Cheers to Oregon Wine Month

Do you prefer your wine tasting with food pairings, live music, discounts and supporting great causes? Oregon has it all – year-round but especially during Oregon Wine Month in May, which culminates in a Memorial Day Weekend finale at tasting rooms in all corners of the state. Wherever you go, know that Oregon wines fly free on Alaska Airlines, so you can take a bottle of Oregon wine country home with you.

Here are our top tips on how to join the party.

1. Attend a wine event (or two or three)

If you’re looking to level up your wine-tasting experience a bit, consider checking out any of the special events featuring Oregon wines in May.

One of the hottest tickets of the year is to the Oregon AAPI Food + Wine Fest, founded in 2023 with the mission to celebrate the diverse wine and culinary scene that makes the Pacific Northwest, particularly Oregon, so unique. The 2023 event donated $5,000 in proceeds to Our Legacy Harvested and $10,000 to Maui relief through the Hawaii Community Foundation. Organizers say there are 13 known Asian and Pacific Islander-owned wineries in Oregon, who will feature their wines and paired food bites at Stoller Family Estate’s Experience Center in Dayton. Also look for tickets to weekly winemaker dinners in Portland throughout the month of May, each highlighting a host chef and guest chef from the AAPI community.

Another one-of-a-kind event is set for May 4 at Tillamook Creamery. This wine and cheese pairing is a chance to sample wines from six Oregon winemakers, each paired with a unique dairy product. Tickets are $30 (including wine for ages 21 and up) or $15 not including wine, available online and at the door. A follow-up virtual wine and cheese pairing event is set for May 16, free and open to all.

See the Oregon Wine Board’s event calendar here.

2. Experience incredible food and wine pairings

From cheese and crackers to charcuterie, pasta or a 6-course meal, there’s nothing quite like a bottle of Oregon wine paired with your favorite foods. Luckily there are many places to enjoy unique wine-pairing experiences in Oregon, most any day of the week. Most tasting rooms include opportunities for noshing, but wine lovers know that many Oregon restaurants and wine bars are particularly known for their exceptional wine selections. Top spots for wining and dining include Arden Restaurant, Dame Collective, OK Omens and Ava Gene’s in Portland; Jory and The Painted Lady Restaurant in Newberg and many more.

3. Do good for the community and planet

As you choose where to wine taste or buy bottles of your favorite Oregon wine you’re choosing where to spend your dollars, according to your values. It’s a great opportunity to support Oregon’s diverse winemakers and leaders in the industry like Tiquette Bramlett, founder of Our Legacy Harvested – an incubator that works to advance opportunities for BIPOC individuals in the wine industry.

It’s also an excellent opportunity to support Oregon’s eco-friendly wineries – those that are doing the work to leave the planet better through their sustainable practices. For instance, Soter Vineyards – an esteemed biodynamic vineyard in Carlton – has since 2009 donated $1 from each bottle of their Planet Oregon pinot noir to the Oregon Environmental Council to support the nonprofit’s work towards climate resilience as they collaborate with legislators, elected officials, business owners and farmers throughout the state.

4. Visit a new wine region

Oregon is home to 23 winemaking regions, each with terroirs as diverse as the landscapes. If you’ve been to the North Willamette Valley (say, Newberg or Dundee), why not try the Mid-Willamette Valley (Salem and Corvallis area) or South Willamette Valley (Eugene area)? Each has their own unique character, with friendly winemakers and gorgeous tasting rooms both in the city and in more rural areas. Three cheers to the Willamette Valley for being named by Time Magazine as one of the world’s greatest places of 2023, specifically highlighting the new luxury boutique Tributary Hotel and okta restaurant in McMinnville and Remy Wines in Dayton.

Southern Oregon is home to Oregon’s other major esteemed wine region, with many visitor-friendly ways to explore. Check out the Bear Creek Wine Trail (Central Point to Ashland), the wineries and wildflower hikes around Grants Pass, Rogue Valley, Applegate Valley and more.

The Columbia River Gorge is home to some stunning wineries as well; both Analemma Wines in Mosier and riverfront Tierra de Lobos Winery in The Dalles are part of the East Gorge Food Trail and are gorgeous places to visit after a nearby hike or a U-pick fruit adventure. Travel just a bit further east to Milton-Freewater to experience the Rocks District — an enclave of tasting rooms that have sprung up in recent years to showcase the famous Walla Walla Valley terroir.