PURPLE + WIML;

Youngberg Hill B&B is located on a 700 foot hill overlooking the Willamette Valley. Though it has been few years since I was there it was started by 2 Intel folks that went for the big life changing experience = open a B&B. Based on the accolades on their site, Youngberg Hill B&B, it appears that they are doing well.

Even though I am not a huge B&B fan, I would go back here in a minute to experience the view, stay on a operating winery, and avoid ho-hum motels.

Best,

Youngberg is where we were going to stay while in the Willamette but they are booked the weekend we are going to be there. We're stuck in a local hotel instead.

I'm specifically looking for a hotel in Portland for 1 or 2 nights only to finish up the trip. We're trying to break things up deliberately. A few days on the coast, 4-5 in the Willamette and just a day and a half in Portland on our way home.

WIML;

Have only stayed in business hotels in Portland.

Did however unearth this: Black Walnut Inn Dundee, next to Erath, looks VERY nice.

We looked at that. It does look quite nice. Tempting.

quote:

Posted Apr 13, 2007 08:44 AM Hide Post
There are a myriad hotels and inns along the road at which to stay, but our favorite is an old, restored hotel in McMinnville, The Hotel Oregon. The website is: Hotel Oregon. The phone number is 888-472-8427. It is located in downtown (a small town of some charm) McMinnville. There are some very attractive midweek rates, even in Summer, which include breakfast. Go for the suite. It's quite modestly priced and there was a 10 or 15% discount for three night stays.It is a fine base from which to explore the area, and we find it much nicer than the Travellodge/Holiday Inn/Ramada Inn type places.

There are some outstanding restaurants in the area, Many will allow you to bring in your own wine for a modest corkage fee (about $10), but they all have very good wine lists featuring the local wines at fair prices. None of these restaurants are expensive:
Tina’s, 760 N. Hwy 99W, Dundee, 503-538-8880
Red Hills Provincial Dining, 276 N. Hwy 99W, Dundee, 503-538-8224
Nick’s Italian Cafe, 521 E. 3rd Street, McMinnville, 503-434-4471
The Joel Palmer House, 600 Ferry Street, Dayton, 503-864-2995- the specialty is all types of mushrooms which pair very well with Pinot Noir.

Wineries:

Start off by contacting BHVineyard for a tour and tasting.

Sineann- Sineann produces a wide variety of wines, some from varietals like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel, from grapes grown in Washington. For me, Sineann’s strength is its outstanding Pinot Noirs, my favorite being the Resonance Vineyard. Call Peter Rosback and arrange a tasting and tour at 503-341-2698. Website: Sineann. While there, don’t neglect to also taste the sweet wines, a Zinfandel Port and the Sweet Sydney Ice Wine.

Panther Creek Cellars- located in downtown McMinnville, a few blocks from the Hotel Oregon. They produce a Chardonnay from Washington grapes and several different excellent Pinot Noirs. Call Jack Rovics at 503-472-8080 and arrange a tasting. Panther Creek

Chehalem- This is my favorite winery in the state. Others produce Pinot Noirs in the top class like these, but none, in my opinion, are as successful with a broad range of red and white wines. The owner, Harry Peterson-Nedry is a gentleman passionate about his wine and also possessing a great sense of humor. His Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, as well as his Pinot Noirs, are amongst the state’s best. Even his least expensive wines are worth purchasing. Call him to arrange a tasting at 503-538-4700. Chehalem.

Ken Wright- Ken Wright’s Pinot Noirs are amongst the state’s very finest. Call Dale at 800-571-6825 and arrange a tour and tasting. If you’re there during the Summer, you’ll be able to taste some of the barrel samples, a great experience. Dale will explain the different soils at each vineyard and their effect on the finished wine. Ken Wright.

Cristom- This one of the southernmost wineries in the Willamette area, producing very fine Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. Call them at 503-375-3068 if you like, but it’s not necessary for tasting. The area is beautiful. Cristom

Bethel Heights- Located near Cristom. Their whites are very good and their Reserve Pinot Noirs are outstanding. The winery is beautiful. Call them at 503-581-2262, but it’s not necessary for tasting. Bethel Heights


If time permits, the other wineries in the area to visit are:
Argyle
Soter
Rex Hill
Hamacher
Penner-Ash Shea
I'd also add Ponzi and Evesham Wood to this list.

Wineries to avoid based on my experiences:
Erath
Sokol Blosser


Just one more sip

Would you say Salem Oregon as worthwhile ... Big fan of St. innocent but I don't know anything else around the area.

We never went into the town of Salem.

