Oregon Winery Blends Elegance and Terroir in Pinot Noir

Elizabeth Chambers Cellar releases its first vintage, showcasing the Willamette Valley's distinctive wine profile.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Elizabeth Chambers, a third-generation Oregonian, has just released the inaugural wines from her new boutique winery, Elizabeth Chambers Cellar, located in the historic power plant building in McMinnville, Oregon. The winery's 2011 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Winemaker's Cuvée is a limited production blend that showcases the region's terroir, with a focus on elegance and restraint over power.

Why it matters

The Willamette Valley has emerged as a premier Pinot Noir region, with wineries like Elizabeth Chambers Cellar helping to define the area's distinctive style. As the region continues to gain recognition, this new winery's approach to winemaking highlights the valley's potential for producing world-class, terroir-driven Pinot Noir.

The details

Winemaker Michael Stevenson takes a minimalist approach, believing that 90% of what ends up in the bottle is determined in the vineyard. The 2011 Pinot Noir is a blend of grapes primarily from the Freedom Hill and Lazy River vineyards, aged for 10 months in predominantly used oak to preserve the wine's elegance and restraint. The resulting wine is lightly tinted, with aromas of raspberry, leather, and mushroom, followed by a palate of cola, tea, and lingering strawberry.

  • Elizabeth Chambers Cellar was founded in 2025.
  • The winery's inaugural 2011 Pinot Noir was just released.

The players

Elizabeth Chambers

A third-generation Oregonian and the founder of Elizabeth Chambers Cellar, a new boutique winery in McMinnville, Oregon.

Michael Stevenson

The winemaker at Elizabeth Chambers Cellar, who takes a minimalist approach to winemaking, believing that the majority of the wine's character is determined in the vineyard.

Freedom Hill Vineyard

A vineyard in the Willamette Valley that provides grapes for the Elizabeth Chambers Cellar 2011 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Winemaker's Cuvée.

Lazy River Vineyard

A vineyard in the Willamette Valley that provides grapes for the Elizabeth Chambers Cellar 2011 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Winemaker's Cuvée.

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What they’re saying

“It may be because I am a woman, but I am not interested in seeing who can make the wine with the biggest muscles. I want to drink wines that have table manners, wines that can dance. I want elegance and style in my wines.”

— Elizabeth Chambers (nowandzin.com)

“Ninety percent of what is in the bottle is determined by what we pick in the vineyard.”

— Michael Stevenson, Winemaker (nowandzin.com)

What’s next

Elizabeth Chambers Cellar plans to release additional wines from the 2011 vintage in the coming months, further showcasing the winery's commitment to elegance and terroir-driven Pinot Noir.

The takeaway

As the Willamette Valley continues to gain recognition for its world-class Pinot Noir, new wineries like Elizabeth Chambers Cellar are emerging with a focus on elegance and restraint, allowing the region's distinctive terroir to shine through in the bottle.