Kramer Vineyards

Kramer Vineyards in Gaston is hands down one of my top favorite wineries in the Portland Area. On Valentine’s Day (2015), we decided to visit the Kramer Wine Tasting Room in Carlton. This was my first visit there. The hostess recognized me from last year out in Gaston (She was promoted and now works in Carlton). She was very personable. She had a special charm and really made me feel welcomed. They were doing a combination Bubbly and Reds Flight for Valentine’s day, so we spent quite the time enjoying the wine, atmosphere, and company. I ended up buying the muller-​thurgau. A wine that is a great value and a great taste. I also indulged in a small raspberry cupcake too. They have lovely bubbles. I really loved this place. Great place to be on Valentine’s Day.

Lovely sparking wines by Kim Kramer. Nice outdoor patio and great location!

Bubbles! There aren’t enough bubbles in the valley, but at Kramer there are plenty. And while I don’t fancy them to be the best bubbles in Oregon, they’re still pretty darn good, and totally worth a taste.
Kramer has a little tasting room in Carleton and it’s worth putting it on your list, especially for the first stop on a planned day of tasting out in wine country. We all know that you should start with bubbles or whites before tasting reds (which is what this area is known for). So priming the palate with a few glasses is champers (I know it’s not Champagne, but I can still call it that) is always fun.
Kramer offers multiple wines, sparkling and still, but I dig sippin on bubb here. There are currently four frizzante offerings (as of Oct 2013) — two vintage bruts and two N.V. (non-​vintage, for the un-​initiated) sparklings. One made with alternate varietals. The bruts are big, full of green fruit flavors and would go well with food. My favorite (and pick for purchase) is the Pinot Gris Celebrate N.V.
The lady in the tasting room was plenty nice and friendly, even under the mid-​harvest delirium. She was totally welcoming and fun to taste with at 11am. The prices are not bad for the N.V. (around $ 18) and a purchase of two will waive a tasting fee. Semi-​props for that. I always feel like if I’m buying anything, the flight should be free. 4oz of product to get me to buy a bottle at MSRP (instead of the discount I could get by buying at a wine shop in town) is, I feel like, a marketing expense. But when we purchased two bottles between two of our group of four she waived two tasting fees for us, which is, IMHO, the way it should be by default.
My opinions on this matter aside, I can say that without a doubt we were treated to some fine tasty brut bubbly and service here that was just as sparkling. And rumor has it they’re adding a Unilocal check-​in deal soon? Keep your eyes peeled!

We don’t recall seeing this tasting room last time we were in Carlton — too bad because it’s a gem. Disclaimer, my husband and I really aren’t fans of bubbly or sparkling wines. However, we bought both their Sparking Pinot Gris and Muller Thurgau. As I have mentioned in other reviews, we really like Muller Thurgau but had never tasted a sparkling version. Their’s is truly amazing. We enjoyed all of their wines and had a difficult time narrowing down our options for purchase.
Their wines are all reasonably priced — I’d say priced better than many in the area and for the quality they could charge more, though I’m glad they don’t. It made it way too easy for us to buy more of their wine because it didn’t break the bank.
The tasting room manager was an absolute delight and so knowledgeable about their wines and the area. She made our tasting experience so worthwhile and we look forward to making a point of visiting their winery in Gaston.
If you’re in Carlton, make a point of stopping here.