FWIW, we have 1 day planned for Salem. The following wineries seemed more than worthy of a day trip:

• Cristom
  
• Evesham Wood
  
• St Innocent
  
• Witness Tree
  

I'd add Bethel Heights, near Cristom.

quote:

Originally posted by wineismylife:
FWIW, we have 1 day planned for Salem. The following wineries seemed more than worthy of a day trip:

• Cristom
  
• Evesham Wood
  
• St Innocent
  
• Witness Tree
  

very cool thanks, when you guys heading out in june, couple of friends are thinking the same. Mind if I get your planned trip?

Not a problem. Still putting the details together but once done I'll post the itinerary.

Here are some others worth hitting:

Anne Amie www.anneamie.com Awesome Pinot Noir.


Cuneo Cellars www.cuneocellars.com Pinot noir, Bordeaux-Style, Syrah, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Italian blends. This is a great place for a picnic and a game of Bocce ball.


Scott Paul wines www.scottpaul.com Great Pinot Noir.


Winiers to think twice about before going too.

Lange
Erath.

Cheers!

Here's a site I keep on hand. It has places to stay and eat. Hope its helpful. We go wine tasting in the Dundee, Yamhill, and Carlton 3 to 4 times a year. We live in Portland, OR.

http://www.willamettewines.com/map.shtml

Enjoy!

I've been using that site. Very helpful and recommended.

Well PURPLE and myself are off to Oregon first thing tomorrow morning. We'll be truly offline as we're leaving both our laptops at home and only carrying my cell phone for emergency purposes. We're really looking forward to getting away for 8 days.

I've finally worked out the details of our trip so I thought I'd post it here for reference purposes for those visiting in the future. Once we get back I'll post updates on how everything went and hopefully tons of tasting notes.

Oregon Trip 2007

Itinerary

We're spending a total of 8 days on this trip including travel days. Wednesday we're flying direct to Portland and immediately heading to the Oregon coast for a couple of days relaxation with benchland and his lovely fiancee. Then first thing Friday morning we're off to the Willamette Valley for tastings and tours along with lots of good meals. We also hope to hook up with DukeRiley at the brewery on Friday afternoon and sample a few of his wares. In addition to wineries we'll be touring the country side and seeking out local artists for something new to hang when we get home. We then return the following Wednesday direct from Portland.

Lodging

We researched several options available in the area including the following:

• Youngberg Hill Vineyards and Inn
  
• Dreamgivers Inn
  
• Hideaway Hill B & B
  
• Lobenhaus B & B
  
• The Inn at Champoeg
  
• A Tuscan Estate
  
• Wine Country Farm B & B
  
• Steiger Haus B & B
  
• Best Western Inn in both Newberg and McMinnville
  
• McMinnville Hotel
  

Our first choice was Youngberg Hill for the rustic beauty high above the valley along with the remoteness but they were fully booked for that weekend which seems to be fairly common for them (weddings and such) so if you decide to stay here be sure and book months in advance. After wrangling with this back and forth we finally took the personal recommendation of BHVineyards and decided to stay in the Courtyard Room at Wine Country Farm B & B in Dayton. Joan the proprietor is a good friend of Tom's and he recommends her place highly. The Willamette is the preferred room here with a close second going to the Courtyard room. Tom says her full breakfasts are excellent and included in the price of the room. Looking forward to relaxing on the porch here with a glass of wine in my hand!

Wineries

Please note that most Oregon wineries have tasting rooms that are open typically Thursday through Saturday, 11AM-5PM range. Some are open on Sundays. Larger wineries are open either Tuesday through Sunday or 7 days a week. Always call ahead to confirm details and availability. Also please note that many of these wineries are smaller family owned operations and they seem to rarely give tours and appointments on the weekends as they like to spend that time with their families.

Friday we'll be focusing on the wineries in the Carlton area. We'll be visiting the following time permitting:

• Hamacher. Appointments accepted. Tasting room open 11AM-5PM. (503) 852-7200
  
• Lemelson. Appointments only. (503) 852-6619
  
• Scott Paul. Tasting room open 11AM-4PM. (503) 852-7300
  
• Tyrus Evans. Tasting room open 11AM-6PM. (503) 852-7010
  

Hamacher will accept an appointment for a tour and tasting so we've scheduled them as our first stop of the day. Lemelson will also take appointments so they are our second stop of the day. Tyrus Evans typically will not accept a tour but their parent winery Ken Wright will on occassion. Unfortunately they've just sulphured the winery so we're not allowed to tour here. As a side note: if you visit the Tyrus Evans tasting room you can typically call ahead and have them pour available Ken Wright wines. We're also trying to stop by the Scott Paul tasting room since they don't take appointments either; walk in only.

