Photo from A Different Kind of Travel
The boundaries of the Willamette Valley AVA were established in 1984, and since then seven new, smaller AVAs have been created within the northern portion of Willamette Valley AVA. We stayed in the Dundee Hills AVA in the hills north and west of Dundee. The area is 6,940 acres in total size, with 1,300 acres planted with grapes. Over 25 wineries and independent vineyards in this region produce over 44,000 cases of wine. The area is particularly noted for its Pinot Noir; several wineries in the AVA have won international recognition for their wines.
On our first day, we visited White Rose Estate whose vineyard sits at the top of the hill at 870 feet elevation, overlooking much of the Willamette Valley. Planted in 1980 to own-rooted Pommard clone pinot noir, the 10-acre White Rose Vineyard is one of the oldest and most storied vineyards in Oregon. Planted on east-southeast facing slopes of volcanic Jory soils in the heart of the Dundee Hills, the vines consistently produce fruit of great character and complexity. We tried the Explorer's Tasting Experience for $25, which featured three types of 100% whole cluster neo-classical Pinot Noir: 2017 Convivial Feast, 2016 10 Year Old Vines, 2016 20 Year Old Vines. We liked the oldest one here that had more focus on the palette. We also tried the Collector's Tasting Experience for $40, which featured grapes from some of their other vineyards nearby: 2017 Guillen Vineyard, 2017 Winemaker's Cuvee, 2017 White Rose Vineyard. Keith loved all of these, with my favorite being the Cuvee - a special blend of balance and harmony.
Next, we headed over to Bergström Winery for a private tasting at Ekollon, the original home of the founders, in the heart of the Dundee Hills. For $70 per person, our host guided us through a flight of their limited-production, signature wines, highlighting the history of the family and the winery. A few bites of food were served so we could taste how the wine changed. Overall, this was a lovely experience with our favorites being the 2018 Le Pré du Col Pinot Noir and the 2017 Sigrid Chardonnay with fresh citrus and stone-fruit flavors and floral aromas. Named after their Swedish grandmother, Sigrid captures the essence of her being, and the dichotomy of Chardonnay that is the balance between elegance and power.
Afterwards, we checked into our hotel and noticed a few tasting rooms located downstairs. We visited Le Cadeau whose vineyard is located on Parrett Mountain in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. Its diverse slope aspects, rocky soils, and carefully selected clones give their wines a fascinating range of characteristics. For $20 per person, we did the Classic Flight and liked the 2018 Diversité Pinot Noir best.
Cougar Crest Estate Winery is one of the premier wine producers from the Walla Walla Valley in Washington. Their wines were recently recognized as some of the top 100 in the world. We really enjoyed these wines and purchased a bottle of 2014 Estate Grown Malbec to take home. It has unique aromas of gamey dried mushrooms and herbs that are layered with black cherry, tobacco leaf, pepper, and earth. This wine is a lush, complex beauty that is smooth and approachable but has the acidity and tannins to cellar. It was a happy surprise to stumble upon these tasting rooms, so we could sample wines from other areas in the PNW.
For dinner we walked over from our hotel to Trellis Wine Bar & Kitchen. This is an amazing place for locals and visitors alike.
Day Two started with a tasting at Hyland Estates where we tasted through a selection of their estate-grown wines that represent the terroir of the historic Hyland vineyard. We explored their collection of Pinot Noirs & Dry White Wines with the Estate Flight for $20 and also did a deep dive on Hyland’s Signature Single Clone Pinots with the Pinot Noir Flight for $25. Our favorite was the 2018 Coury Pinot Noir, which earned 95 points by Wine Enthusiast. We ordered a cheese plate to go with our wines and enjoyed sitting outside. We learned about the cloning techniques and could see the production factory behind the tasting room. They are celebrating 50 years this year, so treated us to a glass of their newest sparkling wine. It was light and vibrant.
We stopped for lunch both days at Red Hills Market. This casual market has lots of goodies you can take home to make your own picnic, or stop in for fresh salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. Be warned that it can get crowded, so wait times can be up to 40 minutes. Plan accordingly if you have winery reservations.
Next, we continued our wine tasting tour at Domaine Drouhin for comparative flights featuring exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Drouhin family’s holdings in both Oregon and Burgundy. For $25 per person we tried the 2019 Chardonnay Arthur, 2018 Roserock Chardonnay, 2018 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, 2018 Roserock Zéphirine Pinot Noir, and 2018 Pinot Noir Laurène. Our favorite was the Laurène that was characteristically elegant, evolving on the palate, moving seamlessly from its pomegranate welcome into its detailed lines of clove, white pepper, and cranberry. The saying here is "French Soul in Oregon Soil" and that was clearly evident. The views of the Willamette Valley are also gorgeous from this estate. Be sure to check out the stainless steel drums in the lower level.
Lastly, we finished at Argyle Winery for some sparkling wine. Argyle produces one of the most diverse portfolios in Oregon – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sparkling wines. For $30, Keith tried the Summer Flight featuring: 2016 Knudsen Vineyard Blanc de Blancs, 2020 Argyle Rosé, 2018 Nuthouse Chardonnay, and 2018 Nuthouse Pinot Noir. For $30, I stuck with the bubbles and enjoyed the Pop Flight: 2015 Sprit Hill Vineyard Blanc de Blancs, 2016 Knudsen Vineyard Blanc de Blancs, 2017 Knudsen Vineyard Brut, and 2017 Argyle Brut Rosé. This was a celebratory way to end our tour of Willamette Valley.
Dinner was at Joel Palmer House for a five-course Mushroom Madness feast.
