Kramer Vineyards

After a decade of garagiste winemaking, Keith and Trudy fell in love with Pinot Noir. In the early 1980s they searched for a property to fulfill their dream of having a vineyard in the Willamette Valley. In Gaston, they found great potential in a 60-acre parcel of undeveloped land on the edge of Yamhill County. They started planting in 1984, and opened the tasting room in 1990, showcasing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau, and Riesling. A family of five, the Kramers raised their children on the vineyard while Keith was a pharmacist and Trudy focused on building the business. The vineyard has grown to a total of 22 acres, averaging 5000 cases annually. Keith is now retired and enjoys his days on the tractor and in the cellar, while Trudy is the President and CEO of Kramer Vineyards. Together, Keith and Trudy enjoy their vacation time at their condos in Otter Rock.

Growing up in the wine industry, the Kramers' eldest daughter, Kim, had no interest in the family business. This all changed in her mid 20’s when she began to work for an Oregon winery. Through education and exploring the wine industry as an adult, she fell in love with sparkling wine and Pinot Noir. Her new found passion is what brought her into the family business by 2008. In 2010 Kim took over as head winemaker. she plans and implements all aspects of winemaking from harvest through bottling. Kim loves making wine on our 22 acre estate because of the many microclimates, vintage variation, and carrying on her family’s legacy as a second generation winemaker.

The youngest daughter, Becky joined the family business in 2017. Her entrepreneurial streak runs strong, graduating PSU with a degree in Business Management and Human Resource Management in 2011. She then owned the popular wine bar Urban Decanter in nearby Forest Grove for 5 years before deciding to bring her business expertise to the vineyard.

Oregon has a beauty and lifestyle that Karri has always appreciated. As she learned about this area's wine country, she knew that she wanted to include this facet into her Oregon story as well. Karri met Trudy Kramer in 1996 on her first wine tour of the area. It was an enjoyable and memorable visit and since then, she’s learned much about wine and the wine industry from the Kramer family. Her favorite wines generally come from the Cardiac block of Pinot Noir and she’s currently enjoying the 2015 Dijon 115 Pinot Noir.