Top 8 Willamette Valley Wine Tours + Tastings Not to Miss in Oregon
Willamette Valley Wineries might not be at the top of your list when you think of visiting some of the best wineries in the world. Oregon wine country has some of the best-kept secrets when it comes to wineries worth visiting, and they rival ones you’ll find in southern Europe and California.
If you’re planning to visit some wineries in Willamette Valley, you’re probably wondering which ones to put on your itinerary. This guide can help you plan the ultimate Oregon winery tour!
Willamette Valley is found on the western side of Oregon, bordered by both the Cascade Range and the Calapooya Mountains. The region has some stunning scenery, along with over 500 wineries that are worth checking out.
Ready to head to Willamette Valley? Make sure to put some (or all) of these wineries on your bucket list!
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1. Trisaetum Winery
This winery got its unique name from a combination of the owners’ two children’s names- Tristen and Tatum. It’s a cute family estate winery located in the Ribbon Ridge AVA part of the valley.
People love to visit the Trisaetum Winery because they practice sustainable and organic winemaking processes. During your tour, the guide will explain how all these processes work.
They are known for their Pinot Noir and Riesling varietals. You can do your wine tasting in the art gallery on-site or on the patio overlooking the valley. They even have heaters during the colder months.
Trisaetum Winery is located at 18401 NE Ribbon Ridge Rd, Newberg, OR 97132, United States. They do wine tasting every day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tasting is $30 per person.
2. Chehalem Winery
Chehalem Winery is family-owned and has been around since 1990. They make many different kinds of wine, but the most popular is their single vineyard pinot noirs. They also make some excellent chardonnay, in case you’re not a fan of red wine.
At the vineyard, you can do a regular wine tasting or their specialty tasting called the Popcorn and Wine Pairing Tasting. They have all different flavors of popcorn that have been paired with their wines by a sommelier.
If you can’t make it to the winery, they also have a tasting room in downtown Newberg, where many people stay while they are exploring Oregon and the Willamette Valley.
Chehalem Winery is located at 31190 NE Veritas Ln, Newberg, OR 97132, United States. They do wine tasting every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wine tasting is $20 per person, and the wine and popcorn pairing is $30 per person.
3. Adelsheim Winery
This winery has consistently been voted the best winery in Willamette Valley. It was founded in 1971 and is family-owned and operated. They specialize in many different varietals.
This winery is a great place to visit if everyone at your party has a different wine taste. You can choose from Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, or Gamay Noir.
Adelsheim Winery has paved the way for sustainable wine-making processes. The tasting and tour include a guide that shares the history of the winery and how they use these processes.
The tasting takes place on a beautiful patio where you can see the hills and vineyard scenery.
Adelsheim Winery is located at 16800 NE Calkins Ln, Newberg, OR 97132, United States. They do tasting every day from 10:30 a.m. and at 4:30 p.m. Tastings are $35 per person.
4. Beaux Freres
Beaux Freres is known to be one of the best wineries in Willamette Valley. They are open by appointment only, though. Make sure to plan ahead and call for a reservation for the day you’re hoping to go. They can get pretty booked during the harvest season (in September and October).
You can do either a classic tasting or a combination of a tour, tasting, and hike. If you do the tasting and hike, plan to spend about 2 hours at the winery.
You can explore over 30 acres of vineyards. Beaux Freres has many different wines to try, but they are well-known for their pinot noirs.
Beaux Freres is located at 15155 NE North Valley Rd, Newberg, OR 97132, United States. They’re open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The classic tasting is $25, and the full tour is $75.
5. Bergstrom Winery
Bergstrom is just a few minutes away from Adelsheim, so you can easily visit both on the same day. They also only have wine tastings by appointment, so make sure to call ahead.
They are known for some of the best Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in the United States.
When you make your appointment, you can book either the Signature Tasting or the Ekollon Experience. The experience gives you way more options for wine tasting, including limited edition estate wines and library wines.
You also get a full tour of the vineyard and a food pairing menu so you can eat with your wine.
Definitely book the tour, as it’s worth the price. It takes a few hours, though, so it might not be doable if you’re trying to visit several wines on the same day.
Bergstrom Winery is located at 8115 NE Worden Hill Rd, Dundee, OR 97115, United States. They are open by appointment only, and tastings are $80 per person.
6. Shea Wine Cellars Winery
Shea Wine Cellars has only been open to the public for a few years. They are another winery that requires appointments, so make sure to call for a reservation.
You might already know this winery since it’s named after the famous Shea Vineyard. Many wineries in Willamette Valley buy their fruit from the Shea Vineyard since it produces some of the best grapes in the United States.
They used to sell their grapes only and didn’t make their own wine. They later began to make their own and then opened up Shea Wine Cellars. It’s very popular in Willamette Valley.
Make sure to try the Chardonnay or the Pinot Noir. You won’t be disappointed!
Shea Wine Cellars Winery is located at 12321 NE Hwy 240, Newberg, OR 97132, United States. They’re open every day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tasting fee is $30, but you get it refunded if you make a $100 purchase or more.
