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Carlton Cellars 2024 Pinot Gris
Bromance and a Bride
A bromance that has lasted nearly 20 years, Carlton Cellars winery was a lifetime in the making. Way back in 1968, a couple of guys became fast friends in the Army. One grew up to be Nick Peirano, the proprietor of Nick’s Italian Café in McMinnville. The other? Dave Grooters, a technology entrepreneur famous for his infectious enthusiasm.
Over the years, they stayed in touch. And as Nick’s became “the winemakers’ clubhouse” (as James Beard called it), Dave started flying across the country to hang out. Before long, he knew he wanted to join the club. “Every time I’d visit Nick, there’d be these great winemakers, there’d be dancing on the counters, there’d be food and wine and frolicking, and I thought this is how Oregon was all the time.”
By 1995, he’d sold the software business and pitched in at crush with winemaker Ken Wright. For the next eight years, he commuted back and forth from Pennsylvania learning the wine business – even meeting his wife, Robin, on a plane! Before long, he (and she) were hooked. Grapes were planted in 2003 on the famed Savannah Ridge east of Carlton and a winery built in 2007.
As Dave likes to say, wine is about friends – after all, that’s why it comes in a bottle too big to drink by yourself!
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Carlton Cellars, Carlton, Oregon
2024 Pinot Gris
The 2024 Carlton Cellars Pinot Gris is a crisp, food-friendly, 100% Willamette Valley wine featuring notes of golden apple, melon, and pear, supported by a refreshing, acidic structure. Sourced from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA (including Robin's Block), this sustainably farmed (LIVE certified) Pinot Gris offers a classic, dry Oregon style ideal for pairing with seafood, salads, and light dishes.
Carlton Cellars is owned by husband and wife team Dave Grooters and Robin Russell. This boutique winery planted their first vineyard in the Yamhill Carlton AVA in 2003. Their 22 acres on the Savannah Ridge share the hill with Tony Soter, Mike Bayliss, and Ken Wright. Dave brought considerable experience to the project, having worked as the former vineyard manager for Ken Wright.
Carlton Cellars is certified sustainable by LIVE. LIVE Wines are independently certified to meet strict international standards for environmentally and socially responsible winegrowing and winemaking in the Pacific Northwest. LIVE certification is one of the most authoritative sustainability accreditations in the wine world.
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon (specifically the Yamhill-Carlton AVA)
Vineyard/Vines: Grown on sedimentary soils, often featuring vines around 18+ years old.
A Cellar 503 selection in February 2026, Made With Love Willamette Valley | Pinot Gris
