What three wineries in Oregon would you visit?

Brad Widelock

Brad Widelock
I'm off on a family car trip to Seattle and Portland. After many hours of negotiations, I have been allotted three winery visits. Any recommendations?

Thanks,

Brad
 
If you're going near the coast at all, I love what is coming out of Teutonic in Alsea (west of Salem/Corvallis). Yachats, nearby on the coast, is lovely for the fam as well. Not that close to PDX though.
Closer to PDX, Eyrie would be another obvious choice. Tours at Clear Creek Distillery in the NW part of the city are pretty cool too.
 
A winery that I think would match up well with my perceived preferences of board members here would be JK Carriere. Jim Prosser is a really good guy, and he's got a great (yet very dry) sense of humor.

Check out this video for an idea of what his wines are about:

 
It's been a while, but the last time I paid any attention JK Carriere was all about winemaking: every-trick-in-the-book-whether-you-need-it-or-not. Maybe things have changed?

If I were going, any were only going to visit three, they would be Yamhill Valley Vineyards, Domaine Drouhin Oregon, and John Thomas. All for personal reasons, so, no recommendations.
 
I'd want to check out Cameron, Vincent (Fritsche), and Scott Frank (Bow And Arrow). Given the option of 4, I'd also want to visit Teutonic, too. Or maybe Tootonic, teu... I can't make up my mind.
 
I once drove from Portland to Seattle via the wine country and up the coast - and stayed at this place, which I most highly recommend:

http://www.mobydickhotel.com/ Fabulous food and the corkage is (or at least was) $1 per stem used!

No advice on the domaines though as I am ill-informed.
 
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
It's been a while, but the last time I paid any attention JK Carriere was all about winemaking: every-trick-in-the-book-whether-you-need-it-or-not. Maybe things have changed?
I think you have Jim confused with someone else. He's about as non-interventionist as you can get.
 
You can check out this thread for some recommendations:
Brooks turned out to be a surprise for me. Good pinot and riesling.
Ayres is pretty good, too. I'm a fan of Ribbon Ridge.
The single best pinot I had on my trip was the 2009 Brick House Evelyn's.
Belle Pente is a board favorite.
 
I can't speak to the experience of visiting, but my favorite Oregon wines are from Brick House, Patricia Green, Eyrie, Scott Paul, and Evening Land.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
I can't speak to the experience of visiting, but my favorite Oregon wines are from Brick House, Patricia Green, Eyrie, Scott Paul, and Evening Land.

I haven't visited Patty Green's operation, but I've been drinking her wines with pleasure since her days at Torii Mor. Domaine Drouhin, Scott Paul and Chehalem also are worth a visit

Mark Lipton
 
Unless it has changed, Patricia Green is not open to the public except on those days when they have regionwide tasting. I was told they don't do appointments.
I've never had so many dud wines from a reputable Oregon winemaker as I have from Patricia Green.
Stoller is run by people who cofounded Chelalem. I like their wines, both white and red, but it wouldn't be in my top five.
 
I second Brick House.

I went there only once--ten years ago. At the time, I think that Doug was the only certified organic producer in a sea of sustainable. It was Pinot Camp -- Doug didn't participate -- and he seemed a little wary of visitors. When I arrived, I think he was ready to run through yet another tasting with a snot-nosed ingrate when I told him I wanted to see his compost pile. His face lit up. We checked the pile and walked through the vineyard with Doug's dog chasing behind us, darting in and out of tall wild grass, with butterflies swirling by and beautiful grapes and blueberry plants everywhere. (I had been told for days by reasonable people that one had to spray chemicals to kill the evil blueberry plants.) We ended up in the barrel room where Doug let me try my hand blending wines from different barrels and tasting them. He was such a gracious host. He even told me he had sans soufre Gamay (this was ten years ago) but I passed. What an idiot.
 
Teutonic
Cameron (taste the Clos E. blanc)
Crowley (whites)

Old South Block Eyrie are the best wines I've had from this state...by a wide margin
Evesham wood during the Russ days
JK Carriere (worked at Roumier, ...)...Prosser is truly a great guy with an interesting personality...
Matello
DDO
Thomas
Scott Paul

I don't think Chehalem or St Innocent or Patty Green or Eveningland or Brickhouse are very disorderly.

-mark, Portland, Oregon
 
originally posted by Mark Davis:
Evesham wood during the Russ days

I don't think Chehalem or St Innocent or Patty Green or Eveningland or Brickhouse are very disorderly.

Has Evesham Wood changed their style?

St. Innocent was very much to my tastes in the '90s and I've had intermittently excellent bottles since then but I've also had some disappointments. I don't drink enough of them to know which are more representative.
 
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