We thought we had the whole trip figured out…then the other set of friends that were coming with just cancelled (not really a big deal). We were planning on showing them Domaine Serene & Stoller on Saturday morning (we’ve been each year previously). Anyhow, this Memorial Day weekend will be our third time out to Willamette Valley. We normally hit up three or four vineyards a day…and are staying in Dundee. Here’s what the itinerary looks like at the moment:
Thursday
Bergstrom (flt from DFW, TX arrives around noon)
Friday
Domaine Drouhin
White Rose Late Lunch
Arterberry Maresh (club members)
Domaine Roy
Dinner/tastings with Trent Moffett - Moffett Vineyards (club members)
Saturday
Late Lunch
Seven of Hearts (club members)
Belle Pente
Sunday
EIEIO
possibly one more
So…as you can see, our trip has us all over the place! I wouldn’t say we prefer any single area of the valley over the rest…at least not yet - so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Also - we don’t mind paying minimums … and we really love spending time with family run, “smaller” vineyards, and love the personal guided tastings over the counter-top run of the mill tastings . I need to find two to hit up Saturday morning. Thanks all! You guys are awesome!
Recently made a list of smaller places to consider visits with next time I’m out in Oregon. All are wine I’ve had exposure to in varying amounts and enjoyed but haven’t visited. Plenty of others in the recent Willamette Valley thread and I’ve had excellent visits with many of them too.
Franny Beck
Timothy Malone
Violin
Vincent
Kelley Fox
Paetra
Morgen Long
Crowley
Domaine Divio
Based on your current itinerary and preferences, I would offer the following suggestions. Since you are staying in Dundee and headed to Carlton on Saturday afternoon, how about Ayoub and Anderson Family on Saturday morning? Either tasting will probably be with the winemaker and Ayoub’s would be at this house in Dundee and Anderson Family at the winery on the back side of Dundee. Full disclosure, we are members at both. I’m uncertain if Mo Ayoub entertains morning appointments. We have always visited in the afternoon. Or any of the Ribbon Ridge folks (PGC, Brick House, Beaux Freres, Ayers, etc.) wouldn’t be too far off of your Saturday path. Where is EIEIO tasting appointments these days? I think that they used to be open in Carlton at the former bank which is now the tasting room for Elk Cove’s second label, Pike, but that’s been 6+ years ago. Is Cameron in Dundee open Memorial Day weekend? If yes, that would be a highlight. Most folks will be open for Memorial Day weekend.
Plenty of great recommendations in previous threads including the fine folks in Eola Amity (Vincent, Cristom, Walter Scott, St. Innocent, Bethel Heights, Evesham Wood, Franny Beck, etc.) and McMinnville (Goodfellow, Eyrie, Brittan, Westrey, Biggio Hamina, etc.), but it appears that your itinerary is mostly Dundee and Carlton.
Feel free to stop by… I am actually open 11 to 5 Saturday and Sunday Memorial Day weekend. No appointment required. The only thing I know for certain is that the 2007 Deux Vert PN will be open.
Antica Terra has a very good tasting with Maggie Harrison. Personal and intimate, which seems to be something you’re interested in.
Thanks Josh for the recommendation - we’ll have to look them up!
Where is EIEIO tasting appointments these days?
I’m not exactly certain what the location is, but we were sent an address, in Carlton to plug into the maps. And thanks James for the recommendations on Ayoub & Anderson Family - we’ll have to look these up as well!
With the holiday weekend there will be extra traffic, but Patricia Green is an exceptional visit and will have quite a number of wines open from all the different vineyards they work with. Directly next door is Beaux Freres, also excellent wines.
Since the Dundee Hills area is primarily volcanic soils, PGC and Beaux Freres(or Brickhouse) would be excellent opportunities to see wines based on plantings in sedimentary soils.