Wine Tasting in the Willamette Valley: 10+ Delicious Wineries in Oregon

Although the Willamette Valley may originally have been the end of the Oregon Trail, nowadays it is a delicious wine-tasting region. This 150-mile-long valley contains over 700 wineries. Wine Tasting in the Willamette Valley should be part of any wine lover’s Oregon trip. Just an hour from Portland, it makes for a perfect afternoon away from the city, a fabulous weekend getaway, or a great part of an Oregon road trip. 

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History of the Willamette Valley

The first people who resided in the Willamette Valley were the Kalapuya Tribe about 10,000 years ago. In the 1800s many of them died due to diseases. After the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the early 1800s, many more settlers began to inhabit the area, especially once the Oregon Trail opened in 1841. 

Now, the Willamette Valley area contains 6 of the largest cities in Oregon. Wine production began seriously in 1984 and has continued to grow into seven smaller AVAs. 

How to get to The Willamette Valley

The Willamette Valley is near Portland, Oregon. Many flights fly into Portland International Airport (PDX) from all over the world. There are tons of daily direct flights from Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City. Oftentimes, you can find flights for under $200. 

From Portland, you will want to take the 5 South to the 99 west for most of the wineries. 

When to Visit The Willamette Valley

The Portland area is gorgeous in the summertime! The weather is sunny but not too hot which makes it a great time for wine tasting. In the winter months, some of the wineries might not be open or it may be really rainy out, so keep that in mind if you go during those months. 

Where to Stay in The Willamette Valley

TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Portland and Willamette Valley hotels here!

There are a ton of different areas you can stay in when wine tasting in the Willamette Valley, it just depends on what areas you want to visit. Many of the wineries on this list are between Beaverton and McMinnville, so I suggest staying in that area if you are not staying in Portland. McMenamins is always a fun hotel to stay in as it was built in an old school.

Transportation Around The Willamette Valley

To get around the Willamette Valley, you will need a car. You could also opt to hire a driver or go on a wine tour from Portland, but those can be a bit more expensive. 

Don’t want to drive and want a tour of the Willamette Valley? Check out this tour or this tour to enjoy a preset itinerary with a guide and driver. 

Best Wineries in The Willamette Valley Near Portland

The choices are endless on places to wine taste in the Willamette Valley, but the following are some of the favorites I have been to so far. 

Adelsheim Vineyard

Cost: $35

Hours: 10am-4pm

Best Wine: 2016 Ribbon Springs Pinot Noir

Adelsheim Vineyard is one of the best wineries for wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. The vineyard began in 1971 but seriously got into wine production in 1980. They make some amazing Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Rose, and are beginning Syrah production. A tasting here costs $35 for 5 wines but can be waived with the purchase of two bottles. 

Our sommelier, Allie, really made our experience awesome, but the winery itself is also gorgeous. This is definitely a winery to come grab a bottle and relax for a while. 

Alloro Vineyard

Cost: $35 

Hours: 11am-5pm

Best Wine: 2018 Estate Pinot Noir 

Alloro Vineyard is one of the best views when wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. It is a great place to taste or relax with a bottle of wine. The vineyard was originally planted in 1999 and continues to grow in production each year. Present-day, they produce a lot of Pinot Noir, some Chardonnay, and Reisling. A tasting here costs $35 for 4 tastings and it is waived with 4 bottles purchased. 

Brick House Wines

Cost: $20

Hours: By appointment only

Best Wine: Any Pinot Noir

Brick House Wines is my absolute favorite winery for wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. I stop here on every single Willamette Valley trip. Not only is Brick House a reasonably priced winery, but they also produce some of the best Pinot Noirs and Gammays I have had.

The first wine production began at Brick House in 1993, but it really became popular in 2002. The winery is known for its Biodynamic practices which help keep the wine organic. A tasting here costs $20 for 5 wines. All tastings are by appointment only to make the experience more personal, so make sure to plan in advance. 

Cooper Mountain Vineyards

Cost: $25

Hours: Thus-Sun: 11am-3:30pm

Best Wine: 2017 Pinot Noir

Cooper Mountain Vineyards is one of the early wineries to begin Biodynamic and Organic wines in Oregon. The first vines were planted in 1978 but seriously began in 1987. Now they have five vineyards across 165 acres. A tasting here costs $25 for 5 tastings. 

