Our Estate

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 on and learn about winegrowing from the ground up.  On a wet, August weekend they opened up the classified section of the newspaper and spotted an ad that read “Land For Sale, Good For Grapes,” and they were off.  The rain continued all the way until they turned off Highway 18 onto Oldsville Road.  As they turned the corner approaching the property, a rainbow appeared over the hillside in front of them.  The rain stopped.  They had arrived.  The site was not where they had been looking and was much larger than what was needed for their original plan, but as they explored their new patch of Yamhill County, they fell in love with the views, the hillsides, the little stream with its wildflowers on its bank that ran across the track, and they began making plans for a vineyard.

Slowly they acquired adjacent parcels of land, planting vineyards, and planning for a winery.  Today we make 100% estate grown wines from our 150-acre vineyard.  Located in the rolling foothills of the Coast range mountains, we sit one hour southwest of Portland in the heart of the Willamette Valley.  Our estate ranges from 200 feet to 600 feet in elevation, spanning two dominant soil types: volcanic and marine sedimentary.  We are a cool climate growing region, with 2300-2500 degree days on average and 35 inches of annual rainfall.  We are located within the Van Duzer Corridor, a wind effect that brings in cool, marine air in the evenings and serves multiple purposes: winds to keep the canopy and tight clusters of grapes dry, cooling effect for a strong diurnal temperature shift that maintain acidity in the fruit, and thickening of the grapes’ skins in response to the wind, increasing the skin to juice ratio.  Within our site, we have a diversity of clones, trellis styles, slopes, and vine ages, all providing complexity for the winemaker. From our beginning we have been stubbornly dedicated to the pursuit of a character that is distinctively Oregon and distinctively Yamhill Valley. Our goal is to bring forth from this unusual and exciting property the finest possible expression of its intensity, charm and uniqueness.

Pinot Noir lies at the heart of our winemaking, with Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Rosé rounding out the production. Our Tasting Room is open year-round for wine tasting and charcuterie with vineyard views, relaxing under the oak trees on the back deck, and enjoying the riches of the estate.  More information here.

Who We Are:

Denis Burger, Founder

Elaine McCall, Founder

David Hinrichs, Founder

Greg Burger, Vice President and National Sales Manager

Carlos Escobar, Vineyard Manager

Ariel Eberle, Head Winemaker

Jenny Burger, President and General Manager