Tendril Wine Cellars

Address

130 W Monroe St, Carlton, OR 97111, USA

Hours

Wed–Sun 11:00 AM–4:00 PM · Closed Mon–Tue

Reservations

Yes

A family-owned winery in Carlton founded in 2008 as the personal project of winemaker Tony Rynders. Rynders began in the industry in 1989 at Mirassou Vineyards, earned a master’s in enology and viticulture from UC Davis in 1992, then worked harvests in Napa, Friuli, Tuscany, and South Australia. He spent two years as assistant winemaker at Argyle, three as red winemaker at Hogue Cellars, and ten as head winemaker at Domaine Serene and Rockblock Cellars, where he accumulated more 90-plus Wine Spectator scores than any winemaker in Oregon during that period.

The name honors the tendril, the curling appendage by which young vine shoots grip a trellis. Production focuses on small-lot Pinot Noir and Chardonnay made with minimal intervention. Unusually, most bottlings are blends across vineyards, clones, and soil types rather than single-vineyard wines — Rynders describes treating vineyards like colors on a painter’s palette, drawing traits from each site. The composition shifts by vintage. In 2013 the winery planted the 19-acre Maverick Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, now contributing fruit.

The tasting is structured as a five-course progression rather than a standard flight. Alongside Tendril, Rynders produces Child’s Play, a more playful sister label including one of the world’s only still Pinot Chardonnays, with labels drawn from artwork by his daughters Madeline and Audrey. Diane Rynders runs operations, client service, and marketing.

Common questions

When are they open?

Wednesday through Sunday, 11 to 4. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

What’s the five-course format?

A structured progression through the portfolio rather than a set flight, built to show range in sequence.

What should I taste?

The Pretender, a white Pinot Noir, and the Chardonnay XL both come up constantly. The Saffron Fields Pinot too, since Rynders makes that wine as well.

What’s Child’s Play?

A younger sister label, fruit-focused and straightforward, with labels featuring his daughters’ artwork.

Will I meet the winemaker?

Sometimes. Tony turns up, and guests mention it.

Are the wines a particular style?

Fuller-bodied and fruit-forward relative to much Oregon Pinot. Worth knowing if lighter, peppery styles haven’t been your thing.

Where is it?

West Monroe Street in Carlton, walkable from Main.

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