Willamette Valley Vineyards -- Oregon Trail

Entrance to Willamette Valley Vineyards

We have been slow to write a review of Willamette Valley Vineyards, one of the wineries we visited during on our trip to Oregon's Willamette Valley for wine tasting, primarily because this winery and vineyard was the greatest stop on the journey. It is a big, but friendly, winery that offers so many views of grapes, wine, wine production and retailing that trying to write a review of our visit there seemed overwhelming. 

Wines for Tasting

We had the pleasure of staying on the vineyard for three nights and as a result we saw the in-depth side of winery operations. Walking through the vineyards in the morning before the world was fully awake was truly a highlight of our visit--but, then, so was sitting on the veranda outside of the guest rooms watching the sun set over the coastal mountains of Oregon, sipping some of the well balanced wines produced by the vineyard and enjoying the conversation with friends as the darkness fell ending another exciting day of adventure. 

Willamette Valley Vineyards Tasting
Room player piano

The vineyard is easy to find, being right off Interstate 5 south of Salem, Oregon, at The Enchanted Forest exit. It is kind of funny to think about the exit offering excitement for kids of all ages. Even though it sounds like a long way from the Portland airport, the drive was easy and fun.

View Across the Willamette Valley

The newly constructed tasting room must be seen to be appreciated.  Sitting up the hill, it provides a commanding overlook of the Willamette Valley south of Salem. The tasting room is the nicest and most welcoming tasting room of all the ones we experienced in the region. 

And then, and this is not an afterthought, there are the wines. The vineyards possesses a great assortment of wines to please almost every oenophile. 

Pinot Noir is king at Willamette Valley Vineyards and that is as it should be in this region. Ten different Pinot Noir wines were available for sale during our visit. We were able to participate in our first ever horizontal Sub-AVA tasting consisting of Pinot Noir wines from five different sub-AVAs within the Willamette Valley. The tasting helped us to understand the differences of the different regions. But the tastings did not stop there. Willamette Valley Vineyards also provides a dynamic Pinot Gris--which we felt was one of the best Pinot Gris offerings we have ever experienced along with Riesling, Chardonnay, a sparkling Muscat, and Viognier offerings. The winery also has a second label, Griffin Creek, which offers Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Viognier, and Malbec wines.

Although the choices seem overwhelming--there are definitely some "best buys!"

Bob and Chris's Willamette Valley Vineyards Best Buys:

2013 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir, $22. It is hard to beat this wine as a great go to wine that will please nearly everyone. Although promoted as "liquid fruit salad in a glass"--we found it to be a great wine suitable for many occasions, especially sitting around the pool after a long hot day. 

2013 Willamette Valley Vineyards Reisling, $14. A semi-sweet wine with fruit and a touch of effervescence that refreshes.

2013 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris, $16. Fabulous! We are not primarily white wine drinkers, but if all white were like this one, we might convert. The balance, minerality, flavors, and acidity of this wine are unsurpassed. 

2012 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Bernau Block, $55. This is a great Pinot Noir and we were happy to be able to secure a few bottles for our collection. It is the signature wine of the founder and CEO of Willamette Valley Vineyards. During our stay we were able to walk around the vineyards block from which the grapes for this wine are sourced. 

2010 Willamette Valley Vineyard AVA Series Wines, $50. If you want to experience the variations and differences among the Willamette Valley sub-AVAs, get these wines. They each provide a flavor the the valley and the regions from which they come.

RECOMMENDATION: This winery should be at the top of every Pinot Noir drinkers bucket list. 

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD
#wvv #wine4yourlife