Jon Wehner

The Climb

Since 1999, the work of vintner at Chatham Vineyards on Church Creek has been tied to place in the most direct way. In Jon Wehner’s case, the estate and the creek are not backdrop; they are part of the job’s frame, and his long tenure points to continuity rather than display. Year after year, the vineyard’s work has stayed anchored to the site, with the character of Chatham Vineyards remaining central to what is made there.

Today

Since 1999, Wehner has continued as vintner at the vineyard on Church Creek. The role keeps the work focused on one named site and one enduring discipline, which gives it a measured, deliberate rhythm. Minimalism, as Wehner uses it, reads less as absence than as clarity. In Cabernet Franc, the aim is recognizability: the wine should not obscure what it is. The standard is straightforward but exacting, asking for precision, balance, and confidence without ornament so that a trained palate can identify the variety immediately.

Signature

Jon's signature wines include Cabernet Franc, Vintner’s Blend, and Steel Chardonnay. Together, they point to a cellar built around restraint and varietal expression, with each wine carrying its own distinct character while staying within the same disciplined approach.

In Their Words “When a sommelier or someone who knows varietals tastes our Cabernet Franc, they will be able to identify that it’s a Cabernet Franc.”

Recognition

Recognition, in Wehner’s work, comes down to varietal clarity. On Cabernet Franc, Jon Wehner says, "When a sommelier or someone who knows varietals tastes our Cabernet Franc, they will be able to identify that it’s a Cabernet Franc." It is a plain sentence, but it sets out the standard: precision in the glass, fidelity to the grape, and a wine that stays legible. For a vintner formed by parents who ran Great Falls winery for 30 years, that line also reflects inheritance. It carries forward the lesson that began with grape growing, passed through the work of wine, and continues at Chatham Vineyards on Church Creek. The goal is not to disguise origin, but to preserve it so what comes from the vine can be recognized, named, and understood for what it is.