The Winemaker

Lynn Penner-Ash / Penner-Ash Winery
Newberg, Oregon

For a petite (5’4”) winemaker, Lynn Penner-Ash fills some big shoes. One of the state’s most prominent winemakers, it’s Lynn’s blend of serious scientist and active outdoorswoman that has given her the right stuff to create award-winning Oregon wines.

Growing up in the Washington, D.C. area, Lynn moved to the west coast for some fresh Pacific air and an education at the University of California at Davis. A post-graduation job offer from a prominent California winery sealed her fate, and Lynn spent the next four years working as their enologist and winemaker. In 1988 she heard Oregon calling, and spent the next 14 years crafting nationally-acclaimed wines at Rex Hill Vineyards. In 2002 Lynn left to pursue the dream of owning a winery and vineyard in Oregon with her husband Ron.

Lynn’s winemaking philosophy comes to life at Penner-Ash Wine Cellars, where sustainable practices meet state-of-the-art design. The gravity flow winery sits atop estate vineyards with views of two Cascade Mountain peaks, and has been showcased in numerous publications, including Practical Vineyard & Winery Magazine.  Outdoor junkies, Lynn and her family have traveled and tasted their way through the vineyards of Burgundy, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Germany, Switzerland, and most recently, with global climate change in mind, went in search of potential vineyard sites at Base Camp on Mt. Everest.