Saturday we'll be focusing on the wineries in the Salem area. We'll be visiting the following time permitting:

• Cristom. Tasting room open 11AM-5PM. (503) 375-3068
  
• Evesham Wood. Appointment only. (503) 371-8478
  
• St Innocent. Tasting room open 12PM-5PM. (503) 378-1526
  
• Witness Tree. Appointments accepted. Tasting room open 11AM-5PM. See Annie. (503) 585-7874
  

Our appointment at Evesham Wood is still pending but hopefully we'll get a call back soon. Witness Tree will accept appointments but unfortunately nobody is available that Saturday as they are all involved with family activities over the weekend. We'll be tasting only in the tasting room with the very knowledgeable "Annie". Cristom and St. Innocent are only offering tasting rooms at this time so we'll drop in there between appointments.

Sunday we'll be focusing on the wineries in the McMinnville/Newberg area. We'll be visiting the following time permitting:

• Le Cadeau & Chehalem. Le Cadeau is appointment only. Chehalem accepts appointments. Cadeau (503) 625-2777. Chehalem (503) 538-4700
  
• Sineann. Appointment only. (503) 341-2698.
  

BHVineyards was kind enough to schedule a joint tour and tasting for both his winery (Le Cadeau) and Chehalem. The winemaker at Chehalem makes one of his vineyard designate wines so it's a great way to kill two birds with one stone since they are practically a stones throw apart. Afterwards we have a pending appointment with Peter Rosback at Sineann. No other wineries are scheduled as it's very difficult to get any winery to commit to a tour or tasting on a Sunday, especially Father's Day Sunday. Bear that in mind when making travel and winery arrangements.

Tuesday we'll be focusing on the wineries in the McMinnville/Newberg area once again. We'll be visiting the following time permitting:

• J.K. Carriere. Appointments accepted. (503) 554-0721.
  
• Eyrie. Appointments accepted. Tasting room open Tue-Sat, 11AM-4PM. (503) 472-6315
  

Tuesday is our catch up day to pick up a few wineries we couldn't schedule on Sunday as they are closed. We have tours and tastings scheduled at both places.

Restaurants

We have confirmed reservations for dinner each evening at the following restaurants:

• Joel Palmer House. (503) 864-2995. $20.00 corkage. Business casual.
  
• Tina’s Restaurant. (503) 538-8880. $20.00 corkage. Business casual.
  
• The Painted Lady Restaurant. (503) 538-3850. $20.00 corkage. Business casual.
  

We'll also likely hit Orchards Bistro for lunch one day. It is very popular with the locals from what we understand. We also have a ton of backup restaurants for other lunches and dinners as time permits.

Backup Wineries

Here are some other wineries that were recommended to us (some highly) that we'll hit on a time permitted basis.

Carlton Area:

• Domaine Coteau (503) 852-4422 (Carlton Wine Bar). (503) 697-7319 (Winery). Tasting room @ Carlton Wine Bar Sat-Sun, 12PM-5PM.
  
• Ken Wright 503-852-7070. Not open to the public but can occasionally get a tour.
  
• Soter 503-662-5600. Tasting weekdays by appointment only.
  

Dayton/Dundee Area:

• Archery Summit (503) 864-4300. Tasting room daily 10:00AM-4:30PM.
  
• Argyle 1-888-4-ARGYLE. Tasting room daily 11:00AM-5:00PM.
  
• Domaine Drouhin (502) 864-2700. Tasting room Wed-Sun, 11AM-4PM.
  
• Domaine Serene (866) 864-6555. Tasting room Thu-Sun, 11AM-4PM.
  
• Francis Tannahill (503) 554-1918. Tasting by appointment only.
  
• Ponzi (503) 628-1227 (winery). (503) 554-1500 (wine bar). Tasting room daily 11AM-5PM (Winery & Wine Bar). NOTE: Wine Bar is in Dundee, winery is northeast of Newberg.
  

McMinnville Area:

• Maysara (503) 843-1234. Tasting room Tue-Sat, 12PM-5PM.
  

Newberg Area:

• Bergstrom (503) 554-0468. Tasting by appointment only.
  
• J Albin (503) 628-2986. Tasting by appointment only.
  
• Owen Roe (503) 678-6514. Tasting by appointment only.
  
• Patricia Green (503) 554-0821. Tasting by appointment only (weekdays).
  