Montinore Estate

Cost: $15

Hours: Thus-Sun: 11:30am-5pm

Best Wine: Pinot Noir or L’Orange

Montinore Estates is one of the best wineries for wine tasting in the Willamette Valley due to its variety of wines. The owners are originally from Italy, so they produce some Italian-style wines. It started in 2005 and is another biodynamic and organic winery in the Willamette Valley. 

A tasting here is a great value -only $15 for 6 wines. Many of the wines produced are Pinot Noir, but other wines produced include Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and many other Italian styles. 

Ponzi Vineyards

Cost: $30

Hours: 11am-5:30pm

Best Wine: Pinot Noir

Ponzi Vineyards was established in 1970. In total, they have 130 acres and produce mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The tasting room provides gorgeous views of the area. A tasting costs $30 for 4 wines. On the weekends, you can also do a chef’s pairing. Ponzi is a relaxing place for wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. 

Other popular wineries to visit in the Willamette Valley include Raptor Ridge, Hawks View, Bergstrom Wines, and Elk Cove.

Wine Tasting in the Willamette Valley: Salem, Oregon

Bryn Mawr Vineyards

Cost: $20

Hours: 11am-5pm

Best Wine: Sparkling Rose

Bryn Mawr Vineyards was established in 2009 and opened its tasting room in 2019. Originally it consisted of a four-acre foundation establishing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Tempranillo Vines. Since that time, other wines have been added to create the mix they have today and makes for one of the best wineries for wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. 

Present-day, Bryn Mawr offers visitors gorgeous views of the Willamette Valley and a chill atmosphere. Visitors get to taste a couple of different Roses, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, as well as a Dolcetto and Tempranillo, which is a bit harder to find in this region. A tasting costs $20 for 5 wines and they have no problem with you sharing. 

Bjornson Vineyard

Cost: $20 tasting for 5 wines

Hours: Sun-Thurs: 11am-5pm, Fri-Sat: 11am-7pm

Best Wine: Reserve Pinot Noir

The 107-acre Bjornson Vineyard area was purchased in 2005 and the family began growing grapes during that time. Throughout the years, they have perfected the creation of Pinot Noirs and offer a variety of Pinots to try. A tasting here costs $20 and visitors get to try 5 different Pinots and sometimes a bonus pour or two. It is definitely one of the best wineries for wine tasting in the Willamette Valley near Salem. 

Stangeland Vineyards and Winery

Cost: $20 tasting for 9 wines

Hours: Sun-Thurs: 12pm-5pm, Fri-Sat: 11:30am-5pm

Best Wine: Pinot Noir Bethany Heights

Stangeland Vineyards is one of the original Salem vineyards and best wineries for wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. The area was purchased in 1971 and the first vineyards were planted in 1978. In 1991, the first vintages of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris were produced. 

Present-day, this boutique vineyard offers walk-in tastings for $20 for a taste of 9 of their wines. They produce a wide variety of both common and unique wines such as orange wine and Viognier. Many of them are highly rated. The owner also frequently hangs out in the tasting room, so visitors will most likely get a chance to talk to him. 

Willamette Valley Vineyards

Cost: $15-$20

Hours: Sat-Thurs: 11am-6pm, Fri: 11am-8pm

Best Wine: Bernau Block Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley Vineyards (WVV) is one of my favorite wineries for wine tasting in the Willamette Valley near Salem. WVV began in 1983 and has several locations scattered around the Willamette Valley. The tasting room near Salem is the original location and was used to film the season finale of Top Chef. 

I highly recommend visiting for dinner as they had a delicious menu and the prices were very affordable. Along with dinner, you can opt to do a wine tasting or they have recommended glasses to go with each entree. 

A tasting here is either $15 or $20 depending on which flight you choose. All of the wines were delicious and I really enjoyed getting to dry all the varieties. My favorite wines of the flight were the Whole Cluster Pinot Noir and the Bernau Block Pinot Noir. 

Visitors who want a mega food experience can opt to visit the Willamette Valley Vineyards Lake Oswego location. At this location, they have a more extensive tasting menu with daily three-course food pairings.

Interested in other United States wine regions?

The United States has a ton of awesome wine regions. From Willamette, you can head to Washington to visit the Columbia Valley and Walla Walla. If you have extra time, head south to spend time in Medford, Oregon (Dancin Winery is awesome), or visit Paso Robles, Healdsburg, Napa, and Sonoma in California. 

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