Oregon’s wine roots run deep. When you stroll through a vineyard in the Willamette Valley, step into a tasting room in Southern Oregon or take in a grape-covered vineyard in the Columbia River Gorge, you have Oregon’s wine pioneers to thank. For Oregon Wine Month, we celebrate industry founders like Frank Wisnovsky of Valley View Vineyard, a civil engineer turned winemaker who planted the vines on the 19th century Britt homestead near Jacksonville in 1972. Not long after, in 1984, it was John Paul of Cameron Winery, whose Dundee vineyard was the first certified Salmon-Safe in Oregon. And in 1998, after a decade in the Oregon wine world, Lynn Penner-Ash launched Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in Newberg.
The pioneer spirit is alive and well in Oregon. Get out and experience it for yourself during Oregon Wine Month.
Boutique Pours
The festivities start early at Pour Oregon in Portland. Beloved wine club Cellar 503 will host a special festival on the eve of Oregon Wine Month. The event will showcase the state’s small artisanal winemakers. Sip from more than 40 boutique wineries at the Castaway Portland on April 28, 2019 from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Best of all, $10 from every tasting ticket will go to Make-A-Wish Oregon.
The Hills Are Alive
Top Willamette Valley wineries, chefs and restaurants will showcase their skills at the Taste Dundee. Enjoy live entertainment, local eats and special wine pricings from 20 participating wineries. The fun happens at the Dobbes Family Estate Winery on April 27, 2019 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Revel in the Rogue
See (and taste) the scenic Upper Rogue Valley at Roam the Rogue. Take a self-guided tour of six wineries on May 4, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located in and around Ashland, the event includes tastings and special paired menus at Agate Ridge Vineyard, Cliff Creek Cellars, Del Rio Vineyard, Folin Cellars, Kriselle Cellars and Labrasseur Winery. Join a shuttle or bring a designated driver at a reduced ticket price.
100 Valleys
Celebrate spring with a wine tour of “the land of 100 valleys.” During the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Barrel Tour on May 4, 2019, guests are escorted to six different wineries, where they can sample Southern Oregon varietals paired with local foods while enjoying the budding vines and rolling green hills of Umpqua Valley.
Memorial Day Weekend
The last weekend of Oregon Wine Month might be the biggest. On Memorial Day Weekend, more than a dozen events will be held at wineries across Oregon. Enjoy rare open houses and sneak-peek releases at Styring Vineyards in Newberg, Yamhill Valley Vineyards in McMinnville, Left Coast Cellars in Rickreall and more. Some wineries will only be open by appointment so call ahead to reserve your spot. Memorial Day Weekend is known for being a popular weekend at wineries — for good reason.
Find out more about Oregon Wine Month, including special tastings, events and specials around the state at OregonWineMonth.org.