• Penner-Ash (503) 554-5545. Tasting room Fri-Sun, 11AM-5PM.
  

Salem Area:

• Bethel Heights (503) 581-2262. Tasting room Tue-Sun, 11AM-5PM.
  
• Bryn Mawr (503) 581-4286. Tasting room Sat-Sun, 12PM-4PM.
  

Backup Restaurants

Like wineries we have plenty of backups for restaurants as well. All of these are personally recommended to us. We'll fit some in for lunches or dinners as time permits.

Carlton Area:

• Cuvee (866) 421-1347.
  
• Café Bisbo (503) 852-7248.
  

Dundee Area:

• Dundee Bistro (503) 554-1650.
  
• Red Hills Provincial Dining. (503) 538-8224.
  

McMinnville Area:

• Bistro Maison (503) 474-1888.
  
• Nick’s Italian Café (503) 434-4471.
  
• Golden Valley Brewery (503) 472-2739.
  
• La Rambla Tapas (503) 435-2126.
  
• Fresh Palate Café (503) 843-4400.
  
• McMenamin’s Hotel (503) 472-8427.
  

Sounds great. Have a wonderful time. The tour at Ken Wright is an eye-opener. You'll get to see the effect the differing soils have on the wine by tasting the barrel samples.

Red Hills and Nick's Italian Cafe are worth a visit. If at all possible, I'd recommend a visit with Dave Grooters at Road's End. His Pinot Noirs are as fine as any from the area.

A few last minute notes for you-

The Ponzi wine bar is an easy visit right on the main road. They pour "guest wines" every day, usually an interesting selection of wines that you might to get another chances to taste.
Right across the street is Argyle's tasting room. 15% case discounts, and they ship. I'm a fan of their bubbly and their Nuthouse Pinot.

Domaine Serene is worth a visit if only for the spectacular site and architecture. Their best wines are in such short supply you probably won't get a taste, but they do everything well. They are across the road from Domaine Drouhin. That makes them a natural pair, plus they are two of a handful of wineries that showed the world how good Oregon Pinots can be.

I highly recommend the Red Hills Provincial Dining. Our meal there this spring was better than the one at the Joel Palmer House. Corkage is reasonable, I think $20.

It sounds like you guys have a great schedule planned. A couple of suggestions:

Try to fit Penner-Ash and Owen Roe into your winery visits. Penner-Ash has a new facility about 10mins. from Lemelson. The building is very cool and the 05s bottled and 06s out of the barrel were drinking real nice Memorial day weekend. Owen Roe probably makes the best wines across the board in the NW. Give them a call and see if you can arrange to do some barrel tastings with Brian. You will not be disappointed. They are a little out of the way, but worth the effort.

If you will be spending time in Portland, here are some can't miss wine-friendly restaurants: Paley's Place, Veritable Quandary, Andina, Lucy's Table, Roux, Higgins and Jake's Famous. Also, be sure to stop by Oregon Wines on Broadway. They have a great selection of NW wines by the glass.

Have a great trip. Unfortunately, I will be on the East coast for a wedding when you guys are in the area or I'd suggest pulling some corks.

Sounds like a great trip. IMHO, you picked the 3 best restaurants in the area for dinner. We didn't have a great experience at Red Hills (others highly recommend this place). Perhaps it was the drunk hillbillies sitting next to us or the dead fish we had for a waitress. Please post a report (or at least the highlights) of your visit, if you get a chance. Have fun.

WILM and Purple:
Enjoying your trip?

We had a wonderful, fantastic trip. Oregon is beautiful. I defer to WIML to post the details which he has currently been working on. (132 wines tasted). It may take a couple of days.

As PURPLE has said we had a FANTASTIC trip. I'm working on a synopsis of the trip right now and will post that here shortly. Hopefully it'll help others following behind us. After I complete that I'll start typing up and posting my tasting notes on an individual basis in the tasting notes section.

How much wine did you manage to bring back with you (or have shipped)? By far, the largest single expense of my trip. I am glad that you both had a great time.

I've been drinking a lot from Oregon the last 6 months or so. I'm looking forward to your notes and hearing about the wineries you visited.

quote:

Originally posted by Red guy in a blue state:
How much wine did you manage to bring back with you (or have shipped)? By far, the largest single expense of my trip. I am glad that you both had a great time.

We brought back just a hair over two cases: 26 bottles. There is a hair over two cases coming on or near Oct 15th. This does not include what I'll be buying off of Fall and Spring mailers that I signed up for while out there.

