligoté, Gamay Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, Riesling, Tempranillo, Syrah, and Viognier.
The Stoller family purchase the property
Bill’s father and uncle purchased our farm in 1943 to raise turkeys. Over the next five decades, they grew the farm from a small family operation into one of Oregon’s largest with nearly 700,000 free-range turkeys at its peak.
1943
Bill Stoller enters the wine industry
He is one of 36 investors in Ridgecrest Vineyards, the first vineyard planted in what would become the prestigious soils of the Ribbon Ridge AVA.
1988
Bill Stoller doubles down in the Oregon wine industry
He purchases his family’s farm with the dream of cultivating a world-class vineyard and becomes a partner in Chehalem Winery.
1993
Stoller makes its first vintage
Bill Stoller decided he wanted a small amount of estate wine to give to friends, family, and colleagues. The first vintage was made at Chehalem Winery.
2001
Melissa Burr hired as first dedicated winemaker
An Oregon native, Melissa had intended to practice naturopathic medicine but discovered her true passion was in wine after an internship with Cooper Mountain Vineyards in 2001.
2003
Stoller begins construction on its winery
Production had grown to almost 1,000 cases, and it was time for the brand and Melissa to have their own winery and boutique tasting room.
2005
Stoller achieves LEED Gold Certification
Our winery was the first in the world to achieve LEED Gold certification. As part of achieving LEED certification, we blend traditional gravity flow winemaking with energy-efficient systems to preserve the quality of the fruit and reduce our environmental footprint.
2006
Stoller opens its state-of-the-art, net-zero tasting room
Our tasting room combines environmental sustainability and high-efficiency design. Notable design features include a green roof, skylights, salvaged timber, and EV charging stations for electric vehicles.
2012
Stoller becomes B Corp Certified
As an early adopter, Stoller Family Estate is proud to be the 5th certified B Corp winery in Oregon. We chose to seek B Corp certification because we believe that all business ought to be conducted as if people and place matter.