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How to experience boutique wine in the Northwest

With over 18 viticulture regions in Oregon alone, the Pacific Northwest has gained a reputation for growing wine grapes and producing great wine. To date, however, the vast majority of Oregon and Washington wine production is small-batch, grown on boutique estates. For wine aficionados used to frequenting large, well-known wineries in California, Tuscany or France, the difference in experience is significant. Those seeking out boutique wineries in the Northwest will discover a world of hands-on winemaking, with winemakers attached to their grapes and the land they’re produced on, will discover wines no one else knows about, and will have unaccustomed access to winery owners.

Where to go for Northwest wine:

With over 700 wineries in Oregon and over 800 in Washington, choices are plentiful, but a wine weekend is best focused on one of four regions. In Oregon, the best-known option is to head to the Willamette Valley, where Pinot Noir reigns king. The wineries here are among the oldest in the state, with heritage winemaking over several generations. Take a tour with Grape Escape to make the most of your visit, and stop for dining in Newberg or McMinnville and consider an overnight stay at the Allison Inn and Spa or a more relaxed yurt stay (yes, yurt!) at Bradley Vineyards.

A few hours down I-5, Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley has emerged on the wine scene in the past ten years, producing wines that do well in hotter, drier climates. Take a day to enjoy the Applegate Wine Trail or Table Rock Wine Trail, and consider a stay in Ashland or Jacksonville to round out your weekend. South Stage Cellars in historic Jacksonville offers an excellent selection of local wine, as does Old 99 Road Wine Shop in Medford. For sweeping views of the Rogue Valley, wine taste and dine at Dancin’ Vineyards or Kriselle Cellars.

In Washington State, Walla Walla plays host to some of the top wineries, with the Walla Walla Wine Alliance bringing them all together. Stroll the quaint downtown sector of this small city, poking into various tasting rooms and wine bars. Take a wine tour or pair your trip with a visit to Washington’s other major wine region, along the Columbia River Gorge. This wine region is ideally situated to pair with a city visit to Portland or a weekend away in Hood River.

Types of wine to look for at boutique Northwest wineries this coming year: counter-culture chardonnay, MRV, and Grenache Blanc (as opposed to blends).

How to find boutique wines during a city vacation:

Not heading to wine country, but want to discover boutique wine in Portland or Seattle? Start with urban wineries, which typically buy grapes from around the region, or consider joining a localized wine club. Cellar 503 is based in Portland and ships Oregon wine to its members monthly. Cellar 503’s tasting room in the city offers a place for members to taste, congregate to share wine news, and educate.

In Washington state, it’s possible meander along an urban wine trail right in Seattle, or taste the best the state has to offer at Bottlehouse or The Tasting Room.

Wine festivals and competitions not to miss:

Serious about wine tasting and want the biggest bang for your buck? Head to a Northwest-focused wine competition. Topping the list: The Oregon Wine Experience, held each August in Jacksonville Oregon. 65 Oregon wineries will congregate in one place during one week, with winemaker’s dinners, award competitions, tastings and wine university classes. The Northwest Food and Wine Festival, held in Portland, is another sure bet, as is Taste NW’s Seattle Wine Awards.

However you experience the Pacific Northwest boutique wines, you can expect to be greeted in tasting rooms by owners (and probably their dogs), shouldn’t be surprised if you’re invited to tour a barrel room or two, and will be delighted by low tasting fees and affordable bottle prices. Cheers!

Touring Oregon Wine Country with Grape Escape wine tours

Not long ago, I wouldn’t have thought of spending a full day during a Portland Oregon vacation touring the Oregon wine country. I simply wouldn’t have realized it was an option. In fact, the region directly around metropolitan Portland is ripe with wineries, and has been for several decades. During a recent parents’ weekend away in Portland, I spent an early spring Saturday in wine country with Grape Escape Tours, and it was certainly time well-spent. And if you are enjoying Portland with kids, good news: Grape Escape welcomes children on their winery tours, and yes, there’s actually things for them to do.

We started our experience with Grape Escape before we even arrived in Portland. As soon as I reached out via their website, owner Ralph Stinton gave me a call to find out where my party’s interests in wine lay, what we hoped to see during our day in wine country, and logistical details about our group. On our scheduled tour date, Ralph met us in the lobby of our Portland hotel where we chatted further about our expectations, our wine knowledge (or lack thereof), and the like. Following our phone conversation, Ralph had designed a personalized itinerary, which he handed out to us. Included on the itinerary were the three wineries we were scheduled to visit, plus our lunch plans and a paragraph of background information on each winery. Right away, we knew we were in good hands.

We loaded into a Grape Escape 12-passenger van, and Ralph told us more about Oregon’s wine country and the wineries we were scheduled to visit as we drove the approximately 30 minutes outside the city. Our customized tour began with smaller boutique winery Alloro Vineyards, located in the Chehalem Mountains. We met owner Dave Nemarnick, who planted the vineyard then built his beautiful Mediterranean inspired winery. It was obvious that Ralph and Grape Escape enjoyed a good working relationship with Alloro and the other wineries we toured; everywhere we went, he was greeted by name, and able to tell us detailed information about the location, the wines we were tasting, and the differences and similarities between Oregon wines and those elsewhere worldwide.

We lunched at The Allison Inn and Spa in the nearby Willamette Valley, which we had arranged ourselves; had we not, Ralph would have arranged lunch for us. We headed from there to nearby Domaine Serene, a larger winery situated in the Red Hills of Dundee. We were also scheduled to taste at Archery Summit, but Ralph was able to adapt our itinerary when we opted to spend extra time touring The Allison.

Grape Escapes booking tips:

Grape Escape vans comfortably hold up to 12 guests, but caravans are possible if you have a larger group. (Grape Escape has six vans in their fleet.) Ralph is one of several qualified guides, and founded the company 19 years ago. In his words, they ‘grew up’ with the Oregon wine industry, which explains their excellent relationship with the various vineyards.

Rates start at $80 per person for a partial day tour. The tour we enjoyed lasted from 10 am to after 4 pm, and runs $175 per person (the price lowers the larger your group). You’re paying for the transportation, but also for the expertise Grape Escape adds to the experience. The best way to get started is to fill out the form on the website, or call: 503-283-3380.

Oregon wine tasting with kids:

If you’re wine tasting with kids in tow, I’d recommend a half-day tour. I know my children would have gotten restless with a longer day. Ralph and his team know which wineries will be most kid-friendly, such as Stoller Winery, which sports a playground outside. All the wineries we saw included spacious outdoor seating, long rolling lawns, and usually a friendly dog or two. Kids will enjoy being out in the Oregon countryside and will be welcomed by Grape Escape. They’ll also sip sparkling juices and enjoy the same cheese and cracker plates as the adults. Ralph recommends bringing your own car seats, which can be fitted in any of the Grape Escape vans.

As I disclose whenever applicable, we experienced Grape Escape at a media rate, for the purpose of review.