Hunter, summary of the trip coming up this morning right here. Tasting notes will start slowly trickling in starting sometime this afternoon. It'll take me likely weeks to get them all typed up since I have over 130 tasting notes to do.

Oregon Trip 2007

Coming and going…

We spent 8 days in Oregon including travel days. The best option for visiting the coast and the Willamette Valley area is to fly into Portland International Airport which is serviced by many carriers with direct flights from most major U.S. cities. The drive from the Portland airport is a very comfortable hour and fifteen minutes to the Willamette area and just a hair longer to the Oregon coast. If visiting Oregon for at least a week my personal recommendation is to spend at least two days on the coast at the beginning of the trip to ease into the easy going lifestyle of Oregonians. Then follow that up with 3-5 days in the Willamette tasting wine at your favorite wineries.

Our itinerary took us due west from the airport to the Oregon coast. Highway 26 will take you northwest from downtown Portland towards Seaside and some of the more popular seaside areas such as Cannon Beach. We chose to peel off on highway 6 heading southwest off of 26 through a state forest (including scenic waterfalls) to the less popular and less crowded areas of Tillamook, Pacific City and Lincoln City. Tip: before heading to the coast stop at any one of the many local brew pubs in the Portland area for a quick lunch. Food choices get fairly limited before and sometimes after hitting the coastal resort areas.

After getting your coastal fix for a few days it’s then time to head off to the Willamette for some excellent domestic Pinot Noirs. The drive from the coastal areas is roughly an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and forty five minutes depending on starting point and route chosen. If making appointments for first day tastings please allow ample driving time. Tip: If traveling from the Pacific City area (plus or minus) opt for the very scenic Nestucca Road between Beaverton and Carlton over the more traveled highway routes of 18 and 22. The route is very scenic running along the river most of the way through a state forest.

When traveling between the airport and the Willamette opt for the lesser traveled 219 southwest out of Newberg towards St. Paul and then McKay Road due east to I-5. Then take I-5 north a short ways to 205 east that takes you directly into the airport. You’ll avoid all of the hit and miss Portland traffic.

The accommodations…

While on the coast we were fortunate enough to stay with benchland and his lovely fiancée so I’m not a lot of help with accommodations in the coastal areas. However, when staying in the Willamette I can wholeheartedly recommend the Wine Country Farm Bed & Breakfast as your home away from home. The Courtyard and Willamette Rooms are recommended for their size and comfort while the view from the Willamette Room is downright beautiful. The views from the property are excellent and the place is both quiet and relaxing. Joan’s hearty cooked breakfasts are just the ticket each morning before heading out to a day of tasting in the valley. BHVineyard recommended this place to us and I couldn’t agree more. It is centrally located to all wineries and restaurants in the valley. Recommended.

The most interesting find…

The new Oregon Pinot Noir glass from Riedel. I was absolutely floored by the performance of this glass. I used it for tasting Oregon Pinot Noir, Oregon whites, Barolo, Aussie Shiraz and everything else short of the neighbor’s cat. It’s the bomb. If you are wanting an all purpose, “show young wines well” kind of glass this is the ticket. Tip: you can buy this right now direct from a few Oregon wineries that actually have some left for sale for around $15.00. Most are already sold out. It’s the “restaurant” version of the glass and must have the winery’s name etched on the side (don’t you just love those anal Bavarians?). The official release of this glass which I presume will be a Sommelier release will happen in the later part of July. Buy it and try it. Trust me folks.

The vintages…

While tasting throughout the valley most places were tasting their 2006 whites and their 2005 Pinot Noirs. Although I can confess to a lack of enthusiasm for Oregon whites in general I found many from the higher yielding 2006 vintage to be quite quaffable and attractively priced. Pinot Gris was the showcase for the whites but many very interesting Pinot Blancs were available as well. Most Pinot Gris came in around the WIML88 point mark with the Pinot Blancs just a hair behind. Several wineries are now making Chardonnay fermented and aged in steel instead of using French oak barrels which really highlights the more tropical fruit nuances of the Chardonnay grape. Definitely worth a quick taste in comparison to the more oaky California Chardonnays.

I found many of the 2005 vintage Pinot Noirs to be quite appealing to my palate. This was a more traditional vintage for Oregon Pinot Noir with good clean fruit on most wines centered on black and red cherries and berries. Alcohol levels were mostly right at the 13% mark across the boards with most Pinot Noirs we tasted. Acidity was crisp and clean with PH levels seeming to hover around the 3.5 mark. Yields were lower than the much more abundant growing season of 2006 so if you’re a fan of traditional Oregon Pinot Noir be sure and stock up on these 2005 wines as they become available in your market place. Otherwise drop back to the more robust and higher yielding vintage of 2004 which is still relatively available in most marketplaces.

