Betcha didn’t know that May is Oregon Wine Month. Granted this is a totally made-up holiday, but at My Wine Tribe, we’re looking for any excuse to celebrate, right? And after all, Oregon is the fourth largest producer of wine in the U.S. Plus, Oregon wines are highly acclaimed, especially the state’s Pinot Noir, which makes up 70 percent of Oregon’s vineyard acreage.
Why the Focus on Pinot Noir?
In the late 1960s, a handful of UC Davis grads each decided to make wine in Oregon and most of them focused in the Willamette Valley. They found the land, climate and weather to be strikingly similar to the Burgundy region of France, where Pinot Noir is king. Hence, they all decided to plant Pinot Noir (amongst other cool climate grapes) and by the 1970s their Pinot Noirs were gaining international recognition.
Other Reasons to Celebrate
Not only are Oregon wines highly lauded, the state’s wine industry exhibits a sense of environmental stewardship and philanthropy that you don’t necessarily see en masse in other wine regions. The Willamette Valley is home to my favorite nonprofit, ¡Salud!, which, with the support of over 100 local wineries, provides access to health care for the Willamette Valley’s vineyard workers and their families. Turning to the health of the land, 45 percent of all Oregon wineries are certified sustainable, more than any other region in the U.S. And finally, Oregon has the most wine-growing acres in the new world that are farmed using organic methods. Cheers to that.
One Perfect Weekend
After learning all of this I decided it was time to celebrate Oregon and my mom with a Mother’s Day road trip through the Willamette Valley, home to over 500 wineries. Here’s what we saw and tasted, along with a few tips and other opinions.
Room and Board
Lodging: A friend recommended the Inn at Red Hills, a small boutique hotel located in the heart of the sweet town of Dundee. The inn shares its building with a great restaurant, The Babica Hen, and four winery tasting rooms. This is amazingly convenient, especially since driving around the Willamette Valley can get a bit tiresome.
Restaurants: Our first night we dined at the hotel restaurant, The Babica Hen. Known as a farm-to-table joint, the focus is on fresh and local. If you like barbecue get the ribs. They are killer, as are the twice-baked mashed potatoes and fried Brussels sprouts. (Hey, no one said it was healthy.) The Babica Hen also serves up a mean breakfast with a focus on waffles.
On our second evening we went big at The Joel Palmer House. To be honest the food was good, not great. What was great however, was the wine list, which is vast. Most impressive to me is the inclusion of the sommelier’s philosophy and top recommendations, which span a variety of price points. I also really liked the sommelier, Andrea Fulton-Higgins. She’s approachable, kind, and very witty.
For me, the real restaurant winner was the Red Hills Market, a casual place for breakfast and lunch. Everything we tried was incredibly fresh, perfectly prepared and creative but not too weird. I highly recommend this place. We visited twice within three days.
Pinot Anyone?
When it came to touring and tasting, our approach was to hit wineries of various sizes to experience different wine quality and levels of interaction with staff. Happily, I loved all of the wineries we visited, even though they were all quite different. Here’s the lowdown:
– Bell’s Up*: This relatively new “micro-boutique” winery produces just 400 cases per year. If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a winemaker, come visit with the owners. Dave, a tax attorney, and Sara, a marketing whiz, both from Cincinnati, recently relocated to Newberg. They’ve put their souls into Bells Up, and they make lovely wines. And, as you can see from the photos, they are super fun. Bell’s Up is open by appointment only. Here’s how you get in touch. I’m a big fan of their Villanelle Pinot Noir ($54).
– Winderlea: This too is a relatively small winery, averaging 5,000 cases per year. Winderlea is owned by a couple who left the world of high finance, bought beautiful land in Dundee and hired a local winemaker to co-create their wines. On weekends they facilitate “seated tastings,” which means you get one of their tasting room staff members at your table who guides you through the tasting. It was very educational, but if you want a more chill experience, consider visiting on a weekday when you can taste at your own pace. The tasting room has amazingly beautiful views from the deck, and while they offered a variety of Pinot Noirs, my favorite wine is the 2015 Rose of Pinot Noir ($25).
– Raptor Ridge: Raptor Ridge is an established winery producing 10,000 cases per year. A few months ago I hosted a vertical tasting of Raptor Ridge Pinot Noirs, so I knew I was a fan of winemaker Scott Shull’s style. What I didn’t know was that they have a pretty tasting room with killer views and a really good vibe. I also didn’t know that after falling in love with the 2014 Estate Whole Cluster Pinot Noir ($45) I would dream of the wine and have to go back and buy more. Of all the wines I tried in the Willamette Valley, this was my hands-down favorite. If you are in the Developed Tribe, I highly recommend that you reach out to Raptor Ridge to get a few bottles.
The Big Players
– Stoller Family Estate: This family-run winery produces 40,000 cases per year using 100 percent estate grown grapes. They were the first winery in the world to achieve LEED gold certification, which means they are outrageously environmentally friendly. For me the best part of the winery is their visitors’ space. With chairs set up on the lawn facing the vineyards, Mom and I could have spent the entire day there. Though they are known for their Pinots, I’m a big fan of their unoaked 2015 Dundee Hills Chardonnay ($25).
Sokol Blosser Winery: This family owned and operated winery is the largest we visited, producing 80,000 cases per year. We were there on a busy Saturday, but they were well staffed and friendly. Sokol Blosser has lovely grounds, really nice people, laudable environmental stewardship and great wines. I like the 2013 Goosepen Pinot Noir, which is a little spendy at $80, but worth it for a special occasion.
And that, in a nutshell, was our trip. I came back with a case of wine, lots of memories and a much deeper appreciation of Oregon wines. Apparently, I will be returning again soon because, as my mom says, we’ve got “5 wineries down, 495 to go.” Love that woman.
Happy Oregon Wine Month!
*Not a participant in ¡Salud!