Yamhill Valley Vineyards
Denis Burger and Elaine McCall were looking at the newspaper one day and saw this beautiful land in McMinnville, Oregon for sale. When they arrived, they saw an exquisite rainbow across the land and knew that this was going to be theirs. After the purchase of 34 acres in 1983, they acquired an additional 166 acres and cultivated 100 acres into vineyard. A tasting room and winery was built with a view out into the grape fields. Denis Burger and Elaine McCall, along with business partner and friend David Hinrichs had help along the way of course with winemakers Ariel Eberle and Stephen Carey as well as vineyard manager Carlos Romero.
Monica, your tasting room associate, has been with Yamhill Valley Vineyards for 29 years! She started in the vineyards, worked her way through the wine making processes and now hosts your tastings with her wealth of knowledge in the facilities and winemaking. She’s loved working for the family so much that the grape vines have become a family affair. A large majority of her family has worked or is currently still working at Yamhill including her husband and youngest son. That’s something to say on its own about the values and work ethics the winery has carried over the years.
The Pinot Blanc is near and dear to the Yamhill Valley family. Before it was commercially recognized they were growing it and learning how to make it the way they like. Dense aromatics of honeydew melon, toasted hazelnuts, and truffles lead into the mouthwatering yet balanced acidity that make this wine exceptionally food friendly. Their diverse vineyard site shines through in the chardonnay, offering a mosaic of flavors: juicy pear, green bell pepper, green apple, lemon balm, daphne and magnolia. The texture is smooth and layered with mouthwatering acidity making it a fine pairing with creamy cheeses and sauces.
No two years are alike, especially in Oregon wine country, this is part of what keeps the winemakers and growers of the Willamette Valley enthralled with the challenge of each unique vintage. The 2016 growing season started early in spring and didn’t slow down, bringing them their earliest start date of harvest on record for the Pinot Noir. The summer was long and dry, which gave intense beautiful fruit in the vineyard with more texture and intensity than usual; if you enjoy rich, full, fruit forward wines, seek out those made in the Willamette Valley during 2016.
The 2015 Reserve vintage however was a winemaker's dream come true; beautiful, ripe fruit making gorgeous rich, supple, and intense wine. Aromatics of black currant, tobacco, and mushroom lead into notes of fennel, plum, violet, blackberry fruit leather, and earth on the palate. Pair with smoked meats and hard cheeses.
You can’t see the tasting room from the busy highway. Drive over the hill to the tucked away tasting room centered on the property. Enjoy the breeze that comes through while watching the Koi fish balance themselves in the water watching your every move, or listen to the waterfalls coming down the fountain. Enjoyable to say the least with a plethora of wines to choose from.
