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Willamette Valley Vineyards: Wine Tasting in Oregon Wine Country!

by Nadeen
September 22, 2019
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Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries

This post contains affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed here are original. If you click through on a link, you won’t pay a penny more, but I’ll receive a slight commission which helps me keep this information available to you. Thanks! Although I was treated to complimentary activities at Willamette Valley Vineyards, all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Willamette Valley Wineries/Oregon Wine Country:

Last weekend I visited Oregon for the first time! I spent time with family in Portland and had the pleasure of making an afternoon day trip to Willamette Valley Wineries. I was very excited to finally visit Oregon Wine Country! I am on a mission to visit as many wine regions around the world as possible. You may recall my previous blog post on Willamette Valley. BTW-I have been saying it wrong. I was told it is pronounced Will-a-mette that rhymes with “damn it.” I am passing this along so you can look smart when you visit the area 🙂

Back to Willamette Valley. To recap, it is a valley in the Pacific Northwest surrounded by mountains with the Willamette River flowing through it. Portland is one of the cities located in the valley. Willamette Valley is often referred to as Oregon Wine Country. It has over 19,000 acres of vineyards and over 500 wineries. Oregon Wine Country is known for Pinot Noir wines and they are delicious. Willamette Valley is divided up into several AVAs (American Viticultural Area). If you have heard of Dundee Hills, Yamhill-Carlton, McMinnville, these are all located among the Willamette Valley Wineries. If you’re trying to get there, I recommend saving a little by booking with CheapOair, unless you’re driving, of course.

Willamette Valley Vineyards: Wine Tasting in Oregon Wine Country! A day trip from Portland Oregon!
A beautiful view of Willamette Valley Vineyards
Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries
It didn’t take me long to grab a glass of wine and take a selfie 😉

Willamette Vineyards:

First and foremost, it is beautiful! Willamette Valley Vineyards is located in Turner, Oregon. It was founded by Jim Bernau in 1983 who planted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris grapes. Willamette Valley Vineyards has property throughout the valley totaling almost 500 acres. During our visit, we were treated to a wine tasting, a tour and a gourmet lunch. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that there are many family friendly wineries in Oregon Wine Country including Willamette Valley Vineyards. That meant my entire family could spend the day enjoying this picturesque estate.

Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries
Patio views
Willamette Valley Vineyards: Wine Tasting in Oregon Wine Country! A day trip from Portland Oregon!
A great family outing to Willamette Valley Vineyards

The Tasting:

We were seated on the outdoor patio at a table set up with cheese, fruit,

and our wine list. Besides the 6 wines showed in the picture below, our host Mikayla treated us to 3 additional wines! As mentioned above, Oregon Wine Country is known for their Pinot Noirs. We had several varieties from around the valley. My favorite was the 2014 Bernau Block Pinot Noir. Since this is the land of Pinot Noir, I was not surprised to see a Rose of Pinot Noir on the list. By the way, have you ever had rose champagne? I wrote about it once. We sampled the 2016 and it paired well with the cheeses and pickled fruit. It was my first time tasting “gruner veltliner” which is a white wine grape primarily grown in Austria and the Czech Republic. The 2015 Willamette Valley Vineyards Gruner Veltliner was crisp and delicious. It is a perfect summer wine. In 2016 Willamette Valley Vineyards produced the largest amount of Riesling in the area. It was a great ending to our wine tasting.

Willamette Valley Vineyards: Wine Tasting in Oregon Wine Country! A day trip from Portland Oregon!

Willamette Valley Vineyards: Wine Tasting in Oregon Wine Country! A day trip from Portland Oregon!
A delicious assortment of cheeses, fruit and nuts served with crackers
Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries
One of several Pinot Noirs during our tasting
Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries
The Estate Rose of Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries
The Gruner Veltliner is from the Eola-Amity Hills area of Willamette Valley

The Tour:

Our host Mikayla took us on a tour of the winery and the beautiful grounds. She explained the history of Willamette valley wineries and Willamette Vineyards. There was obvious pride about the wines being produced in Oregon Wine Country. We toured the cellar area as well as the tasting room. We sampled 9 Willamette Valley Vineyard wines while learning about the wine making process. Mikayla was very knowledgeable and very patient as my little cousins were frolicking around us.

Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries
Our host Mikayla discussing the history of Willamette Valley Vineyards
Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries
That is A LOT of wine!
Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries
Picturesque views of the vineyard

The Lunch:

At the end of our tasting we were served a gourmet lunch on the patio. Willamette Valley Vineyards is one of the few wineries in the area that has a full kitchen. Therefore, you can plan to spend the day at the winery drinking delicious wines and eating delicious food! Our meals below included lamb with polenta, steelhead fish with white beans, and a vegetarian ravioli.

Willamette Valley Vineyards: Wine Tasting in Oregon Wine Country! A day trip from Portland Oregon!
The lamb entrée with polenta and kale.
Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries
Steelhead fish (similar to salmon) with white beans
Willamette Valley Vineyards, oregon wine, willamette valley wineries
Vegetarian Ravioli

It was an amazing afternoon and I would like to thank Willamette Valley Vineyards for hosting us. It is located 1 hour from Portland so schedule a visit there on your next trip! For more information be sure to visit their website.

Have you been to Willamette Valley Vineyards or Oregon Wine Country? If so share your thoughts with us below. Catch up on all the great WINE posts on this blog! Check out my interview with Andre Hueston Mack of Mouton Noir Wines in particular.

Pin this post for future reference.

Willamette Valley Vineyards: Wine Tasting in Oregon Wine Country! A day trip from Portland Oregon!

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Tags: oregonoregon wineportlandusawillamette valleywillamette valley vineyardswillamette valley winerieswine tasting
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Nadeen

Nadeen

Dr. Nadeen White is a "Blogger by Day, Physician by Night". She is an award-winning travel blogger, Amazon bestselling author and speaker. The Sophisticated Life Blog covers affordable luxury travel, culinary travel and wine. Her domestic and international travel guides gets people to the destinations of their dreams. So, if you are living the sophisticated life or desire to do so, this is the blog for you!

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Comments 6

  1. Tyra says:
    3 years ago

    The food and the wine look amazing! I definitely want to explore this region in the future!

    • nadeen says:
      3 years ago

      It really is beautiful there!

  2. Janene says:
    3 years ago

    You had the most gorgeous weather when you visited! That winery looks so nice! Love the lunch that they served after!

    • Nadeen says:
      3 years ago

      Yes it was amazing!

  3. Amelie Hawken says:
    3 years ago

    Awesome I really want to go once in my life.

    • Nadeen says:
      3 years ago

      And you should!

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