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Willamette Valley, Oregon?

Willamette Valley, Oregon?
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  • Willamette Valley, Oregon?

    Post #1 - May 20th, 2007, 8:09 pm
    Post #1 - May 20th, 2007, 8:09 pm Post #1 - May 20th, 2007, 8:09 pm
    If any of you have recommendations of places to eat, vineyards to explore, or food purveyors to visit in the Willamette Valley (Oregon), I would welcome that information toward a short trip to the region in late July. In exchange, I will report back on my adventures and any good finds later this Summer. I did find a previous thread, but it mostly addressed food destinations in Portland.

    Thanks!
    Cheers from the French Baguette
    ******************************
    French Baguette is on it again - searching for another perfectly delicious meal.
  • Post #2 - May 20th, 2007, 10:43 pm
    Post #2 - May 20th, 2007, 10:43 pm Post #2 - May 20th, 2007, 10:43 pm
    FB, lay out what you want to do.
  • Post #3 - May 21st, 2007, 2:37 am
    Post #3 - May 21st, 2007, 2:37 am Post #3 - May 21st, 2007, 2:37 am
    The Willamette Valley is pretty big. It generally runs from either the Columbia-Willamette confluence or just south of Portland to just south of Eugene, perhaps 100 to 150 miles, depending on how you define it. So the first question is: where you will actually be?

    I strongly recommend you do a little searching around PortlandFood.org.
    Unintentionally retired early by the pandemic, but without the golden parachute.
    Formerly Mi Mero Mole
    Formerly Zapapizza
    Formerly Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen
    Artisan Jewish Deli at Home Cookbook
  • Post #4 - May 21st, 2007, 8:24 am
    Post #4 - May 21st, 2007, 8:24 am Post #4 - May 21st, 2007, 8:24 am
    I apologize if my initial request seemed a little opaque.

    By way of background then, we will be staying in Amity about 8 miles from McMinnville, where there seem to be a lot of delicious restaurants (some of the recurring names in my searches are the Joel Palmer House, Tina's, The Painted Lady, Bistro Maison). We will have a car so I expect we will try to cover some territory (right now, I anticipate hitting Yamhill, Carlton, Dundee, Newburg in addition to Amity and McMinnville; we also will try for an escapade to Neskowin along the Coast, where I understand the beach is beautiful and pristine).

    Along the way, we are hoping to have some memorable meals at fancy restaurants and casual eateries alike and to visit some of the local wineries (some that come to mind are Argyle, Domaine Serene, and Chehalem because we like their wines, but of the many others there may be some that are definitely worth the visit). We also will have a kitchen and some amateur chefs among us so I expect we will prepare some of our own meals. As such, I am excited to learn of any worth the detour food purveyors (for instance, Willamette Valley Cheese seems to be an interesting local cheesemaker). I would imagine there are some terrific places to buy meat, bread, fresh produce, and specialty products in the vicinity, some of which may be more worthwhile destinations than others.

    This gastronomic component of our trip will unfold over the course of four days, after which we will be heading northeast toward Mount Hood for some camping in an area that is better known to us. My goal is to have some flexibility for spontaneity once we get to the Willamette Valley, but also to avoid missing any real gems - thus the early planning.

    Extramsg, thank you for pointing me to PortandFood.org. Somehow I had missed that resource altogether, a sign that I have not done my homework very well yet. I had come upon your culinary blog - a great source of information - after following your eating adventures in Chicago from afar.
    Cheers from the French Baguette
    ******************************
    French Baguette is on it again - searching for another perfectly delicious meal.
  • Post #5 - May 21st, 2007, 8:28 am
    Post #5 - May 21st, 2007, 8:28 am Post #5 - May 21st, 2007, 8:28 am
    I can recommend a place called Michael's Landing in Corvallis. I had lunch there a couple years back and the Halibut Oscar was really great. I also recall a seasonal soup that was awesome, but can't recall exactly what it was.

    http://www.michaelslanding.com/index.htm

    Also, Willamette Valley Vineyards is a neat place to stop and do a tasting. It's right off of I-5 and the view from their chateau (I use the term loosely) has a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. Though I feel there are better examples of Oregon Pinot Noir, these are quite good and the vineyard/winery easy to find.

    http://www.willamettevalleyvineyards.com/?s=home

    Hope this helps! Davooda
  • Post #6 - May 21st, 2007, 11:19 am
    Post #6 - May 21st, 2007, 11:19 am Post #6 - May 21st, 2007, 11:19 am
    A couple winery resources:

    http://www.willamettewines.com/

    http://www.winesnw.com/mid-will_vly_eol ... n_map.html

    (Make sure you check the other maps linked on the site above as well.)

    PortlandFood.org Links:

    Wineries?

