Things to Do in Carlton, Oregon

Carlton’s draw is how much wine fits in a few blocks. About 20 tasting rooms sit downtown, close enough to walk between, and dozens more vineyards are 5 to 15 minutes out in the hills. Stops include Flâneur, K&M, Marshall Davis, Craft Wine Co. and Lavinea, whose tasting room at 250 N. Kutch St. pours single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

★ Good to know Many rooms close Tuesday and Wednesday or go by appointment midweek, so Thursday through Monday is the easiest time to taste.

Ken Wright’s tasting room fills Carlton’s historic 1920s train depot at 120 N. Pine St. The team walks guests through the Willamette Valley’s geology alongside the Pinot Noirs, drawing on Wright’s decades of winemaking. There are three tasting options and a seasonal snack menu.

★ Good to know It’s open daily, which makes it a good bet early in the week.

More than a dozen independent vintners share one winery and tasting room at 801 N. Scott St. New releases rotate through all the time, so the lineup changes from visit to visit. It’s the quickest way to taste across a lot of small labels in one stop.

★ Good to know You can bring your own food, and the patio is dog-friendly.

This Tuscan-villa-style estate at 750 W. Lincoln St. is set among cypress, stone pine and olive trees at the edge of town. It pours Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux-style blends and vermouth, and there’s a bocce court on the piazza. Food is available daily.

★ Good to know Reservations are recommended on weekends, and dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables.

Tony and Michelle Soter founded Soter in 1997, and they now farm Mineral Springs Ranch, a 240-acre Biodynamic farm and vineyard outside Carlton. About 40 acres are planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay along Savannah Ridge. Tastings pair the wines with food from the farm.

★ Good to know Visits are by appointment only, so book ahead.

David Teppola bought a farm just east of Carlton in 1974 and made his first vintage in 1986, making Laurel Ridge one of the area’s early wineries. The tasting room at 13301 NE Kuehne Rd. pours Pinot Noir, whites, sparkling wine and a few bold reds, with a cheese and charcuterie board. It’s dog-, family- and picnic-friendly.

★ Good to know It’s open daily; groups of eight or more need a reservation.

This small family vineyard on the Bayliss farm sits a few minutes outside town at 9700 Oak Springs Road. It’s known for Pinot Noir and for the ghost legend behind the name, which the family is happy to tell.

★ Good to know It’s open Thursday through Monday; Tuesday and Wednesday visits are by appointment.

This family vineyard, first planted in 2012, now grows 16 varieties on 25 acres. Beyond Pinot Noir, it pours less common grapes such as Lagrein, Dolcetto and Barbera. The estate tasting room is at 12000 NW Old Wagon Rd.

★ Good to know The estate room opens Friday through Sunday from March to November and by appointment otherwise; a second tasting room is in McMinnville.