As some of you know, I will be driving back down from Seattle to San Diego with my husband after returning our son from whence he came after his visit to us. My husband didn’t want to do any touristy stuff on the drive home…until I suggested Willamette Valley wineries!
So - I would appreciate recommendations for a few places not too much of a detour off of I5. We are waking up in Olympia WA and have to be in Redding CA by bedtime so can’t take too much time. Ideally we’d like to eat lunch at at least one of the places. I recognize that at present reservations are required at Oregon wineries and will keep track of any changes. This will be on a Thursday so I think most places should be open.
I wish we could spend three days wandering the hills (even though I myself am a fruity white wine fan rather than the reds Oregon is famed for). But unfortunately it’s more like three hours.
Three hours? That is not a whole lot of time. You might be better off visiting a tasting room in Portland because the places where actual grape growing happens would be too much of a detour, like Dundee (and that is a tiny hole, lol).
Drouhin is good, as are lots of others if you’re willing to go hunt. I particularly like Ken Wright, Cameron, Domaine Serene and Lemelson, but like Drouhin, they’re hikes.
The no brainer is St. Innocent. It’s just south of Willamette Valley Vineyard, right off of I-5 past Salem going South.
Then hit Abacela, right off I-5 south of Roseburg.
The Willamette wineries are known for Pinot while the Umpqua is best known for Spanish Varietals.
Have fun! Stop in Ashland for a good meal. PM me if you want recommendations.
Hi, updated in case this shows up in searches. Our objective is not to experience the best or really even to do tastings or buy wine. We just want to see how Oregon vineyards/wineries differ from those we’ve seen elsewhere since we are driving through the area. Since we don’t know our timetable, we will just take chances showing up and see what we can see. Apparently Oregon state officials are planning to lift most restrictions as of June 21, so we will be traveling under the new normal, whatever that will be.
We are going to stop at:
Willamette Valley Vineyards and St. Innocent (same exit)
Del Rio Vineyard Estate
Belle Fiore (this was recommended by a friend and may be where we eat supper)
Unlike other states that seemed to simply do it “because,” without rationale, that is the date that Oregon estimates at least 70% of Oregonians will have had at least one dose of covid vaccine. Combine that with the numbers that have been infected and have immunity as a result and the risk seems to be falling substantially. The 7-day moving average was over 1500 daily cases at the peak statewide and is now at 300 +/- and trending downward.
I got off I-5N between Salem and Oregon today due to traffic and noticed Aurora Colony Vineyards and Winery just off Ehlen Road just east of I-5. It looks like you have a good plan, but I thought of you! (I have no idea what it is like but it’s close to the interstate!)
