Oregon Wine Day Trips
These Wineries are Close in, So That Means a Quick Trip
While many wine country outposts can be removed from cities and take a long time to travel to, these Oregon wine destinations are close enough to home for a day trip.
Oregon spring and summer days are ideal for short day trips. With Oregon wines growing in popularity, those interested in seeing beautiful scenery, tasting award-winning wines and enjoying a preview of winemaking, these day trips will be a perfect day-long escape.
Willamette Valley Vineyards - Turner, OR
Just a quick jaunt down I-5 takes you to Willamette Valley Vineyards, the home of many award-winning wines, including their Pinot Noir and and Pinot Gris. This sloping, picturesque property offers a great getaway from the ordinary. The tasting room is elegantly decorated, but not stuffy.
It is open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. Guests are encouraged to stroll around the grounds, which offer views from atop Illahee hill, just south of Salem. This is also a guilt-free destination winery, as Willamette Valley Vineyards has recently been awarded several commendations for their sustainable winemaking practices. The winery is located just south of Salem near I-5.
Erath Vineyards - Dundee, OR
Known for its Pinot Noir and its sweeping valley views from its well-appointed tasting room, Erath has become a popular destination winery in recent years. They make three distinct Pinot Noirs, which have won many awards throughout the country.
Their goal is, and has been for 40 years, to make food-friendly pinot noir and to make wine an enjoyable thing for their guests and customers. A 45-minute drive south from Portland, Erath offers cellar tours and tastings daily and VIP tours by appointment.
McMenamin's Edgefield - Troutdale, OR
Just a half hour east from Portland along I-84, the winemaking hub for regional restaurant and brewery chain McMenamins is nestled in a quiet spot in Troutdale. The McMenamin brothers, who started the chain of pubs throughout Oregon and Washington, are known for renovating old buildings with interesting histories.
Edgefield used to be a poor farm and a nursing home before it became the sprawling estate that now houses Edgefield's many activities and historic buildings. There are tasting rooms, tours of the on-site vineyards, restaurants and a hotel onsite.
Amity Vineyards - Amity, OR
Founded in 1971, Amity Vineyards was one of the first in the region to begin producing world-class Pinot Noir. About 45 minutes south of Portland by car, Amity Vineyards makes for a great day-trip experience: They not only have a tasting room, but also a picnic area which offers views of the vineyards, the Willamette Valley and the Oregon Coast Range.
One of many Oregon wineries moving toward sustainable practices, Amity was awarded the gold medal at the Oregon State Fair for their Eco-Pinot Noir, which is organic and has no detectable sulfites. The view and the wine make this getaway a place you'll want to stay for more than just the day.
