Rob Chowanietz

Rob Chowanietz, a native of British Columbia, began his career in winemaking at Canoe Ridge Vineyard in Walla Walla, Washington in 1996 under the careful guidance of John Abbott. His first harvest was an eye-opening experience and John’s passion for fine wine was infectious. Rob was hooked.

Passionate about all aspects of winemaking, Rob’s educational background is a mix of science and agriculture. He studied health science at Walla Walla College, took courses in wine microbiology from Washington State University, and studied winemaking at the University of California at Davis.

In the past, he has served as consulting winemaker for Washington Vintners, LLC where he led his winemaking team in successfully producing the inaugural vintage for the multi-million dollar start-up winery in downtown Walla Walla. Prior to that role, he honed his skills as cellar master for the famed Woodward Canyon Winery and production supervisor for Canoe Ridge Vineyard, both located in the Walla Walla Valley.

The opportunity to work with a myriad of Rhône varietals from a single estate vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills is what first drew Rob to Corus Estates & Vineyards three years ago. At a time when Washington winemakers were focused on Merlot, Rob was excited about the Rhônes. The smart location of Alder Ridge Vineyard, unaffected by the inevitable damaging frosts that plague nearby AVAs was another draw, and the ability to work seamlessly with the talented viticulturalists who manage the 800 acre vineyard was a plus. But, the opportunity to build a winery to his specifications from scratch was too good to pass up. He left the Walla Walla wine scene in 2004 for the vast open country of the Columbia River Gorge.

Rob feels incredibly fortunate to be in such a relatively young industry at such an opportune time. “Washington State has so much potential, and already the wines being made, especially wines from the Horse Heaven Hills show huge flavors, grace and power. As expansive as Alder Ridge is, it has its own micro-climate in different areas of the vineyard, and it’s exciting to see what flavors develop from those areas as harvest progresses each year. During crush, I feel like a kid in a candy store. It’ll be another 10 years before we get the full picture of what this vineyard can do. I see myself here for many, many years.”