Get to Know the Willamette Valley AVAs: Yamhill-Carlton
Yamhill-Carlton AVA
Tucked into Oregon’s northern Willamette Valley, the Yamhill-Carlton AVA is known for Pinot Noir with a distinct silky texture and bold fruit flavors. Today we continue our series exploring the 11 nested AVAs within the Willamette Valley AVA with the Yamhill-Carlton AVA.
Featured Yamhill-Carlton AVAs
Located 45 minutes southwest of Portland and just 10 minutes north of McMinnville, the Yamhill-Carlton AVA was established in 2004, with 110 vineyards and 46 tasting rooms to discover. Covering 58,100 acres, with 2,405 planted acres, the AVA produces predominantly Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay.
Pastoral ridges in a distinctive horseshoe shape around Yamhill and Carlton provide unique growing conditions, while the Coast Range, Chehalem Mountains, and Dundee Hills shield the area from extreme weather. This mountainous protection results in warmer temperatures, producing dark fruit flavors with spice and floral notes, and the earliest harvest dates in the Willamette Valley.
Popular For: Single-Vineyard Pinot
Lonesome Rock | Yamhill, OR
Lonesome Rock is known for its single-vineyard, estate-grown, organically-farmed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The property is considered a “monopole”—a vineyard in a unique place, with a distinct micro-climate, soil, and topographical profile. These conditions let the grapes ripen incrementally, resulting in wines that hold onto an electric acidity. Book a tasting at the vineyard with sweeping views overlooking the Coast Range.
Popular For: Unique Tasting Experiences
Black Dog Vineyard | Carlton, OR
With 20 acres of organic Pinot Noir, Black Dog Vineyard offers a wide selection of small-batch PNW wines.
Try a tasting on the rooftop deck with views of the vineyard and Oregon oaks, or get comfortable by the firepit in Adirondack chairs. Black Dog also offers vineyard walking tours and private settings by their old-growth Oregon oak tree.
Popular For: Barrel Cellar Tasting
Abbott Claim | Carlton, OR
Abbot Claim practices holistic viticulture methods, hand-sorting their fruit in the open air before allowing the juice to ferment naturally in oak, concrete, and stainless steel vessels. Try their personalized 90-minute tasting experience, beginning with a winery tour with glass in hand before heading down to the underground barrel cellar. You’ll also visit the Occulus, described as an “inner-sanctum wine library with a portal to the sky”.
Popular For: Pinot Varieties
WillaKenzie Estate | Yamhill, OR
This family-owned 450-acre estate winery broke ground in Yamhill, Oregon over 25 years ago. The estate produces six distinct block-designate Pinot Noirs, an Estate Pinot Noir, and two small-production Chardonnays. Additional offerings include Gamay, Pinot Blanc, and the Tourdion Cuvée Blanc. Choose from an estate flight tasting or a block-by-block tasting, or try their interactive, guided ATV tour with a dedicated WillaKenzie Estate host.
Plan Your Wine Tasting Visit To The Willamette Valley
Tributary Hotel is situated in historic McMinnville, Oregon, just 10 minutes south of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA wineries. Our boutique luxury inn offers elegant suites and world-class hospitality, and our dedicated concierge is ready to assist with winery recommendations and reservations. Tributary is your ideal base for exploring Oregon Wine Country.
Book now to reserve your stay.