7. Domaine Drouhin Winery
This is one of the best wineries located at the top of Dundee Hills. If you want to sip your wine with one of the best views in Oregon, do a wine tasting at Domaine Drouhin.
This family-owned winery also produces wine in France, so many of the wines rival some of your favorite French bottles.
Domaine Drouhin Winery is located at 6750 NE Breyman Orchards Rd, Dayton, OR 97114, United States. They’re open every day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They don’t do tastings on Wednesday, though. Tastings are $40 per person.
8. Four Graces Winery
Four Graces Pinot Noir is one of the most famous Willamette Valley wines. They also have five other estate wines that you can try during the tasting.
The owner of Four Graces named his winery after his four daughters. This vineyard is smaller than some of the others on the list and has its tasting room in a rustic barnyard setup.
They are one of the only wineries that welcome outside food and drinks, so you can pack a picnic and enjoy it on the grounds after your tasting.
Four Graces Winery is located at 9605 NE Fox Farm Rd, Dundee, OR 97115, United States. They’re open every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The tasting fee is $15.
How to Get to Willamette Valley
The nearest airport to Willamette Valley is Portland International Airport (PDX). Portland’s airport is pretty busy, so you can find flights daily from domestic and international destinations. Depending on where else you’re coming from, you might fly into Los Angeles (LAX) and then connect to Portland.
There’s a smaller airport to the south of the valley called Eugene (EUG). It can be expensive to fly into, especially if you’re traveling internationally. As a result, most people fly to Portland.
You can also get into the valley through Amtrak since it has stops in Eugene and Portland. Once you get off the train or flight though, you will need to rent a car actually to get into Willamette Valley.
How to Get Around Willamette Valley
Since many of the wineries are far from one another, you will need to rent a car. Public transportation also doesn’t go beyond the city of Eugene, so you cannot take public transit to the valley.
If you don’t want to rent a car or are uncomfortable driving after drinking, you can always book a tour around the wineries. This is ideal for those who want to know the history of the wineries, as the guides will often talk about the wineries in-depth.
Booking a tour is also perfect for those who plan to do several tastings. Having a guide drive you around when you’ve been drinking is always better!
window.fd(‘form’, { formId: ‘5f654c78bf43d8ae8bbfa457’, containerEl: ‘#fd-form-5f654c78bf43d8ae8bbfa457’ });Going on a tour or even getting a driver will also let you and your friends enjoy all the wines you want to try without having to worry about assigning a designated driver in your group. Because, really—who wants to skip tastings in Willamette Valley?
When to Visit Willamette Valley Wineries
Most people visit the best wineries in Willamette Valley during harvest season, which is in September and October. The weather during these months is not too cold and not too hot. There’s also little to no rainfall during this time.
You also get to see the winemaking process, including seeing workers in the field picking the grapes.
If you plan to explore Oregon or Portland more, September and October also have regular fall festivals and other activities.
Best Places to Stay in Willamette Valley
When staying inside the valley, you can expect hotel prices to be a little pricey. You’ll need to look for places in Eugene or closer to Portland for cheaper hotels.
Budget— Mount Tom House: Check out this cute little bed and breakfast just outside Eugene. The grounds are stunning, and all the rooms are clean and spacious. Breakfast and parking are both free.
Mid-range— Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast: This beautiful hotel is on top of a mountain that looks down onto the valley. It’s less than 10 miles from more than 15 wineries. Book a room with a skylight and balcony with valley views!
Luxury—The Allison Inn & Spa: This resort is less than 2 miles from over a dozen wineries. You can book a standard room with a fireplace and wet bar or book a suite for a living room and kitchen. All of the rooms are decorated with local art depicting scenes from the local wineries.
Best Restaurants in Willamette Valley
Many of the wineries in Willamette Valley don’t serve food, so you’ll want to know some of the best restaurants to visit before or after your wine tastings!
Pura Vida Cocina is the place to go if you’re craving Central American food, including Mexican and Peruvian dishes. They have great tacos and more exotic dishes like guava-chipotle ribs. They also have a full cocktail menu if you want something besides wine after your tastings!
Community Plate is one of the best choices for breakfast. They have huge breakfast sandwiches and over a dozen different kinds of jams to try. Make sure to try the chicken breakfast sandwich with maple bacon sauce. Yum.
Mac Market is an excellent choice if you want something a little fancier. The weekly menu changes depending on the season and the available local ingredients. They have fresh bread, local meat, and fresh produce every day.
Check Out the Best Willamette Valley Wineries!
If you’re traveling through Oregon, stopping by some of the best Willamette Valley wineries is a must. Or even better—plan a trip around a visit to the valley! Most of the wineries specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but there are many different types to try.
There are also many beautiful bed and breakfasts to check out in the nearby city of McMinnville.
This is a great place for a trip with friends or a romantic getaway.
You can do a couple of wine tastings and then head to your hotel to relax or enjoy some of the local restaurants.
Have you been to Willamette Valley or had the wine? Which Willamette Valley wine is your favorite?
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