    Dundee vs Red Hills (that quickly broadens)

    Willamette Valley Wine Country (an extension of the straying thread above)

    2004 Winery Crawl

    2006 Winery Crawl

    I'm sure there are others.

    Tina's, Nick's, Red Hills, Joel Palmer, Painted Lady, Dundee Bistro, Bistro Maison -- they're all good enough. I haven't had a stellar meal in Wine Country, yet, however.
    Unintentionally retired early by the pandemic, but without the golden parachute.
    Formerly Mi Mero Mole
    Formerly Zapapizza
    Formerly Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen
    Artisan Jewish Deli at Home Cookbook
  • Post #7 - May 21st, 2007, 11:53 am
    Post #7 - May 21st, 2007, 11:53 am Post #7 - May 21st, 2007, 11:53 am
    here's a nifty website from the state, with special offers to boot.
    http://www.traveloregon.com/
    Here's our Southern Oregon Wine Association:

    http://sorwa.org/
    Though you won't get this far south, I always try to get a plug in, as we don't get the Pub our Northern Cousins do.
  • Post #8 - May 21st, 2007, 4:51 pm
    Post #8 - May 21st, 2007, 4:51 pm Post #8 - May 21st, 2007, 4:51 pm
    Do note that you will need to make appointments at many of the wineries. It's not like Napa where many are open and have regular tastings.

    We enjoyed our meal at Dundee Bistro a lot, and there's a tasting room attached (owned by Ponzi, but you can taste lots of different wines there)
    Leek

    SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
    but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
    American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
  • Post #9 - May 22nd, 2007, 7:40 am
    Post #9 - May 22nd, 2007, 7:40 am Post #9 - May 22nd, 2007, 7:40 am
    This year's Spring Wine guide:
    http://www.oregonlive.com/wine/oregonian/guide/
  • Post #10 - May 22nd, 2007, 2:18 pm
    Post #10 - May 22nd, 2007, 2:18 pm Post #10 - May 22nd, 2007, 2:18 pm
    Thank you for steering me toward some helpful websites and maps and for sharing some tips on the area. Obviously, if anyone has other ideas, I would welcome those also. Otherwise I will report back early August on any good finds.
    Cheers from the French Baguette
    ******************************
    French Baguette is on it again - searching for another perfectly delicious meal.
  • Post #11 - May 22nd, 2007, 2:44 pm
    Post #11 - May 22nd, 2007, 2:44 pm Post #11 - May 22nd, 2007, 2:44 pm
    Do remember that any drive through the Pacific Northwest in August or September will provide you with penty of opportunities to stop at various orchards and the like.
  • Post #12 - March 30th, 2015, 11:04 am
    Post #12 - March 30th, 2015, 11:04 am Post #12 - March 30th, 2015, 11:04 am
    Dusting off this thread, any updated recs? We'll be based in McMinnville for five days and will be doing wine tastings in the greater valley. I am using other links in this thread for research as well.
    -Mary
  • Post #13 - March 30th, 2015, 3:14 pm
    Post #13 - March 30th, 2015, 3:14 pm Post #13 - March 30th, 2015, 3:14 pm
    I find http://willamettewines.com/ a good resource for the area. Many wineries do now have tasting rooms open and hours are listed there. Still, it's a good idea to call ahead, as you never know if small places might be closed for some private event.
    Wines and Wineries we've visited and liked - Cristom, Evening Land, Lange, Patricia Green, Shea, Soter, St. Innocent, Westrey, Winderlea, Yamhill Valley.

    Also check out hiking in the area, Oregon has lots of hiking trails and you're not ever far from something interesting.
    Leek

    SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
    but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
    American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
  • Post #14 - March 31st, 2015, 7:45 am
    Post #14 - March 31st, 2015, 7:45 am Post #14 - March 31st, 2015, 7:45 am
    Thanks, leek. We are traveling with someone in the restaurant biz, so he is working on the winery tours.

    Any recommendations on restaurants?
    -Mary
  • Post #15 - March 31st, 2015, 8:55 am
    Post #15 - March 31st, 2015, 8:55 am Post #15 - March 31st, 2015, 8:55 am
    We spent a day in Willamette last October. While I can't recommend restaurants we enjoyed the wines and tasting rooms at Penner Ash, Stoller, and Anne Amie. We had some great food in Portland though. You can check the Portland thread.
    "I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." Frank Sinatra
  • Post #16 - April 1st, 2015, 9:47 am
    Post #16 - April 1st, 2015, 9:47 am Post #16 - April 1st, 2015, 9:47 am
    We generally stay in Portland and day trip to the wineries.

