Oregon Wine Country

With rolling green hills amid a countryside of fir groves and fruit orchards, Willamette Valley is the heartland of Oregon wine country. Most akin to the Burgundy region of France, the long summer days and cool climate of this appellation are ideally suited for growing Pinot Noir grapes. Oregon winemakers have earned a reputation for cultivating some of the finest Pinots in the world and many people come to taste these complex red wines at their source. Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Riesling are the most popular white wines produced in the valley among 40 other grape varietals grown in the region.

A weekend trip to Portland is an ideal time to explore Oregon wine country. Many of the region's wineries are less than 40 miles southwest from downtown, making it convenient to spend an afternoon touring vineyards and tasting wines. The Willamette Valley appellation is home to almost 70 percent of the state's 217 wineries. These wineries range in size from impressive estates surrounded by vineyards to family homesteads with tasting rooms adjoined to the growers' homes. Even at the larger wineries, it is often the winemakers themselves who work in the tasting rooms, pour the wines and explain the intricacies of his or her creation.

On the holiday weekends of Thanksgiving and Memorial Day a host of wineries throughout Willamette Valley participate in open house events. During these festivities, visitors can experience barrel tastings, take behind-the-scene tours and explore many wineries that are closed to the public the rest of the year.

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