With over 400 Oregon wineries, sometimes it can be hard to keep up!   Never fear, Paul Gregutt’s blog Unfined and Unfiltered can help you sift through and find a new favorite vintage.  Paul’s street creds are plentiful.  He writes the wine column in the Sunday Seattle Times Magazine, he’s the NW editor for Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and his reviews have been in Sunset, Decanter and other trade publications.  The reviews he writes for Oregon and Washington wines are exclusively in Wine Enthusiast magazine and in his blog.  Recently, Paul has written about wineries in Carlton, and Newberg. He’s on the road, heading south through the Willamette Valley to southern Oregon and beyond – posting comments and posing questions along the way. 

What are some of your favorite wine blogs?

There’s a wonderful article in the latest issue of NW Palate about where to stay and play in the Willamette Valley.  With more than 200 wineries to explore, along with B&B’s, local breweries, hotels and restaurants, there is something for everyone to enjoy.  Check out the list when you plan your next trip and discover a new favorite spot.  Still thirsty?  If you’re looking for even more destinations, we recommend heading south to see more of our beautiful valley.

What are some of your favorite places to visit in the Willamette Valley?

I am amazed at how individuals in Oregon wine country continue to offer creative and unique ways to visit our beautiful region.  Oregon Wine Safari offers a plethora of one-of-a-kind options including ground transportation, bus tours, and travel via helicopter.  Available as an add-on to any ground tour, or as a stand alone way to travel in style, the helicopter tours soar over wineries, vineyards, lakes, streams and even waterfalls.  Ground tours can be customized to an individual group needs and visitors can travel via Land Rover to explore the back roads of wine country.  Gourmet cuisine can be added on to any package. With meal options from picnic baskets to five course dinners, Oregon Wine Safari provides visitors with the “never-lift-a-finger” type of ultimate pampering experience.

How will you visit us this year? 

If you’re looking for a way to cruise around Oregon Wine Country this winter, leave the driving to the The-Trolley in Dundee.  Comfortably seating 26 riders, The-Trolley can be booked for vineyard tours, special outings, weddings or any large event that requires transportation.   Discover the old-world charm of the local scenery inside a comfortable trolley with your friends and family.  Each trip can be customized to the individual needs of a group.  In November, The-Trolley recently added Progressive/Gourmet Tours where visitors will stop at three different vineyards and enjoy a progressive meal at each stop along with wine paired exclusively for each course. 

It’s a great time to tour the wineries of the Willamette Valley. We hope to see you soon at one of our many tasting rooms.

Photo courtesy of The-Trolley website.

Recently, we were thinking about some of our favorite locations in the Willamette Valley.  There are so many options!  Between the many restaurants, wineries, museums, parks and trails, there is never a shortage of ideas no matter what time of year.

If you’re looking for inspiration for a trip to visit us next year, Gayot has laid out a wonderful itinerary designed as a “72 Hour Vacation.”  With McMinnville as a home base, the article is a way to jump start ideas of the plethora of activities available.

Looking for more ideas as you make your travel plans?  Check out the Willamette Valley Travel Guide, chock full of ideas and details to plan the trip of a lifetime.  We look forward to seeing you here soon.

Photo by Frank Barnett Photography