When I visited the Willamette Valley in Oregon to tour the region’s wineries, I had little idea of what to expect. Yes, I knew that pinot noir ruled the way cabernet sauvignon does in Napa. And yes, I knew that many of the wines were critically acclaimed, even if I hadn’t tasted many. But I also knew that the valley had none of the tourist power of Napa Valley, maybe more reminiscent of the Finger Lakes than of California.To my surprise, I found a wine region somewhere between the high-end Napa experience and the low-key Finger Lakes.
The Willamette Valley spans 150 long and 60 miles wide, so I was only able to touch part of it. Because we stayed in Dundee, we limited ourselves to the many critically-acclaimed wineries nearby, mostly in the Ribbon Ridge and Dundee Hills portion.
When To Visit
Early October proved to be an excellent time of the year to visit. Although many of the tourists had moved on, wineries remained open most days of the week. Our gamble on the autumn weather paid off. Several locals told us we were lucky since October weather can be rainy, but we encountered mostly sunny days, although we did have one overcast day and rain one evening.
Harvest generally occurs from mid-September through October, depending on the specific grape, microclimate, and weather conditions. Even though we visited during harvest, we did not see anything indicating that other than trucks transporting grapes. Usually, picking occurs overnight to keep the sugar in the grapes stable.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the La Bastide Bed and Breakfast located on a country road in Dundee where we could hear roosters crowing at all times of the day. Despite the rural vibe –– and most of the Willamette Valley has it –– the wineries (and restaurants) we visited required only a short drive.
La Bastide didn’t have the charm of many B&B’s I’ve stayed at, but the innkeepers were friendly, and the breakfasts tasted delicious. Our room, while spacious, had a strange quirk: the bathroom sink was outside the bathroom. I didn’t love our room, but I also did not hate it.
Where to Eat
Because of the agricultural nature of the Willamette Valley, restaurants tend to be casual and down-to-earth. We did find fine dining at The Painted Lady, a cozy, upscale restaurant in a converted Victorian house located in the town of Newburg. You put your meal in the hands of the chef with a tasting menu.
We also enjoyed Trellis (which supplies some wineries with food from their truck), Wooden Heart (walking distance from La Bastide), and Rosmarino Osteria Italiana, where I highly recommend the bresaola appetizer.
The Wineries
Below you’ll find a list and description of some of the best wineries to visit. I’ve ordered them from my favorite to my least favorite. Please note that this list cannot be considered comprehensive since many wineries call this region home. For example, I had to skip Penner-Ash because of time limitations. There’s always next time!
Pinor Noir is king in the Willamette Valley; however, wineries make good versions of other varietals, both red and white. Still, my primary purpose of the trip was to explore pinot noir, something I knew little about. Before the trip, I was decidedly a Bordeaux-style girl: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petite verdot.
Most wineries require reservations, and some offered optional food pairings for an added cost. Although none of the tastings were free, they ranged in price. Check out the individual websites for reservations, prices, and hours.
I ordered these based on the quality of the wines, the tasting experience, the ambience, and the attention of our tasting host.
Bergstrom
My visit to Bergstrom combined excellent wines with an intimate tasting inside the winery’s Ekollon farmhouse. When we drove in, we weren’t sure we were in the right place because it looks like a private residence.
Before we began our tasting, our hostess took us on a tour around the outside property, explained the history of both the winery and the property, and pointed out features of the herb, vegetable, and flower gardens as well as the vineyards.
Once inside, we sat at a tasting table set for two. (The table had room for perhaps 8 people.) My first inkling that this would be an elevated tasting? Individual wine glasses. Too many other Willamette wineries gave us a single wine glass – shades of the Finger Lakes – which we then had to empty before trying the next wine. Only Archery Summit and Drouhin did the same automatically. Purple Hands gave me an extra glass upon request when I wanted to compare pinots.
Favorite wines: 2023 Le Pré Du Col Vineyard Pinot Noir and 2018 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir.
