Vineyard

The epitome of cool-climate viticulture, Oregon’s Willamette Valley is subject to variances of weather and best known for the equally finicky varietal: Pinot Noir. Home to two-thirds of the state’s wineries and vineyards, Willamette Valley ranges 100 miles north to south following the Willamette River and spans 60 miles at its widest point. The region is protected from Pacific storms on the west by the Coast Range, and the Cascade Mountains on the east separate Willamette’s maritime climate from the dry heat of eastern Oregon.

In the northwest corner of Willamette Valley, low ridges create an AVA centered around the hamlets of Carlton and Yamhill in a distinct horseshoe shape. Home to some of Oregon’s most regarded Pinot Noir vineyards, the Yamhill-Carlton District is known for its course-grained marine sedimentary soils that are among the oldest in Willamette Valley. The appellation is situated on hillsides between 200 and 1,000 feet in elevation, and the Yamhela Vineyard, established in 2007, is located at a sweet spot with blocks from 220-630 feet above sea level. This specific site is low enough to allow for ideal ripening and receives more sunshine than the rest of the region, which is often under a rain shadow established by the looming Coast Range to the west. The specific soil combined with the location encourages early ripening of Pinot Noir, which is particularly important in this region. Etude sources from two blocks between 600-620 feet in elevation.