    Another one we like is Anderson Family. If you get there make sure to try their Chardonnay as well as their Pinot Noir.
    Leek

    SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
    but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
    American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
  • Post #17 - April 1st, 2015, 1:29 pm
    Post #17 - April 1st, 2015, 1:29 pm Post #17 - April 1st, 2015, 1:29 pm
    GP--

    One of my former students is the hospitality director at Rex Hill. They seem to have an awfully good time there, she's a delight to interact with, and Rex Hill's wines are awfully good. If you'd like, I could maybe set something up with Carrie. PM me if you care to.

    Geo
    Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick! :)
  • Post #18 - April 1st, 2015, 2:03 pm
    Post #18 - April 1st, 2015, 2:03 pm Post #18 - April 1st, 2015, 2:03 pm
    Geo wrote:GP--

    One of my former students is the hospitality director at Rex Hill. They seem to have an awfully good time there, she's a delight to interact with, and Rex Hill's wines are awfully good. If you'd like, I could maybe set something up with Carrie. PM me if you care to.

    Geo

    Thanks, Geo! Look for a message soon.
    -Mary
  • Post #19 - April 1st, 2015, 2:09 pm
    Post #19 - April 1st, 2015, 2:09 pm Post #19 - April 1st, 2015, 2:09 pm
    I'm from Oregon and have gone back for an annual wine tasting weekend with friends for the past 15 years. We usually separate the trip out into two days: day one in the Carlton / Yamhill area, going to Carlton Winemaker Studio, Brick House, and usually two others that vary. We sometimes start the first day at Elk Cove, which is pretty far away from most of the others, and then head south. We've also really enjoyed going to Penner-Ash over the years, though we do not go every year. Day two is for the wineries around Spring Valley Road (Cristom, Witness Tree, St. Innocent, Bethel Heights, Stangland), which is closer to Salem.

    There is a lot of ground to cover, but it's difficult to go wrong given the setting. My only advice is to try to stick to one area each day.
  • Post #20 - May 13th, 2015, 3:34 pm
    Post #20 - May 13th, 2015, 3:34 pm Post #20 - May 13th, 2015, 3:34 pm
    My wife and I spent a brilliant day out there two years ago for our tenth wedding anniversary. Don't know if you still need information and recommendations, but here goes:

    WINERIES: We visited Evesham Wood (appointment only), where the winemaker Erin Nuccio poured six wines to taste in his barrel room. We visited St. Innocent, where I have been a member of the wine club for years, and had a lovely time in their commercial tasting room. Due to the club membership, we also got taken through the facility and into the barrel room for a barrel tasting, which was quite a revelation. And we visited Soter Vineyards (appointment only), where we enjoyed several wines in the tasting room/open living room at their Mineral Springs vineyard site. I think Soter may be in the process of opening a new location for tasting rooms, but we had a lovely time there. Weather was perfect, which helped. I think it would be difficult to hit more than three wineries in a day without a chauffeur/designated driver.

    I grew up in Eugene, and if you get that far south, you can have a really wonderful meal at the King Estate winery. King Estate is one of the largest producers in Oregon. The food at the restaurant and the vineyard setting outside of Eugene is really lovely. My family has gotten together there for holiday dinners over the years and always had a great time.

    FOOD: There is an excellent pie shop in Amity, Oregon. Worth a visit.

    Enjoy your time out there in God's country. I love it out there.

    Best,
    J.Ro
  • Post #21 - June 7th, 2021, 11:40 am
    Post #21 - June 7th, 2021, 11:40 am Post #21 - June 7th, 2021, 11:40 am
    I'm hoping to get some updated recommendations for wineries southwest of Portland. We're planning to stay around the Newberg/Dundee area, not farther south. I don't mind larger wineries/tasting rooms, but I especially love the smaller, more rustic places. I'd also love anywhere that also has local food to buy/a pretty place outside to have a snack. Here are some on my list from this thread:
    - Argyle
    - Chehalem
    - Evening Land
    - Lange
    - Patricia Green
    - Shea
    - Westrey
    - Stoller
    - Anne Amie
    - Penner Ash
    - Anderson Family
    - Rex Hill
    - Vidon
    - Soter
    - Winderlea

    Thoughts? Suggestions? Thank you!
    Last edited by LauraS on June 7th, 2021, 12:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #22 - June 7th, 2021, 11:47 am
    Post #22 - June 7th, 2021, 11:47 am Post #22 - June 7th, 2021, 11:47 am
    A former student of mine, Carrie Kalscheuer, is a manager at Rex Hill. She is a wonderful, intelligent, and extremely knowledgeable hostess. Plus, she has some very nice wines to show you. I'd highly recommend a visit!

    Tell her Dr. Gale sent you!