Archery Summit
Out of all the wineries we visited, Archery Summit had the most classic (and classiest) tasting room. It had well-spaced tables, floor-to-ceiling windows through which you could view the gorgeous scenery, a cave carved into the side of a mountain (where you can reserve special events and tastings), a knowledgeable staff, and excellent wines. I learned only later that it belongs to the same wine group as Pine Ridge Vineyards, one of my favorite Napa wineries.
We booked the Precision Pairing Experience, a tasting that pairs estate pinot noirs with chef-inspired bites. The wine paired beautifully with the innovative canapés. Our host was friendly, informative, and professional. During our conversations, he honed in on our tastes and knowledge. He offered to pour a taste of a top-end wine not on our official menu. By doing that, he earned the winery a sale.
Archery Summit had all the glamor of a large tasting room without the production of Domaine Serene (below.) I felt comfortable, well-cared for, and unhurried. I almost rated this winery as my favorite, but I preferred the more intimate setting at Bergstrom.
Favorite wine: 2023 Arcus Vineyard Pinot Noir
Purple Hands
I booked a tasting at Purple Hands’ Harken/Lenai Tasting Room. While the wines were good, they were not among the best I tried, but the experience itself ended up as one of the most memorable. The tasting room is perched on a hill that overlooks the vineyards and the Dundee Hills. From the front, it looked like nothing much –– more like an accessory dwelling unit than a winery. Inside, however, the tasting room had an inviting vibe. Yes, the space was tiny, but that was part of the charm. The tasting room also has an outdoor deck and lower patio for busier and warmer times.
Our hostess gave us the option of tasting inside or on the deck just outside.Because the afternoon was warm and sunny, we opted for outside. After our hostess described each wine, she would leave so that we could sip and chat. Our tasting was so relaxing, with good wine and a bucolic view, that my husband declared Purple Hands to be his favorite tasting room. If not for his endorsement, I might have placed Purple Hands lower on my list, but he had a point: we thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Haakon/Lenai tasting room.
Favorite wine: 2023 West Wind Vineyard Pinot Noir
Résonance
Like Domaine Drouhin just up the road (see below), Résonance has close ties to a French winemaker, in this case Maison Louis Jadot. I booked the Route to Burgundy tasting at the Dundee Hills tasting room, with the optional cheese and charcuterie board. Our wonderful host led us through a comparison of French and American Burgundy-style wines. Out of all the wineries we visited on this trip, I learned the most about pinot noir at Résonance. Weirdly, though, the wine that blew me away was the 2022 Décourverte Vineyard Estate Chardonnay. It was by far the best white wine I tasted on the trip.
Despite my loving the chardonnay, the pinot noirs were also delicious. During the comparison, I preferred the French wines, and my husband preferred the Oregon ones, which highlights how taste always comes down to personal preference.
Because of the knowledge I gained, I would have loved Résonance’s Route to Burgundy as the first stop on my trip. The tasting gave me a solid perspective on Oregon’s wine styles versus Old World ones.
Favorite wine: 2022 Découverte Vineyard Estate Chardonnay
Domaine Drouhin Oregon
Like Résonance, Domaine Drouhin Oregon has ties to a Burgundy winery, this one Joseph Drouhin. You can taste the Burgundy style of winemaking in the pinots and chardonnays, but of course the grapes reflect the Oregon terroir. The pinots here tasted more complex than those at Résonance, but the tasting experience itself wasn’t as memorable.
The tasting room’s décor can best be described as contemporary rustic, with its clean lines, exposed wood ceiling, and hard tiles. I liked the wines here, but was not in love with the lack of attentiveness from our server.
Favorite wine: 2023 Laurène Pinot Noir
Domaine Serene
Domaine Serene’s tasting room reminded me of Domaine Carneros in California because tasting wine here turned out to be a larger production than elsewhere in the Willamette Valley. The large, open tasting room hummed with activity — bachelorette parties, large social groups, and generally festive wine tasters. This tasting room seemed more attuned to having a good time than critical tasting. That’s not to say that the wines aren’t good.
