ABOUT THE PEOPLE
WE’RE ALL IN
Each one of the handful of people working at our winery
has been involved in some part of the bottle you pour today.
From cultivation to harvest, from production to quality control,
from the bottle to the glass.
We need to be connected to every element of its creation.
This is significant.
We don’t even let other wineries use our fruit,
a very customary practice in our industry.
We are absolutely both feet in.
The wine you pour, for better or worse,
is a direct product of our effort.
MEET THE COELHO TEAM
Dave and Deolinda Coelho
Joined at the hip and both of spirited Portuguese descent, Dave and Deolinda are the driving force behind the winery that they founded in 2004. Deolinda handles the financial side of the business, while Dave handles all the operations including fixing a lot of broken things and cleaning up behind everyone. Hands-on every day since the beginning, somehow, these two manage to run the business without killing each other! Their Portuguese hospitality shows in everything they do.
Chris Bertsche
Taking the Coelho winemaking reins in 2016, winemaker Chris Bertsche handles all aspects of wine production. Coming from stints with Jacques Lardier (Jadot/Résonance), James Frey (Trisaetum), and prior to that in Sonoma County, the native Californian is fond of saying “No problems, only solutions.” Chardonnay is his go-to varietal.
Roberto Olague Gonzalez
Constantly wearing a smile, Roberto is our vineyard manager. He is never happier than when in the field managing his crew and his babies, the vines in our three vineyards. Involved in all aspects of viticulture from repairing the trellising, mowing and disking, pruning, shoot thinning and positioning, and harvesting, Roberto makes sure our fruit is top quality. When not in the field, Roberto and his crew are champs in the warehouse and on the bottling line.
Luke Molitor
Stemming the tides and braving the waters with Coelho Winery since 2013 when he started as a tasting room associate, Luke has taken on increasing levels of responsibility and is currently our sales director. Always aiming to mediate and satisfy, he is constantly trying to find the humor in all situations. Don’t tell this wine slinger he can’t do something or he is bound to prove you wrong.
Susan Powell
A 38-year veteran of the restaurant industry from server to owner, Susan is the corporate memory of the winery, having worked in the tasting room since 2005. A natural hospitality pro, she endeavors to give tasting room visitors a warm, informative, and personal experience they won’t forget.
Ed Matthews
Pinot lover and former chef, Ed sold his high-end restaurant in Virginia wine county to “retire” to Oregon smack in the middle of harvest 2017. Jack of many trades, he has a hand in all things retail: marketing, web, social media, label design, tasting room, and wine club. He and his wife live in McMinnville with their two crazy rescue dogs and do their best to support local breweries.
Jeimy Huber
Known to us as the “Purple Panda” because of her favorite color, Jeimy pitches in in the office and warehouses with shipping, inventory, paperwork, and moving stuff around. As a resident forklift wizard, she can often be found in the warehouses loading and offloading trucks. Having grown up in Amity with the Coelho kids, she considers the Coelhos her second family.
DeAnne Majewski
Native of Chicago-land and Chicago Bears fan, DeAnne moved to McMinnville Oregon in 1992 after falling in love on her first visit. Although her official title is Office Assistant, she really should be Chief Multitasking Officer. On a day-to-day basis, she handles logistics, purchasing, state licensing, inventory management, and fills in in the tasting room. She is also Queen of Barrels, overseeing our wine barrel distribution and warehousing business.
