Carabella Vineyard

An estate winery on Parrett Mountain in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, founded by geologist and winemaker Mike Hallock. He spent roughly a dozen years mapping vineyard soils across the Willamette Valley before selecting this site in the mid-1990s, drawn by rocky volcanic soils and an east-facing aspect. He planted 49 acres in 1996 — at the time among the largest single plantings in the Chehalem Mountains — took viticulture and enology coursework at UC Davis, worked alongside winemaker Kathy Joseph, and produced his first vintage in 1998 after transporting his tanks and equipment from Colorado.

The estate is dry-farmed and has been farmed sustainably since planting, before that was common practice; LIVE certification followed once the program existed. Carabella is a member of the Deep Roots Coalition, an organization committed to producing wine without irrigation. Production is exclusively estate-grown: Pinot Noir, Dijon clone Chardonnay made in a Burgundian style with minimal oak, and an Alsatian-style Pinot Gris. Seven clonal blocks are fermented separately and blended before bottling, with standout blocks occasionally receiving their own limited release, including the Mistake Block Pinot Noir. Fruit is also sold to several prominent Willamette producers.

Visits take the form of a guided vineyard walk with Hallock covering the volcanic geology, native cover crop restoration, and the differences between clonal blocks, ending with a seated tasting in a locust grove that includes local charcuterie and cheese alongside library and current-release wines. The site looks out across the Willamette Valley toward five snow-capped volcanoes.