Wine Tasting In Oregon
If you want a wine tasting adventure that goes beyond the well-known vineyards of Napa Valley and northern California, continue north up the coast to the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The region is pronounced wil-LAM-it, or, as the locals are fond of saying, “It’s Willamette, dammit!”
Willamette Valley Climate
The region is located west of the Cascade Mountain Range, known as the “wet side” of the mountains. The cool climate of the region limits the grapes that can be grown, but the growing season is long, and conditions are ideal for a great many fine wine grapes such as the pinot noir, chardonnay, and Riesling.
The Willamette Valley wine region is about 100 miles long, 60 miles wide and bordered by the Columbia River on the north, the Calapooya Mountains on the south, the Cascade Mountain Foothills on the east, and the Oregon Coast Range on the west.
Wine Tasting Stops
More than 300 wineries and almost as many wine shops are located in the region, offering hundreds of opportunities for wine tasting on a tour. There is no way you can visit every winery, but some of the best wine tasting rooms are located at the Erath, Sokol Blosser, and Panther Creek Wineries.
Wine Tasting At Panther Creek
Panther Creek Cellars is a premium maker of pinot noir wines. It offers a unique wine tasting experience, as Panther Creek is located in an old converted power plant that once housed enormous diesel electric generators that provided electricity to the city of McMinnville.
The wine tasting room is open from noon to five o’clock daily. The $5 tasting fee is refundable with any wine purchase. Guests taste wine right inside a working winery, among the tanks and barrels where the wine they are tasting was made.
Wine Tasting At Erath Winery
The winemakers at the Erath Winery have been making wine in Oregon since 1967. Their wine tasting room is conveniently located just 45 minutes southwest of Portland, Oregon’s largest city. The tasting room is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and one-hour tours can be booked at a cost of $10 per head. The scenic views, knowledgeable staff, and amazing wines make this winery one of the most popular wine tasting destinations in Oregon.
Wine Tasting At Sokol Blosser
The Sokol Blosser Winery’s tasting room is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tasting fees range from $5 to $15 depending on what and how much you want to taste. Join the Cellar Club, and all fees will be waived. The best way to visit Sokol Blosser is for one of their scheduled weekend tours, which takes place Friday through Sunday at 11:30 and 2:30. Sip a glass of wine as you tour the vineyards and cellar. Sokol Blosser has a spacious, beautiful deck and picnic area, and they invite tasters to bring a picnic basket along and enjoy a meal while they enjoy Sokol Blosser wine.
