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About Boedecker Cellars
We
founded Boedecker Cellars in 2003 to craft small-production,
food-oriented, distinctive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from some
of Oregon's greatest vineyards. By keeping our production levels
low, we can lavish our attention on every detail of the winemaking
process.
The
wines we craft reflect much of our own character and our own
tastes. Our signature Stewart and Athena
Pinot Noir blends showcase the unique palates of the two
winemakers as well as the distinctiveness of the vineyards.
The crisp, bright profile of our all-stainless Purity
Chardonnay reflects our belief in wine's role as a companion for
food at the table rather than a showcase for oak barrels.
 The beauty and elegance of Oregon wines, just
like so many other things we love about the Pacific Northwest —
the Cascade Mountains, the forests, the ocean — continue to
drive our passions as Northwest natives.
Stewart
Boedecker and Athena Pappas
Our
Winemaking
Recognizing that great wine begins with the vineyard, we source
our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from some of the most devoted
growers in the Willamette
Valley. Ranging from the Northern Willamette Valley, across the
Dundee Hills, and south to the Eola Hills and Coast Range, each
site provides us with a different combination of soil, exposure,
altitude, and weather — all of which affect the character of the
fruit.
Each growing season,
we maintain constant contact with our growers, crisscrossing the
Willamette Valley from end to end, tasting the fruit, assessing
quality, and collaborating on everything from canopy management
to crop levels in each block.
As the grapes approach
maturity, we wait for the optimal balance of flavor, acids,
tannins, and sugars, racking up hundreds of miles per day as we
travel around sampling fruit quality. When the grapes are at the peak of
readiness, we harvest!
In the
winery, the grapes from our growers' vineyards become individual
small-lot fermentations. Each small block will be kept
separate from the moment it arrives at the winery until we make
our final blending decisions before bottling.
 As
the grapes make the transformation from fruit to wine, we taste,
smell, and touch each lot frequently each day. We use only the
techniques and handling necessary (punchdowns, gentle pumpovers,
and minimal racking) to bring out the unique character we tasted
in the vineyard. By preserving the personality of the wine from
each vineyard, we ensure a rich palette of flavors and textures
for when we assemble our wines each year.
 While the "glamour" of harvest — late night
fruit sorting sessions, punch downs, and press loads — may seem
particularly unglamorous at times, learning about the character
of the vineyards and the vintages makes all the hard work
worthwhile.
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