The wineries that dot the hills in this region all offer beautiful views, gorgeous tasting rooms and some of the best wines to be found in the state. What makes the Yamhill-Carlton AVA so special? One of the main reasons is that the degraded soils in this AVA allow the grapevine roots to get much deeper than other winegrowing regions. It’s uptake from this mother rock that leads to complexity in the wines, with details like chocolate, cedar, tobacco, root beer, anise and clove.
20501 NW Russell Creek Rd, Yamhill, OR 97148
Wines: Pinot Noir, Rosé
Atticus Wine started with a spark when Ximena and Guy made their first visit to the Willamette Valley in 2004. They established their estate vineyard in 2005 and made their permanent home in wine country in 2007. Atticus Wine was named in tribute to Atticus Finch from ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, and Ximena made their debut Pinot Noir in 2008. Over a decade into their dream, Ximena and Guy continue to release stunning Pinot Noirs. Their wines are described as polished and balanced, and are made in limited quantities – less than 1000 cases! These are truly boutique wines and worth making an appointment to taste.
Why We Love Atticus: Private tastings are hosted by co-owner and winemaker Ximena Orrego in a warm, intimate ambiance. This is a truly special experience.
22070 NE Ridge Rd, Gaston, OR 97119
Wines: Rosé, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Located on 44 acres in the countryside northeast of Yamhill, Beacon Hill Winery & Vineyard is a beautiful venue with stunning Oregon wines. Beacon Hill makes wines from three unique sites in the Willamette Valley: La Colina and La Sierra Vineyards in the Dundee Hills and the estate Beacon Hill Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton. Enjoy Rosé, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir while enjoying breathtaking views, stunning architecture and great hospitality. The vineyard and winery are LIVE certified, meaning the farming and winemaking is as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible. For those looking to stay the night, the property features two AirBNBs and is also a popular wedding venue.
Why We Love Beacon Hill: Beacon Hill is a collection of beautiful spaces from the tasting room to the vineyards to the on-site guest accommodations
26830 NW Olson Rd. Gaston, OR 97116
Wines: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Carmine, Grüner Veltliner, Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Rosé, Sparkling wines
Kramer Vineyards offers classic Oregon wines and a solid lineup of Sparkling wines from their Yamhill-Carlton AVA estate. Kramer Vineyards is a two-generation family business offering delightful wines of high quality, terrific value and variety. For over 30 years, the Kramer family have been growing grapes on their 22-acre, sustainably farmed estate vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Today, owners Trudy and Keith Kramer work with their daughters, Kim Kramer (winemaker) and Becky Kramer (general manager). From a vineyard cultivated with curiosity and love, the Kramer Vineyards wines are delight in a glass. It’s easy to see the energy and enthusiasm the Kramer Family has for winemaking in the diversity of wines they produce, including single-block bottlings, a series of wines exploring whole cluster fermentations, a plethora of single varietal whites, and a bunch of sparkling wines.
Why We Love Kramer Vineyards: The Kramer Vineyards portfolio includes 8+ different sparkling wines celebrating everything from Pinot noir to Müller-Thurgau and rosé.
18760 NE Laughlin Rd, Yamhill, OR 97148
Wines: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
The sole focus at Lenné Estate is crafting memorable, exquisite Oregon Pinot Noir wines. The wines are all made from the 21-acre estate, which was planted to many different clones of Pinot Noir to allow for single-clone and blended Pinot Noir bottlings. Founder and winemaker Steve Lutz is always found at the winery introducing guests to the latest vintages and providing tours of the vineyard. The beautiful tasting room has plenty of room inside and out to spread out and enjoy the wines and views.
Why We Love Lenne Estate: Established in 2000, Lenné has been patiently establishing a vineyard that is a study in Pinot Noir. This is a great place to deepen your Pinot Noir knowledge.
18748 NE Laughlin Rd, Yamhill, OR 97148
Wines: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rosé
Located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, Saffron Fields Vineyard offers exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in their modern tasting room. Saffron Fields Vineyard is located 28 miles southwest of Portland, in the heart of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. The 35-acre vineyard is planted with many different clones of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, allowing for acclaimed winemaker Tony Rynders to craft both single-clone Pinot Noir wines as well as Yamhill-Carlton estate blends. The modern tasting room features beautiful views of the surrounding vineyard and valley, as well as an art gallery featuring the work of some of the world’s leading Contemporary artists.
Why We Love Saffron Fields: The Japanese garden around the tasting room is stunning and, combined with the elegant wines, results in an unforgettable Oregon winery experience.
17096 NE Woodland Loop Rd, Yamhill, OR 97148
Wines: Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Rosé, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon
Based in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, Soléna Estate features classic Oregon wines from top talent Laurent Montalieu & Danielle Andrus Montalieu. Acclaimed winemaking husband and wife Laurent and Danielle launched Soléna in 2002 after purchasing their 80-acre Yamhill-Carlton estate. Over the years the winery has grown, and today a beautiful tasting room sits on the property with views of the vineyard and pond. Soléna wines are made from the Yamhill-Carlton estate fruit as well as top vineyards in other AVAs, like McMinnville’s Hyland Vineyards and Eola-Amity Hill’s Zena Crown Vineyards.
Why We Love Solena Estate: The wines are all classic Oregon, focusing on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. The tasting room is beautiful to visit in any season, with a crackling fire to keep you warm on rainy winter days.
