Oregon Tasting Recs

Travel, Wine Tourism, and Restaurants Forum
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I’m planning a trip to Oregon (hopefully) in early November, and was looking for some feedback on some of the tasting options. Originally this was going to be a trip to try entirely new wineries, but that changed. I also originally wanted to explore top Chardonnay producers primarily, but that’s changed too.

I’m looking at Soter’s Provisions Experience and Antica Terra’s Collective Tasting, both costing $175. I have heard that Antica Terra’s dinner is worth it, but nothing about the tasting. Soter I hear almost nothing about on these boards. Is one or both of these worthwhile? If these producers aren’t in a style I normally go for (Goodfellow, KF, Vincent), are the tastings really worth it? What are some alternatives to Antica Terra that make excellent whites in the area (besides Violin and Vincent)?

I’m also curious if anyone has tried Nicolas Jay’s Petit Dejeuner. It seems like an interesting way to mix things up.

Thanks!

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I have visited AT (twice), Soter, and Goodfellow, and have had some KF/Vincent wines. I would generally say that Soter and AT (especially) wines are much bigger and bolder than GF/Vincent/KF, though I think they’re very well made. It was really on my last trip last month when I realized how much I liked the more elegant GF/etc. style personally.

That said, I think the tasting experiences at AT and Soter are some of the best in Oregon. AT Collective tasting is a very cool vibe, where they pour their own wines alongside Burgundy/Champagne etc in a beautifully designed room in their barrel house. I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Soter has one of the best views you’ll find, and great hospitality. I haven’t done the Provisions Experience, but I’ve heard good things. I think their wines are some of the most down the middle classical Oregon style I’ve had. Very well made and tasty, just nothing that’s going to surprise you or blow your mind.

Morgen Long is making some of the best chardonnay in the world. Sadly wasn’t able to visit on my last trip, but that would be my first stop for excellent whites. I also visited Abbott Claim last month and think they have great single vineyard chardonnays, plus their tasting experience is pretty high end and well done.

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Haven’t done it, but geeks and non-geeks alike have told me that the Antica Terra “Collective” tasting was a highlight of their trip.

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Agree that Soter and AT are stylistically different than what you seem to prefer. With that said, it does sound like the experiences are unique for the WV if that is primarily what you’re looking for.

Otherwise, go visit frequent board contributors like Perkins-Harter, Patty Green and Championship Bottle, Morgen Long for Chardonnay, or a few wineries that I think are in sync with your preferences but don’t generate a lot of discussion here like Crowley, Martin Woods, Arterberry Maresh, and Brickhouse. You’ll have a grwat time at any of them, but not the luxury experience of AT and Soter.

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My favorite experience last Summer was tasting with Jim Anderson at Patty Green. He went above and beyond. Class act.

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I think Soter is more in the modern, polished, extracted, bigger side although not to an extreme. Probably don’t hear much about them because it’s a little less in favor on this board.

AT is on my list to taste, I’ve heard great things about their tasting experience but I’ve never tried it. Answering depends on the type of experience you want, do you want nicely appointed tasting room with a view or small informal tasting in a barrel room?

I keep a list of places I still want to taste:

Ribbon Ridge:

Have tasted and worthwhile:
PGC - Nice tasting room or sometimes Jim is available
Morgen Long - Chard only, with Seth in barrel room

On my list to visit:
Brickhouse - Don’t know what the experience is but I like their wines

Eola:

Have tasted and worthwhile:
Vincent - barrel room very informal
Violin - small space, informal, really nice chards (Bracken was amogst my fav whites on my last trip)
Cristom - Nice tasting room but not really a chard producer
Evesham - nice tasting room and great wines including some chards
Perkins-Harter - informal and super interesting tasting/wines

On my list:

AT
Bethel heights
Lingua Franca
Sun Break Wines
X-Novo - I’ve seen reports of tastings being done but don’t think they have anything official
John Grochau

Dundee

On my list:
Arterberry Maresh -
Bergstrom
White Walnut - chards are getting a lot of press recently

McMinnville

Have tasted and worthwhile
Goodfellow - informal in barrel room
Eyrie - probably wouldn’t recommend but it’s close to Goodfellow

Want to taste:
Martin Woods - could also try a lot of his lineup at the hi fi bar
Hundred Suns

Carlton area

Have tasted
Kelley Fox - informal and worthwhile
J.C Somers - informal but at Anne Amie which had beautiful valley views althought he may be doing tastings at Carlton Winemarkers studio now.

want to tast:
Big Table Farms
Lavinea Wines

I also really want to taste with Perry Colins but I’m not sure if they are set up or where they’re located.

I tend to prefer the informal tastings, preferrable with the winemaker if possible, over the tasting room vibe.

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Matt does tastings out of where they make their wine - Anacreon.

I noticed Walter Scott wasn’t on your list?