    Geo
    Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick! :)
  • Post #23 - June 7th, 2021, 1:41 pm
    Post #23 - June 7th, 2021, 1:41 pm Post #23 - June 7th, 2021, 1:41 pm
    I would add Sokol Blosser to your list. They were one of my favorite stops.
    -Mary
  • Post #24 - June 7th, 2021, 3:42 pm
    Post #24 - June 7th, 2021, 3:42 pm Post #24 - June 7th, 2021, 3:42 pm
    Went a few years back and I'd recommend Stoller and Vidon.

    Stoller is a beautiful place and has a large outdoor space to sit and enjoy some wines.

    Vidon is a much smaller place that was owned by a former astronaut and I loved the wine. Saw that it was recently sold to a different owner though.
  • Post #25 - June 10th, 2021, 7:26 am
    Post #25 - June 10th, 2021, 7:26 am Post #25 - June 10th, 2021, 7:26 am
    Geo wrote:A former student of mine, Carrie Kalscheuer, is a manager at Rex Hill. She is a wonderful, intelligent, and extremely knowledgeable hostess. Plus, she has some very nice wines to show you. I'd highly recommend a visit!

    Tell her Dr. Gale sent you!

    Geo


    I would add Sokol Blosser to your list. They were one of my favorite stops.


    Went a few years back and I'd recommend Stoller and Vidon.

    Stoller is a beautiful place and has a large outdoor space to sit and enjoy some wines.

    Vidon is a much smaller place that was owned by a former astronaut and I loved the wine. Saw that it was recently sold to a different owner though.


    Thanks, everyone! As long as we can get reservations to work out, we've narrowed it down to Vidon, Chehalem, and Anderson Family as definites and then adding in Stoller, Sokol Blosser, or Winderlea, depending on timing. We're also going to do the olive mill tour at Durante Olive Mill and stop by Briar Rose Creamery.
    Also, does anyone have info about Columbia Empire Farms? It looks like you can't actually visit the farm but they have a farm stand somewhere in the area?
    ETA: Update: So given reservation times and whatnot, we are doing Stoller, Anderson Family, Winderlea, Chehalem, and Rex Hill. I'm sad to miss Vidon, but it just didn't work out logistically.
  • Post #26 - June 23rd, 2021, 2:05 pm
    Post #26 - June 23rd, 2021, 2:05 pm Post #26 - June 23rd, 2021, 2:05 pm
    Here's a quick-ish update on our trip. We just did one day trip to the Willamette Valley from Portland.
    We started the morning at Durant Hill Olive Mill and Vineyard. We did the tour of the mill and saw some of the olive trees. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and the area is gorgeous. We did a quick olive oil and vinegar tasting at the end (delicious!), but the tour was a little longer than planned, so we had to hurry to the next destination.
    Next we stopped at Stoller. The patio and view was amazing and the service was great. There is a very small food menu. We had a flatbread with brie, prosciutto, grapes, and strawberries. It was fine, but nothing amazing. We really liked the chardonnays at Stoller. The Willamette Valley tends to do a crisp, non-oaky/creamy Chardonnay, which is what I prefer. I didn't love their rose, but the pinot noirs were great.
    Next we went to Anderson Family. It's a small vineyard. The "tasting room" is just a small bar in a big open space with wine barrels that are currently fermenting. The people running the tasting are the couple (Anderson) who own the whole place. They have been there since the 70s. We were able to smell and listen to the wine as it fermented. We did a vertical tasting of their chardonnay and pinot noir. They are, of course, very knowledgeable about the vintages and the area. The pinot noir was especially light, but everything was very good.
    Our next stop was Winderlea. Our server was again very knowledgeable. There we did a horizontal tasting of wines from grapes all grown on site. I think they also have a tasting where they give you the descriptions of the wines and then you do a blind tasting to match the wines to the vintage and description, though we didn't do that one. There is also no food at this tasting room.
    Before our last wine tasting, we stopped at Briar Rose Creamery. I'm not sure if there was more a shop pre-covid, but it was just a stand with their cheeses out, pre-packaged, to purchase. They also had a few types of sausage and crackers for purchase. I forgot to write down which two we bought. They were good, but nothing amazing. I'm not sure it was worth the stop. The person running the stand didn't seem to want to chitchat about the cheese.
    Our last stop was Rex Hill. This was the only stop where our server was not very knowledgeable or helpful. They have a limited food menu. We had some roasted hazelnuts and bread/olive oil, which were both very good. They don't have any wines in the tasting that are grown solely from their grapes, but all the wines were very good. They have a very popular sparkling rose.
    There were so many places we wanted to go to but didn't have time (or the blood alcohol level) for. We were very happy with how we divided up our Portland trip, but if we'd had another day, I would have loved another day of wine tastings.

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