Newberg, Ore. (January 23, 2024) – Raptor Ridge Winery, a family-owned winery entering its 30th growing season in the Willamette Valley, announces a new winemaker completing the brand’s array of experienced talent in every company leadership role.
For 30 years, Raptor Ridge has been a haven for wine enthusiasts and new wine drinkers alike, seeking a no-nonsense, educational experience of vibrant wines that embody a taste of place and whose quality exhibits careful stewardship of the land as well as the cellar. Today, Raptor Ridge introduces a new winemaker, Benjamin DiCristina, who joins the other keepers of this heritage at the Winery.
DiCristina has extensive experience in both Oregon and California as both a viticulturalist and enologist with storied brands such as Sine Qua Non, Evening Land, Argyle, J.K. Carriere, and Keeler Estate. He also values family-owned companies, as he says, “who are doing their best to be good to both the people and the places around them.”
“We knew we had found our match when we learned of Ben’s deep appreciation for sustainability- first as a Certified Oregon Master Gardner, and then as a degreed Horticulturalist and Enologist,” said Scott Shull Founding Winegrower at Raptor Ridge. Raptor Ridge remains committed to its fundamental ethos – creating more interesting, sustainably grown wine in an inclusive environment that feels like home. DiCristina joins a team of capable professionals in all key leadership roles at Raptor Ridge:
- Tasting Room Lead Rebecca Ham who joined Raptor Ridge over a year ago from Walla Walla, and now leads tasting room experiences.
- Events Coordinator/Tasting Room Lead Stephen Flock who joined Raptor Ridge a year ago from the management ranks of Trader Joes wine department, bringing consumer wine service and customer orientation excellence.
- Cellar Hand/Hospitality Associate Sara Addison who also hails from two decades of management experience in the ranks of Trader Joes, and brings a sparkle to all she touches, whether in the cellar or with tasting room guests.
- Director of Marketing and Membership Tanya Zumach who brings attention to organizational detail and marketing expertise to Wine Club management, as well as Raptor Ridge’s marketing messaging, online presence, and digital outreach.
- General Sales Manager Wallace McKeel who brings decades of experience in Distribution Sales, Restaurant and Beverage Management, and multiple Willamette Valley harvests under her belt working the crush pad as part of the winemaking team.
- Proprietor & Chief Operating Officer Annie Shull who joined Scott as his life partner in 1998 and as his business partner in 2001, helping establish, grow, and maintain Raptor Ridge’s national distribution sales network. Annie is President Emeritus of Oregon Pinot Camp. Annie also served on the iSalud! steering committee, and currently serves on the Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion Council for the Willamette Valley Wineries Association. She is a founding member of the Willamette Valley Winery Foundation Board, Vice President of the Chehalem Cultural Center Board of Directors, where she Chairs the Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee and is also a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction instructor.
- Scott Shull/Founder & Winegrower, focusing on vineyard management and wine growing, Scott assists the current winemaking team in crafting wines that are interesting to the palate and to the mind—wines of complexity, finesse, and of place. Scott is a Board Director of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, serves on its Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion Council, and is President Emeritus of Oregon Pinot Camp. Previously, he served as a board member of former Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski’s Brand Oregon campaign and was a Founding Director of the Oregon Wine Board.
The Raptor Ridge team members are exemplars of the values that have defined Raptor Ridge for three decades: Respect, Continuous Improvement and Innovation, Taking Responsibility, and Creating Community.
About Raptor Ridge Winery
What we do:
At Raptor Ridge we share in the joy of wine growing and wine experiences — callings that bring us purpose through respect for and close connection to the land and community.
Who we are:
We are highly regarded as a collective of leaders who champion the genuine Oregon spirit of collaboration & innovation within our practices at Raptor Ridge, and through our contributions to the growth of Oregon’s wine industry & community.
Who we serve:
Named for our location on a ridge in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, Raptor Ridge is a haven for our native raptors and winery guests. We treat our guests to a wide range of revitalizing experiences from the simplicity of our tasting room bar to vine side tastings, chef inspired pairings, educational seminars, private events, facilitated off-sites, and meditative yoga retreats in a tranquil setting with a view of four mountaintops. It is our pleasure to welcome and introduce the best Raptor Ridge has to offer to all who join us. From new visitors to loyal wine club members, from Industry colleagues to first-time wine sippers.