The wineries…

Day One

Our first day of tastings was in the Carlton area. We started with a winery tour and barrel tasting with the assistant winemaker at Hamacher. Hamacher has been recognized as one of the few truly “green” facilities by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System from the U.S. Green Building Council. It’s a very interesting facility if you’ve gone green yourself so call ahead for a tour. Currently nine independent, smaller production wineries call the Carlton Wine Studio as their home. While there we mostly tasted the 2006 vintage from aged barrels (Hamacher typically uses 30% new French oak). I found each of the three barrels samples to be clean with good, pure fruit. I’m optimistic towards what I tasted and will be buying as a result.

Our second stop in the Carlton area was Lemelson. Lemelson is owned by an environmental lawyer who chose to build the “blue print” for green, gravity fed wineries in the area. “The Enterprise” is the center piece of the fermentation area. This large stainless steel structure runs along the drain tracks between the fermentation tanks. Grapes are fork lifted up to the platform in ½ and 1 ton bins where it is culled and destemmed before being dumped into one of the fermentation tanks. Quite impressive if not also quite expensive. The three level facility was definitely impressive but I fail to see how this elevated the wines we tasted. We mostly tasted through their 2005 vintage Pinots (along with their 2006 whites) and I found most of them to have a heavy and somewhat unpleasant nose of sulphur. The one standout here was the 2005 Meyer Vineyard Pinot Noir.

Our third stop was the Scott Paul tasting room in “downtown” Carlton. Scott Paul is a smaller producer with 3-4 wines released per year. Something interesting about the tasting room is that Scott Paul is also the local Burgundy representative so while tasting you can taste through their current Burgundy selections along side the Scott Paul offering(s) for an interesting comparison. We tasted the 2005 La Paulee here and found it to be one of the better Pinots we tasted during the entire trip. Bottled under screw cap as well!

Our final stop in the Carlton area was The Tasting Room in downtown across from the Tyrus Evans tasting room. The Tasting Room seeks out and represents small boutique wineries including EIEIO. Not a bad little tasting but I’d recommend passing the next time.

Day Two

Our second day of tasting was in the Salem area. Our first stop of the day was at Witness Tree. The name of the winery comes from a “Witness Tree” or large oak tree on the hill above the winery that was used in the 19th century to mark one of the corners of the property. The survey information is carved in the trunk of the tree and still visible to this day. The winery makes quite a few wines including a mix of whites and Pinot Noirs. The 2005 Vintage Select Chardonnay was quite interesting leaning heavily towards soft brown spices on the aromatics and one of the better Chardonnays we tasted during the trip. The Pinot Noirs are all fairly solid running the gambit between the high 80’s and low 90’s on the WIML scale. Definitely a winery worth watching.

Our second stop of the day was at Cristom. They have a attractive tasting room and make some very solid Pinot Noir. Their Mt. Jefferson Cuvee is a QPR styled Pinot Noir worth seeking out on that basis only and their Louise Vineyard is a perpetual crowd pleaser at the higher end of the scale. Unfortunately they typically only taste a select few of their wines (usually four) and they do charge a tasting fee with is waved with a purchase.

Our third stop of the day was a late addition to the itinerary, a very pleasant surprise and turned out to be one of the better overall tastings we had during the trip. Bethel Heights makes a few solid whites and quite a few single vineyard and “block designated” Pinot Noirs along with their regular cuvee and reserve bottling. As I tasted through their lineup overlooking their stunning property my initial thoughts where “this is the Rochioli of Oregon Pinot Noir”. Worthy praise indeed for this gem of a winery and in my opinion a must stop while in the valley. Yes, I signed up for their mailing list and I hauled back some bottles for the cellar just to get started. Even though any of their Pinot Noirs would be a welcomed addition to your cellar make a point to seek out the 2005 Southeast Block Reserve and the 2005 West Block Reserve.

Our fourth stop of the day is runner up for the goof ball of the year award. Bryn Mawr sits on a hillside just above Bethel Heights with a lovely view. Don’t let the disconnected owner/winemaker/vineyard manager (he was spraying the vines when we arrived) or one of his two chained up dogs deter you from tasting though his lineup. He makes some fairly solid Pinot Noirs with his 2003 Pinot Noir Reserve being the standout here. Be sure and ask to use the bathroom before you leave. He really doesn’t mind you traipsing through his bedroom to use the toilet. Jumping into his homemade Jacuzzi bathtub is totally optional.

