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Posts Tagged ‘wineries in oregon’

Raise Your Glass to Oregon Wine Month

Posted on: May 4th, 2012 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan 1 Comment

Oregon Governor, John Kitzhaber, recently declared May 2012 Oregon Wine Month, in celebration of the state’s ever-growing wine industry.  With 420 wineries and 850 vineyards, wine is part of Oregon’s identity, and is a delicious accompaniment to a Washington County getaway. Celebrate Oregon Wine Month this May by visiting the nearly 30 wineries in Oregon’s Washington County and taste a flight of locally crafted wine, from Pinot Noir to Pinot Gris, and a number of surprising varietals in between. Or celebrate at one of these fun wine events throughout the May (Mother’s Day weekend events are listed here):

Oregon Wine Month winds down during the annual Memorial Day Weekend in Wine Country (countywide, hours and prices vary per winery).  Various wineries throughout Oregon’s Washington County (as well as around the state) are open their doors to the public for a festive open house featuring nibbles, entertainment and tastes of new wine releases.

For more information about Memorial Day Weekend in Wine Country and a listing of participating wineries, visit these industry partners:

Need more inspiration to get into the wine-tasting mood? Check out this video, taken at Ponzi Vineyards, or this video, taken at SakeOne.

FUN FACT:  Did you know that Oregon is the  4th largest wine-producing state in the U.S. (behind Washington, New York and California, the largest producer in the U.S.) ?

A Closer Look at Our Cities: Beaverton

Posted on: January 18th, 2012 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan No Comments

Tualatin Hills Nature Park and Interpretive Center, located in the heart of Beaverton, is one of several attractions in this growing city.

Oregon’s Washington County encompasses 727 square miles and boasts 10 cities. Each month, we’ll be spotlighting each city and highlighting its various attractions. This month the featured city is Beaverton.

Beaverton is Washington County’s second-largest city, with a population of more than 90,000. Apparel giants Nike and Columbia Sportswear, Reser Foods, optical scope maker Leupold & Stevens, and makers of test and measurement equipment, Tetronix, are just some of the major companies that call this city home.

Nestled in the heart of the Tualatin Valley, Beaverton is surrounded by farm lands and natural resources, and boasts 30 miles of hiking trails and a 25-mile network of bike paths. It is home to a diverse array of attractions, dining and family entertainment centers, plus tens of miles of hiking trails and bike paths. Beaverton also is home to two wineries, which earn the acclaim of being the closest wineries to Portland.

 

Shop
Bibliophiles rejoice! Beaverton boasts a smaller version of the infamous independent bookseller Powell’s City of Books at Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing (3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton; 800-878-7323). With more than half-a-million used, new, rare and hard-to-find titles, it’s easy to spend half a day browsing the aisles of this iconic bookstore.  See more shopping options in Beaverton.

Dine
Fresh Italian cuisine, prepared with locally sourced ingredients makes up the ever-changing menu of decarli restaurant (4545 SW Watson Ave., Beaverton; 503-641-3223). Inventive and delicious cocktails, diverse wine list, warm and inviting dining room, and hopping happy hour make decarli a must while in Oregon’s Washington County. Also in Beaverton is the venerable Hall St. Grill, which specializes in traditional American dishes prepared with a distinctive Northwest flair. For more dining options in Beaverton, and throughout Washington County, visit our dining page.

Play
Beaverton is home to two nationally-recognized wineries, Ponzi Vineyards (14665 SW Winery Ln., Beaverton) and Cooper Mountain Vineyards (9480 SW Grabhorn Rd., Beaverton), both noted for their exceptional wine and commitment to sustainable farming practices.

For those under the age of 21, Beaverton offers myriad family-friendly activities, from batting cages and laser tag to indoor rock climbing and bingo. See the complete list of  attractions and activities for the entire family.

Explore
The 222-acre Tualatin Hills Nature Park and Interpretive Center features 1.5 miles of paved trail (which is ADA accessible) and four miles of secondary trails, each offering a relaxing journey through the ecologically diverse habitat that includes ponds, creeks, marshes and forests. The Interpretive Center offers programs and special events for all ages. The trails and the center are open year-round; admission is free. There are plenty of other places to explore in and around Beaverton. Check out our website for more interesting things to see in do here.

Cooper Mountain Nature Park, a 230-acre site, features 3.5 miles of trails that traverse the park and pass through a mosaic of oak and madrone woodlands, native prairies and conifer forests. The park also houses a demonstration garden and a play area for children.

