Travel and sip through Willamette Valley but say it right or be pegged as a tourist.
Oregon’s wine country can be compared to Napa Valley sans the attitude. Willamette Valley (pronounced: "will-AMIT") delights travelers with award-winning Pinot Noirs. The town of Amity, with a population just under 1,500 is a cozy, pleasant town and ideal base for a weekend trip to Oregon's wine country.
Meandering country roads lead through hazelnut orchards and seed grass farms. Wineries and vineyards are nestled into the countryside and run by vintners who can be described as salt of the earth.
WHAT TO TASTE
Willamette Valley farmers began planting grapes in 1966. The region's cool temperatures create the ideal conditions to produce award-winning Pinot Noirs. Decent Chardonnays are bottled, too, but the biggest surprise is the variety of refreshing rosés coming out of Oregon. Light, crisp, fruity and refreshing, wine connoisseurs are no longer turning their noses up at the pink wine.
Amity has a handful of wineries right in town with dozens more within a 30-minute drive. Most wineries offer spectacular scenery of the rolling vineyards, green countryside and mountain range. Amity Vineyards, Cristom Vineyards and Witness Tree Vineyard do just that. If a winery doesn't offer a view, it makes up for it with a great story and conversation, such as found at Coelho Winery.
Established in 2004, the Coelho Winery and Tasting Room are housed in a 1930s building which began as a hardware store. A fire gutted it prior to the Coelho's taking ownership but the charred wood has been recycled and crafted into many furnishings, including the winery's tasting bar.
It's more than just about wine tasting in Amity. The Brigittine Monastery, set down the end of a bumpy, unpaved road, makes creamy, rich fudge and truffles. Like all monasteries, the monks need to have a specialty and fudge is that of the Brigittine Monks. Visitors to the monastery gift shop can sample all four flavors of the heavenly fudge and purchase pre-packaged, one-pound boxes.
WHERE TO STAY
Amity has an ample inventory of bed and breakfast inns. McMinnville is the next town over with a nice inventory of bed and breakfast inns and a groovy hotel called McMenamins Hotel Oregon. The hotel opened in 1905 as the Hotel Elberton and has been hosting travelers ever since. The hotel's decor is whimsical and eclectic. Bold, colorful folk art is found on each of the hotel's four floors along with various phrases and quotes. Each of the 42 rooms have been named, most by people who were associated with the hotel over the years. McMenamins Hotel Oregon has a pub, rooftop bar, cellar bar and billiards room. Room rates begin at $50 plus minimal tax.
GEOGRAPHY
Amity is located about an hour southwest of Portland in the heart of Oregon's farmland. Grass seed farms, hazelnut orchards and vineyards surround the quaint town. Navigating the rolling country roads is easy, signage is ample and residents are cordial.
The Willamette Valley Wineries have created a detailed map to assist travelers navigate through the region's wine country. Visitors who like to plan will grab this map and use it to travel through the region's wine country. Spontaneous travelers can hit the highway (Route 99W is the primary one) and let their noses lead them to fragrant wine bouquets.
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Additional information can be found at: Willamette Valley Wineries
