Established in 1983, Yamhill Valley Vineyards is the oldest winery in the McMinnville AVA. Denis Burger and Elaine McCall were looking for a piece of property to plant grapes. They had learned about winegrowing from the ground up. On a wet, August weekend they opened the classified section of the newspaper and spotted an ad that read “Land for Sale, Good for Grapes,” and they were off. Slowly they acquired adjacent parcels of land, planting vineyards, and planning for a winery. Today, they make 100% estate grown wines from the 150-acre vineyard. It is located in the rolling foothills, one hour southwest of Portland in the heart of the Willamette Valley. The estate ranges from 200 feet to 600 feet in elevation, spanning two dominant soil types: volcanic and marine sedimentary.

The outstanding Yamhill Valley Pinot Gris is well balanced and expressive of delicate fruit. The color is pale golden that shows purity in the glass. The wine is aromatic and distinctive with spring white flowers, golden delicious apple, notes of baking spice, honey, and a hint of salinity. The flavor is rich with tropical fruits. The velvety texture reveals acidity that is balanced and soft leading to a lovely mouthwatering finish. This is a delicious Pinot Gris that will easily be a favorite as an alternative to Chardonnay or Viognier. It is light and refreshing on its own for warm summer days that are on the horizon. The talent of Ariel Eberle shines through in the high quality of the 2022 Yamhill Valley Pinot Gris.

By Perry Miroballi