Stay
The Beaverton area has a bed-and-breakfast, Rose Cottage Bed and Breakfast (3392 SW Delaney Pl., Portland), plus nearly a dozen hotels and motels.


If you’re in the Beaverton area, be sure to stop by the Washington County Visitors Association’s visitor information center (11000 SW Stratus St., Beaverton; 503-644-5555, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., closed holidays) to pick up a visitor guide, area map, biking and recreation map and a host of additional material about Oregon’s Washington County.

Countdown to Wine Trail Weekend

Posted on: March 24th, 2011 by Angie Marsh

The North Willamette Wine Trail Weekend returns for a third year, April 9-10, 2011, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.  One of the most unique wine weekends in the state, the Wine Trail Weekend pairs Oregon wines and culinary delights with education and fun. (Read the press release.)

The scenery--and wine--are the big draws for the North Willamette Wine Trail Weekend

The scenery--and wine--are the big draws for the North Willamette Wine Trail Weekend

This year, 24 wineries are participating–each with special food pairing offerings such as cheese flights, tapas and truffles, as well as special events.

The participating wineries include:

  • ADEA Wine Company
  • Apolloni Vineyards
  • Ardiri Winery & Vineyard
  • Beran Vineyards
  • Cooper Mountain Vineyards
  • David Hill Vineyard & Winery
  • Elk Cove Vineyards
  • Freja Cellars
  • Garden Vineyards
  • Helvetia Vineyards
  • J. Albin Winery
  • Kramer Vineyards
  • Montinore Estate
  • Oak Knoll Winery
  • Patton Valley Vineyard
  • Plum Hill Vineyards
  • Ponzi Vineyards
  • Purple Cow Vineyards
  • Raptor Ridge Winery
  • SakeOne
  • Tualatin Estate Vineyards

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    Some wineries will offer tours of the grounds during this event

Plus, Dion Vineyard, Gresser Vineyard and Provincial Vineyards each will be pouring at Smith Berry Barn.

Each Wine Trail ticket holder will receive a commemorative wine glass and reusable wine tote filled with discounts and special offers.

For only $10, designated drivers are invited to journey along the Wine Trail and experience the same complimentary food, entertainment and education, and will receive a “Wine Trail Survival Kit,” with commemorative water bottle, reusable tote filled with snacks, maps, discounts and special offers.

Designated hotels near the wineries include:
- The Grand Hotel at Bridgeport
- Orenco Station Manor Suites
- Best Western NorthWind Inn and Suites
- SpringHill Suites by Marriott Portland-Hillsboro

For more information and to purchase tickets ($45 per person in advance) visit the North Willamette Vintners website. A total of 1,000 tickets will be sold; purchase early to secure your spot.

Other nearby lodging options

Correction: Twenty-four wineries are participating in this year’s event, not 21, as was stated in the e-newsletter.

Savoring Sunday

Posted on: February 24th, 2009 by Guest Blogger No Comments

Many of Washington County’s wineries host special events on holiday weekends, and this year’s Valentine’s Day was no exception. I headed out with my friend/co-worker Cherie, her hubby Darrell, their twin boys and our friend Ming for a day of fun on the west side of the county. We’d been anxious to test out the wines at the newly-opened Plum Hill Vineyards, and we were very impressed! Juanita and RJ Lint, the owners, had a full flight of six of their own wines and two additional pours from their friends at Thistle Wines in Dundee. They also had a full spread of very yummy food (spicy blue cheese “cake” anyone?), and they invited the folks from L-Bar-T Bison Ranch to offer samples of their pepperoni, summer sausage and jerky. The tasting room is so homey and comfortable that we could have stayed all day, but alas, other wineries were calling our names!

Our next stop was Montinore Estate, always a favorite of mine. A tasting there consists of any five wines from their extensive list, and we all had our own opinions on the perfect combination. My favorite is their Ruby, a Pinot Noir port that makes me want to curl up in front of a crackling fire. Lovely.

Another quick drive led us to SakéOne, where we enjoyed their “For the Love of Nigori” exotic chocolate and saké pairings. My favorite saké (as usual) was the Coconut Lemongrass, and we all LOVED the Domori Latte Sal chocolate from Italy. The Japanese atmosphere must have inspired Cherie, because in the middle of our tasting she suggested we make our next stop dinner at Syun Izakaya in Hillsboro. It sounded like a great idea, so off we went. We ordered a ton of sushi, hand rolls, sashimi and tempura, and we managed to eat most of it! It was a perfect way to wrap up a lovely day with friends.

By Julia Adam