Discovering the Charm of Willamette Valley: Our First Tour Itinerary
As an accomplished world traveler, it's not often I'm stunned by my own corner of the world. Living in the desert is not for everybody, but I love the warm earth tones, the hot wind sweeping down the mountains, the unbearable sun gazing down on you from the west as it slides across the timezones. I didn't expect as a high desert homebody how deeply I'd love the Willamette Valley in Oregon. With its listless breeze through the hazelnut orchards, the fog creeping into the heart of the valley, the kiss of dew in the morning sunrise on an uncharacteristically warm autumn morning, I fell in love with this wine region in a surprising way.
Evening Land Vineyards
This glass of Seven Springs Passetoutgrain 2019 tasted during the vineyard tour still fills my memory like a siren call.
Yes, I love Pinot Noir. But, I didn't know if I'd love the culture, the people, the land itself until I went there. My partner and I spent the week of our third anniversary living in Carlton, Oregon traveling around day by day to each of the other towns nearby, generally stopping to taste at three wineries every day. While it wasn't as exciting as our cruise to Alaska where we almost became orca hors d'oeuvres, drinking lambrusco in a hot tub watching the glaciers pass us by, it was thrilling in a different way. The quiet peace that comes from driving on winding back roads, the joy we found in Carlton is something I've found myself longing for since we returned home.
When it comes to planning wine tours in a new region, I start with a wishlist. Like a child on Christmas, I pick wineries based on the unique experiences they can offer. Then I list out addresses, hours, on-premise food, unique opportunities like vineyard tours or cellar tastings. I want to get the best understanding of the general region with the best mix of individual experiences so each visit doesn't blend into the next. As a member of the wine industry, I also prioritize the wineries I visit based on whether or not I personally represent their label in my store. Purchasing each and every bottle a portfolio creates is a lofty and often out of budget accomplishment, so when I have the chance to visit a new region, I'd like to taste through a producer's available wines. Everything I do on a trip like this comes home with me to supplement my knowledge in enhancing customer experiences in my own restaurant.
After my trip to Napa last spring where we drove from AXR in St. Helena down to Domaine Carneros at the very south end of the valley, back up to Venge Vineyards way up in Calistoga at the tippy top, all with back to back reservations, I wasn't about to repeat my mistake. We had five days of actual tasting, so I picked a different base town each day that we could travel around and pick up lunch in. From there, it was all down to actually going to Oregon. Over our week, we visited thirteen wineries, drove around twenty hours there and back again, compiled two cases of wine from our tour, and signed up for only one wine club membership. We visited some very small wineries that have very little distribution, and some very large wineries that have found their way into the White House. I did get some answers, but I left with even more questions. Namely, how soon can I return?
Domaine Drouin
My favorite part of hospitality will always be the attention to detail, like putting the party name at the top of the tasting menu
Our first day we visited three of the largest wineries my wine store represents: Argyle Winery, Hyland Estates, and The Four Graces. Day Two, we went to two of the most prestigious vineyards in Oregon, Domaine Drouhin and Domaine Serene, and a wild card I found through Wine Enthusiast: Remy Wines. Our third day was pretty low-key as we planned a day excursion to Portland, so we only visited one winery, and certainly my partner's favorite: Lemelson Vineyards. Day Four was one I was eagerly looking forward to: a vineyard tour of Evening Land Vineyards' Seven Springs Estate, Cristom Vineyards and St. Innocent Winery. Our last full day, we went to finally visit Ken Wright Cellars, which was only across the street from where we were staying in Carlton, and a sunset view over Soléna Estate. And, we were able to squeeze in one last stop at Broadley Vineyards on our way back home to Reno, and it was definitely worth the wait.
This list is by no means comprehensive of the best places to go and taste in the Willamette Valley, these wineries only represent where I most wanted to start developing an understanding of this region. After our week traveling around this underrated American treasure, I feel comfortable saying these places are all incredible, although I’m sure there’s dozens more I haven’t yet met.