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Just to add, as great as the tasting experiences have been I also really enjoy driving around the WV and getting a sense of the vineyard locations. If you have favorites than drive there, my three or four spots worth driving through if you’re in the area include:

Ribbon Ridge - drive full length of NE Ribbon Ridge Road along the creast of the AVA and then back down south on the NE North Valley rd. Really puts those vineyards into perspective, you can see the 40 year old vines at ridgecrest…

Southern Eola - do the loop around the souther end of the hill, Zena valley road - Bethel Heights Rd - Spring Valley Rd. If time permits checking out the Eola Bench really drove home how unique that terrior is, drive up to Perkins-Harter or Sojeau, although you may need to make an appointment first.

Dundee Hills - I really like the Worton Hill area even more than the souther hill, I think driving all the way through NE Worden Hill rd - drive takes you by Bergstrom, Cameron/Charlie’s, Weber, Maresh, Arcus, Oracle, Abbey Ridge and many more. Just a beautiful drive.

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I don’t think Walter Scott does tastings.

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That’s just like every Burgundy producer’s official line, lol.

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Great info, thank you all! I had good tastings with Cristom, Kelley Fox, PGC, Martin Woods, Vincent, and Goodfellow, but it’s been about 6 years now. I am able to do 6 tastings split between 2 days (also visiting HiFi and NW Food). Trying to get the wineries I really want to visit in on the same days:

Day 1:
Goodfellow
Violin
Antica Terra or ???

Day 2:
Nicolas Jay
Kelley Fox
Soter, Brick House, White Walnut, Granville, Perry Colin, or Arterberry Maresh

Day 2 is the easy day. Day 1 is harder. There are some great wineries down by Violin, but not wineries I haven’t tried. I’m now considering dropping AT and Soter in favor of, say, Brick House and Vincent, and a trip to the Painted Lady.

Decisions are tough.

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If you haven’t tried John Grochau it may be worth a stop on day 1, same winery building as Violin.

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That’s no longer correct. Will is located in the previous Vincent, Grochau, Brooks space and not at the space in Amity…

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@moderators please move to Travel/Wine Tourism

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FYI @Will_Hamilton took over the GC building on the hill from John Grochau, whose winery is in the town of Amity, right by Coelho (Arabalis and Redolent rent space from John, and make quite interesting wines as well). (edit: see someone else beat me to the punch)

For a general approach, I’d say the draw of Antica Terra is the food and the other wines they pour alongside their own (especially if you don’t like richer versions of Chard/Pinot). Lots of people love it, and if you were in the area for longer I’d probably recommend it more…but to me, the best part of Oregon is the chance to interact with the people who actually make the wines, which you won’t get at AT. I’d probably also skip Nicolas Jay (and Soter/Brick House/etc) for similar reasons: If I were visiting for just a couple days, I’d want an old world, ask-the-questions-to-the-person-who-makes-the-decisions, not a tasting-room-person, no matter how well informed they are (and there are a lot of great tasting room people, but you’ve only got a couple days). I don’t know that there’s anywhere else in the US that’s making as much great wine that still has winemakers who are as accessible, friendly, and willing to share as here, and I’d take advantage of that while you can.

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I think youre right Saul, Ill probably skip AT and Soter. Probably keeping Nicolas Jay because it kills 3 birds with one stone: wine, breakfast, and a place to work :joy: but TBD

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We visited Eugene recently and had tasted at various places in the past. King estates is a very nice venue, but I’m not a Pinot fan…so most Willamette Valley tastings have been underwhelming.
However, this time, we had an extra half-hour heading back into Eugene, and randomly stopped at Sarver Winery near Veneta. It’s a small place, and the hosts were very friendly. The wines were exccellent! Including a Port style wine. That’s where I will go next time I’m in those parts.
This is obviously not the kind of information you’re looking for, but when I’m going to a new locale, I read these posts, so perhaps someone will benefit from this info.

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I have had great tastings at White Walnut. Their Whites are up there with some of the best I have had in the valley, but need time. I really enjoy tasting at Crowley. Evan is great to taste with and if Tyson is there, it makes for a great experience. Their whites as well are really under the radar but up there as well as some of my favs in the valley. I really like tasting at Flaneur. They have a great building and there are lots of real good places to eat within walking distance. A little more upscale then some of other places, but not stuffy. really down to earth. Its just an original fun place with a little more traditional feel to the tasting

As you mentioned, there are many great wineries by Violin. I would reach out to the wineries you like and have tasted at before and maybe ask them who they would recommend. You should get ideas of places that have the same tasting experiences that they offer. I have found that most of the wineries are happy to help out each other. There is such a feeling of community here and they all want everyone to succeed.

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I should be able to host you early November if you’re interested. Shoot me a DM or email and we can get something on the books.

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Happy to host. We make our wine at Anacreon Winery just outside Newberg.