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+--- Thread: Willamett Valley (/thread-15168.html)
- MoreWines - 06-09-2000
I will be on vacation in the Portland, Oregon area at the end of the month. Does anyone have any suggestions on what wineries to visit?
- Randy Caparoso - 06-09-2000
There are some 138 wineries in Oregon -- lots of them making great wine. But because these wineries are generally very small (particularly by Napa Valley standards), few of them have interesting visitor facilities (let alone accept visitors at all!).
A half hour's drive from Portland is my favorite -- Rex Hill Vineyards at 30835 99W Hwy. in Newberg. Tell 'em Randy sent you. Won't get you anything, but it'll make me look better.
Not too far away is Erath Winery at 9009 NE Worden Hill Rd.; one of the first Oregon wineries (founded in 1972), tucked in the rustic, wooded hills above the town of Dundee.
Also making world class wine is the spectacular, hillside vineyards and wineries of WillaKenzie Estate at 19143 NE Laughlin Rd. (outside Yamhill). You'd have to call ahead (503-662-3280) to arrange a visit, but it's well worth the trouble.
A little further away (another 30 minutes drive) in Salem, Bethel Heights is a wonderful winery that boasts picture-perfect hilltop views of their vineyards. Find them at 6060 Bethel Heights Rd (take 221S and turn on Zena Rd. to get to their road).
These are the best I can think of for the casual visitor. For additional listings, you might want to look up www.oregonwine.org. Have fun!
- Thomas - 06-09-2000
There used to be a facility in the valley (or close by) that served tastings of many Oregon wineries, and then you could buy the ones you liked. It was connected to an art and schlock art gallery. Quite nice for those who haven't all the time in the world to tour all the wineries.
Perhaps someone here can guide you to it, or the Oregon tourist office can help find it.
- Scoop - 06-09-2000
I second the motion on Erath -- nice location, friendly staff. You'll have to call ahead, but Cameron is also a nice one to visit.
Cheers,
Scoop
- chittychattykathy - 06-11-2000
Sokol Blosser has a great view and great wines. They are in Dundee at 5000 Sokol Blosser Lane.
Elk Cove is another nice place in the North Willamette Valley to stop by. For the Southern Valley, I would contact King Estate and visit them. Hinman Vineyards/Silvan Ridge has a nice set up and more great Oregon Pinots. There is a great B&B in a town that is called "Love" if you're inerested in it let me know. Enjoy your trip! We go through the Valley about once a year to collect wines, then head over to Cannon Beach for some Surf and Suds.
- Zinner - 06-17-2000
You might want to keep an eye out for Oregon Wine Magazine, a tabloid-style publication that you can pick up free on the trip. This will have a list of wineries and let you know which ones are open for visits and what days and hours.
There's a lot of jazz concerts and other events in the summer in Oregon and you can pick that info up from the paper too.
If you want to contact them ahead it's:
Oregon Wine Magazine
644 S.E. 20th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214
Phone 503-232-7607
e-mail: publisher@oregonwinepress.com or
editor@oregonwinepress.com
(subscriptions are $10)
Also, there's Wine Press Northwest(not free, a quarterly magazine), which I enjoyed perusing on a recent trip that ended up being mostly Washington State. They have a web site at www.winepressnw.com and editor Andy Perdue's e-mail is editor@winepressnw.com.
A subscription for this one is only $8.
Snail mail is: Wine Press Northwest
P.O. Box 2608
Tri-Cities, WA 9902-2608
And if, like me, you want a cuppa java after all that wine, find one of the Coffee People coffee shops. Better than Starbucks IMHO.
[This message has been edited by Zinner (edited 06-17-2000).]
[This message has been edited by Zinner (edited 06-17-2000).]
- WOODENANGEL - 06-30-2000
you will have a wonderful time
the people are very friendly
the wines wonderful
the area beautiful
enjoy enjoy
visit CHEHALEM, accross from RexHill... thell them Alex sent you... great wines
EAT at TINA'S and the new JOHN PALMER HOUSE (tell Joe and Heidi Alex sent you)
ENJOY LIFE !