Memorial weekend winery tours ( Yamhill County )

[Cole]

There are so many great OR wineries to visit Memornial Day! My advice is stay away from the big names because the crowds are huge and go to the boutique wineries that aren't normally open. Be prepared to pay up to $25 (usually less)for the barrel tastes. Expensive?? Perhaps, but remember, these are $40-100 bottles you are tasting, in barrel, at wineries that sell out their wine every year and aren't open except Memorial Day and Thanksgiving--plus in most cases the wines are exceptional. So, even the small guys will get good crowds. Best bet is to get out as early as possible. By noon it can be a zoo. Best Yamhill vicinity wineries, by wine quality,include the following: Domaine Serene (by Thanksgiving they'll be in the biggest winery building in OR), Ken Wright (leading cult producer, will be crowded), Patricia Green Cellars (fantastic Pinots), Beaux Freres (partly owned by Parker, huge Pinot wines), Torii Mor, Panther Creek, Belle Pente, Lemelson (state of the art new winery, will be a zoo and only open on Saturday), Brick House (great wines, great homey winery), Chehalem (Ridgecrest Pinot and Ian's Reserve Chardonnay are great), Westry (excellent wines), and Carlo & Julian (Oregon garagiste). There are so many more (and that's just Yamhill area)that are worth visiting. For food, go to Ponzi Wine Bar in Dundee, or Tina's in Dundee. Expect crowds everywhere. Big names, like Archery Summit, can be real zoos (even though they make the best--and most expensive--Pinots in the US).

Sorry this was so long. OR wines are my favorite topic!!