Our final stop of the day was at St. Innocent in Salem. If you’re looking for ambience this isn’t the place to go. Located in an industrial park of Salem you get basic no frills wine tasting through their rather extensive lineup. Personally I found all of their whites lacking and their 2005 Pinot Noirs a mixed bag. Their 2005 Cuvee and Justice Vineyard were only serviceable but their Shea and White Rose were good. Make the trek if you’re a fan of these wines. However, when you cross the river from the valley and you see the long line of cars stopped in the left lane of the highway be sure and get in line. Don’t go into town. Trust me on this one.

Day Three

Our third day in the valley was a Sunday and Father’s Day Sunday at that. Be aware that many of these wineries don’t like opening for tastings and even rarer for tours on a Sunday so plan ahead.

Our first stop of the day was likely the best overall tasting and touring experience we had during the entire trip. BHVineyard setup for us a vineyard tour of Le Cadeau Vineyard and a joint tasting at Chehalem of the Chehalem wines and the Le Cadeau wines. We first met up with BHVineyards’ business partner Pete (unrelated businesses) in downtown Newberg for a winding ride up the hill for a vineyard tour of Le Cadeau Vineyard. Le Cadeau is a beautiful property with stunning views of the valley. It’s very interesting to see the three distinctive sections of the vineyard that roughly equate to their three different Pinot Noir bottlings: Diversite, Rocheaux and Cote Est. Rocheaux is made from the rocky west side of the property and when I say rocky I’m not kidding…bring ankle supporting boots or tough ankles; your pick. The Cote Est is produced from the less rocky, more compact soils of the east side the vineyard. Finally the Diversite is produced from northern section of the vineyard or “Deb’s block” that is planted with a wide variety of clones. It was truly a treat to observe each of these distinct sections of the vineyard and then immediately afterwards taste each of the wines side by side. After the tour of the vineyard was complete Pete dumped us at the Chehalem tasting room at the base of the hill and Jason, the tasting room manager, took us on a tour of the Chehalem and Cadeau wines. Out of all of the tastings we did during this trip this was the most solid lineup from beginning to end. We started with a mix of the Chehalem 2004, 2005 and 2006 whites: all solid QPR wines in the high 80’s on the WIML scale and certainly worthy of a taste. Then we tasted our way through the 2005 Cadeau Pinot Noirs: all good wines with the Rocheaux being a definite standout in my personal opinion. We finished the tasting with the 2005 Chehalem Pinot Noirs: all good wines within their own rights. Definitely seek out the Stoller Vineyard, Ridgecrest and Reserve bottlings. I purchased all of them for delivery in the Fall.

Our second stop was at Sineann. Please note that if you decide to taste at Sineann Peter Rosback actually makes his wines at the Medici Winery so you’ll be tasting there. It’s a bit of a weird symbiotic relationship but it works. Peter is an engineer in his former life but now makes what I’d call “full throttled” versions of just about every varietal you can think of from traditional Oregon stalwarts such as Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignons to Zinfandel and even a weird ass Zinfandel Ice Wine that will blow holes in the toes of your socks. I’d be exhausted myself from all of this activity but this guy seems to thrive on making wine for everybody. He makes by far the largest selection of wines for himself plus many others including Medici and a private label for Joel Palmer House in Dayton. Personally I didn’t care for most of Peter’s wines but I did find them all to be intellectually interesting and actually purchased a few bottles of his Lazare Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. The conversation with Peter alone is worth the stop!

Our third stop of the day was a drop in at Domaine Drouhin on our way back to our B&B. I must say this was one of the most disappointing tastings we had during the trip. The locally produced wines are basically sold out at this point so you can only taste the less than stellar “Arthur” chardonnay plus two Maison Joseph Drouhin wines from the “sister” winery in France. That is of course if you’re willing to break some bodies leg to get a small sliver of space at the tasting bar. But no worries, they’ll wave the $10.00 tasting fee if you’ll buy at least $135.00 of their wine. Anybody detecting any sarcasm here?

Our final stop of the day was a quick and unannounced drop in at the White Rose winery just up the hill from Domaine Drouhin. I have to tell you up front: if you’re interested in “greenish”, whole cluster kind of wines then this place is your nirvana. I found all of the wines to be “quirky” in at least one differing component between bottlings but if you’re looking for something different then this is your place. If you stop by be sure and ask for a taste of the Dragon’s Bluff. It’s only sold to the club members and if you can get past the odd brownish color of such a young wine you’ll be surprised by the rich “currant” nose followed by the light and nimble red fruits on the palate. As I said, “quirky”.