Our server knew his stuff, and once he determined that we knew something about wine, he poured freely, inserting some wines not on the tasting list in the hopes of making a sale, which of course he did. The pours were more generous than elsewhere, so watch your intake.
Favorite wine: 2022 Aspect, Grace Vineyard Pinor Noir
Beaux Frères
What a change in pace from Domaine Serene! To get to Beaux Frères, you go up a long driveway to what looks like a shack. This turned out to be the most rural of all the tasting rooms — we even saw a bobcat run across the road.
Fittingly, the rural vibe continued to a low-key tasting of Beaux Frères’ pinot noirs and pinot blanc.
Favorite wines: 2022 Windborn Pinor Noir and 2022 Reserve Pinot Blanc
The Four Graces
Because we belong to the Foley Family Connoisseur Club, we could book a complimentary tasting at The Four Graces, a member of the Foley Family group of wines. Despite the pedigree, The Four Graces fell below some of the higher-end wineries in the region. We did love the view, though.
Favorite wine: 2022 Windborn Weatherford Estate Pinot Noir
Adelsheim
We arrived at Adelsheim on a gorgeous, though a little cool, day to enjoy our tasting and charcuterie plate (purchased separately.) The tasting room and patio, where we sat, had few people. The winery did appreciate that we had made a reservation.
Although the wines at this vineyard didn’t blow me away the way some of the above wines did, we still enjoyed our afternoon overlooking the Chehelem Mountains. We were even encouraged to take our glasses for the short walk up the hill to the winery’s event gazebo.
Favorite wine: 2021 Calkins Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir
Ken Wright Wine Cellars
Located in an old train station, Ken Wright Wine Cellars had perhaps the most unique wine tasting locale. Ken Wright has an excellent reputation for fine wines, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Maybe I had too many pinot noirs already. Or maybe the server’s near 100% attention to the club members there at the time soured me.
Although I enjoyed the time at Ken Wright, I did not fall in love with any of the wines.
Favorite wine: None
Argyle
Going into my wine tour of the Willamette Valley, I had tasted wine from only two of the many wineries, Adelsheim and Argyle. Oddly, those two were among my least favorite visits, with Argyle sitting at dead last. We had booked a reservation at Argyle, although they didn’t seem ready for us. The outdoor patio had almost every table taken, making the interior almost empty.
Argyle’s tasting room is located in town. You choose between an all-sparkling flight and a mixed flight. The afternoon we visited, they were featuring Halloween themed flights, which cemented the idea that they were not as serious as other wineries. We felt shuffled off to the side with a server who didn’t seem to want to serve us (he was more interested in a group of young women outside.)
Favorite wine: 2021 Spirit Hill Blanc de Blancs
Tasting Tips
I’ve always found that expressing my likes and dislikes results in a better, more personal experience with the host. Especially if a tasting room is not busy, we often get to taste wines not on the tasting menu at no additional fee.
Be careful, and know your limits. I did three tastings a day, but I also didn’t drink all that was poured. If I had been offered multiple glasses, I would have found my favorite and finished that, but because we usually had to reuse our glasses, I couldn’t do that. In some cases, I had to ask for a dumping bucket.
In the future, I’ll probably stick to two tasting a day, just so I don’t get overwhelmed or deaden my palate. I also pre-ordered food at several of the wineries so that I wasn’t drinking on an empty stomach.
The Verdict
I enjoyed my trip to the Wilmamette Valley more than I thought I would. I definitely would go back, both to revisit my favorites and to seek out different wineries. Because the valley is so long, I’m glad we were able to stay in an area where many of the best wineries were located. If you plan a trip there, I recommend designating some of your must-visit wineries and then finding a central area where you can stay.
