Yamhill Valley Vineyards

The oldest winery in the McMinnville AVA, established in 1983 by Denis Burger and Elaine McCall alongside David Hinrichs. Burger and McCall were looking for land to plant and learn on when they found a classified ad reading “Land For Sale, Good For Grapes.” Driving out into Yamhill County through rain, they arrived to find a rainbow over the hillside and the weather clearing. They bought it, expanded through adjacent parcels over the years, and built the winery from the ground up.

The estate now covers 150 acres in the foothills of the Coast Range, minutes from downtown McMinnville, with all wines made from 100% estate-grown fruit on mineral-rich clay soils. Production centers on Pinot Noir, with Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Rosé, and Riesling filling out the range. The 1983 Pinot Noir tied for first at the Burgundy Challenge held at the International Wine Center in New York, an early signal for the region as a whole. The winery remains family owned and operated, now in its second generation. Ariel Eberle, who trained under the late Stephen Cary, is head winemaker.

The tasting room sits in the heart of the estate with vineyard views, charcuterie available, and a back deck shaded by mature oak trees. Seasonal experiences include barrel tastings in winter and spring, and guided vineyard hikes in spring and summer — a two-mile walk around the estate, sometimes led by the winemaker herself.