So I am going to be spending a single day (May 4) in Willamette valley next week, based out of Portland.
Ideally, I’d like to hit 3-4 wineries and my potential list so far is as follows, with the only confirmed being Patty Green. My lady will be accompanying me and she is looking forward to scenery as much as the wine, so particularly beautiful areas would be a plus:
Patricia Green (Reservation confirmed)
Brick House (although it seems they may not open the tasting the day I will be there due to lack of bookings)
Cristom
St. Innocent
Eyrie
Biggio Hamina
White Rose
It really depends on your itinerary. What time is your appointment at PGC and what time are you planning to arrive and depart the Valley?
As others have mentioned in previous threads, the WV is spread out a little bit. Your list includes 2 wineries in Ribbon Ridge (PGC, Brick House), 2 in Eola Amity (Cristom, SI), 2 in McMinville (Eyrie, Biggio Hamina), and 1 in Dundee (WR). All of the wineries on your list are great. I have tasted at all of them with the exception of Biggio Hamina and I have enjoyed numerous bottles of Todd’s wines.
The WV has become our summer vacation destination. We stay in Newberg and we typically spend a day in each AVA to minimize the driving back and forth.
The Dundee Hills offer spectacular views of the Valley. You could grab lunch from the Red Hills Market in Dundee and have a picnic at White Rose or Domaine Drouhin has a really nice outdoor area.
From PGC you can easily travel everywhere, but what do you want to do? Are you staying in the Valley through dinner?
I love Brick House, but I have been unable to secure an appointment the last few years with a months notice.
Sorry I will miss you. I will be in Nashville next week. I am sure they will take good care of you regardless. You might check out Domain Divio right around the corner. Not sure if they are by appointment or not. I’m sure they have a website that says. Tried his wines for the first time recently and liked them quite a bit.
Personally, I wouldn’t visit Patty Green/Red Hills Market/White Rose and then go to Cristom/St. Innocent. Don’t get me wrong you can accomplish this but you’ll be in a rush. Depending on your priorities, I would try to restrict the tastings to the general vicinity or AVA to get the most out of the area. For example, you could easily accomplish tastings at Cristom, then St. Innocent, and then Walter Scott. (Trust me, go to Walter Scott which is by appointment, you won’t be disappointed). But if Patricia Green is a priority then your second option is possible. If you’re tasting at Matello/Goodfellow I would literally walk 100 feet and go to Brittan for a tasting as well. You get to taste Brittan as well as Winderlea. Have fun!
If you are going to McMinville, I highly recommend making an appointment with Todd Hamina. He’s kind of tucked away in a little strip mall thing, but the wines are worth it.
Also, Woodard Wines is worth a visit. It’s a little shop with a decent selection of wines from across Oregon. When I went Jeff (I think that was his name) had a bunch of bottles opened from producers that don’t have tasting rooms. B
OP I am members of 4 of the wineries you listed so I think you already have a spectacular list.
Are you only here for pinot?
I would strongly urge you to stay in one area. As others have mentioned, it’s too far spread out. I would stick Dundee area since you already have an appointment. Cristom is top notch but it’s almost an hours drive.
My other comment if this is your first time visiting is, I would visit only vineyards/wineries. Tasting rooms are great but just not as scenic.
I would do:
P. Green
White Rose
(if you contact them they might do a seated tasting in their cellar) They have one of the most pristine wine cellars I’ve ever seen and it is VERY cool. Their view and tasting room is also excellent. Oh and their wine is world class.
Trisaetum - Close to P. Green, they have great pinot and some amazing rieslings. This may not be appealing if you’re here for Pinot only.
Ahhhhh I’d love to taste at Cameron, but I haven’t heard back.
Well it looks like the first part of my day will for sure be Patricia Green followed by White Rose.
Although, according to google maps, Cristom is only about 25 minutes from White Rose, is that deceptive? If the drive were a whole lot longer I would not consider it and probably stay in Dundee Hills for the rest of the afternoon, per many of your suggestions.
It is about half an hour from White Rose to Cristom, though that’s about 15-20 minutes longer than going to McMinnville. I doubt you’ll hear back from Cameron.
Adam, I guess you’re right. It always just seems farther. Cristom is about a half hour, McMinville is 20 minutes or so. It’s totally up to you of course! I would personally always recommend wineries first over tasting rooms.
I don’t know if it matters but, Cristom and White rose do similar styled pinots (whole cluster fermentation). They’re two of my favorite wineries in Oregon but they are more similar compared to others.
If you do decide to go to Cristom, Bethel Heights and Evesham Wood are close and great stops. Depends on how long you spend at each spot.
You want to eat lunch at Valley Commissary in Mac. It’s next door to our place, and the food is wonderful.
The sites in McMinnville are not what they are out in the Valley but the wines are very good and travel is minimal.
I would recommend an Eola-Amity day on it’s own: Cristom, Walter Scott, Evesham Wood, and Bethel Heights. The drive from White Rose to Cristom is probably a bit more than 30 minutes, especially if you have not done it before.
For a day set up around PGC: perhaps think about J. Christopher(ex-assistant at Cameron and lovely wines) or Tyson Crowley at The August Cellars space, followed by J.K. Carriere.
Or McMinnville: Eyrie, Brittan, Heater Allen, and Westrey are all a few blocks apart. Todd is 7 minutes away. I am in San Francisco next week, extolling the virtues of Oregon Chardonnay(as is Ken from Walter Scott.)
I am sure you’ll have fun and great wines either way.
Thanks for all the input folks! I’ll be sure to post notes from my day trip.
What this thread has told me, above all else, is that a single day is not sufficient and I need to plan another trip and really dig in for a few days to explore! I am already eyeing the fall.
Looking forward to hearing about your trip as I’ll be spending a few days there week after next. Already have bookings at Goodfellow, PGC, Vincent, and am working on finalizing Walter Scott, Helioterra, and Crowley appointments.
As a fellow fan of wines on the AFWE spectrum, I’ll have to give Seven of Hearts and Longplay a try. Just recently got into Cameron, too. He doesn’t take tasting appointments, does he?
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