: Ponzi Vineyards

Fabulous Wineries Near Portland

April 18, 2019

Just a stone’s throw from Portland, the Tualatin Valley is a great place to celebrate the seasons. Along the Vineyard and Valley Tour Route and beyond, the bucolic landscape beckons with rolling farmland, charming communities and vineyards stretching to the horizon.

The Tualatin Valley, at the gateway to the Willamette Valley, is home to 40 wineries ranging from boutique newcomers to long-standing pioneers. Year-round, tasting rooms uncork the bounty of the landscape. Here are a few favorite wineries to get you sipping.

Elk Cove Vineyards was named 2013 Winery of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine for its top-scoring wines.
Hawks View Winery crafts pinot gris with grapes planted on the vineyard in 1991. (Photo credit: Marlynn Schotland)
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Elk Cove Vineyards: Founded in 1974 in the foothills of the Cascade Range, Elk Cove Vineyards is farmed by two generations of the Campbell family. Elk Cove was named 2013 Winery of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine for its top-scoring wines like the 2010 Clay Court Pinot Noir and the 2012 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris. Stop in the Gaston tasting room for gorgeous views and a taste. Open daily.

Ponzi Vineyards and Winery: Ponzi’s state-of-the-art winery and tasting room in Sherwood sits on the north-facing slope of the Chehalem Mountains. The Ponzi family has been producing fine wines since 1970. A readers’ poll in Wine & Spirits magazine named the 2011 Ponzi Tavola Pinot Noir as a top pinot noir in U.S. restaurants. Reserve a vinter’s tour or culinary experience for an extra special visit. Open daily.

Hawks View Winery: The sprawling vineyard of Hawks View Winery in Sherwood is not only scenic, but sustainable too. LIVE-certified Hawks View crafts pinot gris with grapes planted on the vineyard in 1991. Enjoy intimate tastings in the elegant but homelike tasting room and be sure to take a peek at the barrel room. Open daily.

Apolloni Vineyards built a wine cave deep into the hillside, utilizing natural underground heating and cooling. (Photo credit: Apolloni Vineyard)
Abbey Creek Vineyard pairs wine with chili pepper sauces that the winemaker imports from Brazil. (Photo credit: Jen Anderson)

Apolloni Vineyards: The estate of Apolloni Vineyards is located just outside of Forest Grove for good reason. Winemaker Alfredo Apolloni found that this area had a similar climate to his family’s vineyards in Italy. You just might feel like you’re in Europe here. Today Apolloni has a legacy of making organic, LIVE-certified, salmon-safe wines, as well as a geothermal barrel cave built into the hillside. Open daily.

Abbey Creek VineyardWinemaker Bertony Faustin brings his unique New York flavors to the Abbey Creek tasting room in North Plains, with hip hop music, Brazilian hot sauce pairings and wines named “Sunshine” and “Diva.” Faustin is featured in the documentary “Red, White and Black,” an independent documentary about minority winemakers in Oregon. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to cheers with the winemaker himself. Open Saturdays and Sundays.

Cooper Mountain Vineyards: Located alongside the wooded Cooper Mountain Nature Park, the biodynamic Cooper Mountain Vineyards is blessed with natural scenery just a short distance from the heart of Beaverton. In 2018 the winery celebrated 40 years of winemaking. The festivities continue into the new year, with weekly special tastings themed after sensory terroir and their biodynamic practices. Open daily.

Ready to start tasting? Check out the full list of wineries in Tualatin Valley.

About The
Author

Eileen Garvin
Eileen Garvin lives and writes in Hood River. When she’s not hunched over her keyboard or digging in the garden, you can find her mountain biking, kiteboarding, hiking, skiing or camping somewhere in Oregon.