Day Four

Our fourth day in the valley was actually dedicated to seeking out local artists and trying our best to not taste wine. Either fortunately or unfortunately, we failed. In general I found the art scene within the valley itself to be slightly disappointing. For a short diversion I thought the Lawrence Gallery south of McMinnville to be the highlight although quite pricy. Swing by Mysara winery while out there or grab a quick lunch at Fresh Palate above the gallery.

After seeking art and mildly failing we stopped by the Ponzi Wine Bar for a quick tasting. Although the place is nice I fail to see the allure. They tasted anywhere from 4-6 wines including the requisite Ponzi wine being on the menu. Based on the wines selections, prices and beer on tap I thought this would be a nice place to “hang” but not a place for serious wine aficionados to do tastings. For what that’s worth.

After such a rousing success at the Ponzi Wine Bar we decided to make the trek up the hill to Torii Mor. Most of the Pinot Noir was good here including the good to very good 2005 Reserve “Deux Verres” which I purchased but overall I found the lineup erratic. Kudos for pouring the Willamette Pinot Noir from magnum. Admonishment for pouring the 19% Port of Syrah at the finish. Some of us have to drive down the hill afterwards…assuming we survive tasting the wine itself.

We finished our fourth day of impromptu tastings at Lange, “just around the corner” from Torii Mor. I found the wines to be basically “pedestrian” overall but the view alone is worth the tasting fee. The 2005 Dundee Hills Estate Pinot Noir is the clear winner here at road’s end.

Day Five

Our final day of tasting was dedicated to two wineries for which we couldn’t schedule an appointment over the weekend: J.K. Carriere and Eyrie. I guess we’ll see Portland proper on our next trip instead (we originally planned to spend the day in Portland this day but rescheduled). Anyway…

Our first stop of the day was at J.K. Carriere. You have to love a winery that is located in an old white barn with no sign and directions that say “go through the dip of the road past the white barn and turn right between the willow trees”. Jim Prosser the owner and winemaker decided to leave the white collar world of Xerox and start living life. I think he’s succeeded if not on a slightly eccentric basis. You have to admire a man that quits his corporate job to start making wine with a “Wasp” on the label because a Wasp has almost killed him twice and to this day he keeps a pouch on his belt with a hypodermic needle at ready on a moments notice. Anyway, the tour actually starts in the loft above the winery. Be ready to view the “Soul’s Ship” on display in the loft before sitting down to tasting wine in the winery below. Quite an interesting art piece it’s the last thing you’d expect in an Oregon winery, especially one located in a 100 year old white board barn. Once you’ve finished the viewing and properly “slowed down a bit” you’ll then sit down to taste all four of J.K. Carriere’s wines, some of which you can’t purchase because they seem to be perpetually sold out. The 2006 “Glass” White Pinot Noir was a lovely palate primer and summer quaffer to start off with before doing a few barrel tastings from the 2006 vintage Pinot Noirs. I found the 2006 Eola Hills to be exhibiting lovely fruits of cherries and berries while the Shea exhibited much more earthiness and leather components. This should make for an interesting final blend. The entry level 2005 Provocateur was certainly the best QPR Pinot Noir we tasted during the entire trip with the sold out 2004 Willamette bottling trumping it. These are some of the most Burgundian and food friendly wines I tasted during this trip and recommend you seek them out. I haven’t been a member of a wine club in 5+ years and I joined his club to insure I get access to these wines in the future. As the saying goes…”Buy all that is offered and request more”.

Our final stop of the trip was at Eyrie in McMinnville. Eyrie is located in “Pinot Ghetto” on 10th street just a block from DukeRiley’s Heater Allen Brewery (shameless plug for Rick here folks but you must stop by to cleanse your palate with some of Rick’s great brews). Probably the most interesting thing I found about Eyrie was the odd, musty smell of the winery that reminded me of TCA. I didn’t get any of that off the wines but not a good sign going in the front door! Anyway, the wines were uniformly solid in the high 80’s on the WIML scale but none of them overwhelmed me to the point of Valhalla. The most interesting thing here is that they tend to hold back quite a bit of older vintage wines for sale later, most notably the Reserve Pinot Noir bottling. To shore up my Oregon section in my cellar I purchased some of the 2000 and 2001 Reserve bottlings for delivery in the Fall. Be sure and throw in a few bottles of the Pinot Gris and quite unusual Chardonnay in the box to get the case discount.

Tasting notes to follow…