400 Miles through Oregon Wine Country

400 Miles through Oregon Wine Country
by Gregory D. McCluney, AWS Wine & Travel Editor

I was a bit embarrassed when I confessed to the director of Oregon’s wine association that I had never been in her state’s wine growing regions, or AVAs. I’ve been buying, selling and drinking the state’s bounty for a number of years. Five days and hundreds of miles later, I found out what I’d been missing: a lot of beautiful winescape, friendly hosts, winemakers and growers who actually have time to talk and taste with you and the local stars: rich and vibrant Pinots, both Noirs and Gris. Match them with fresh local ingredients (oh, those local hazelnuts and boutique mushrooms!) from this breadbasket of agricultural abundance and you’ve got a lot to enjoy---and we only touched the surface.

King Estate Winery
Our first stop was King Estate arranged by the winery's regional represenative Gary Lynn. King is Oregon’s largest winery, and one of its most successful. If you can arrange it, dinner at King is a special treat, both in ambiance, service and food quality and creativity. Allow a lot of time at the tasting bar, as they serve many library and estate wines you won’t find in Atlanta. It’s located at the very bottom (southern) boot of the Willamette valley, near Eugene, quite a hike from the Portland airport, so we took the first direct flight west and went direct to King for a late lunch and tasting.

Domaine Serene Winery	Domaine Serene's last bit of harvest 2007 comes in mid-October--Pinot Noir.
Tuscany? No, it’s Dayton, Oregon where Ken Evenstad built his Domaine Serene estate dedicated to making great (and pricey) Pinot Noir. Awards and success come with a price, but a tour and tasting here is fun and impressive, as were our accommodations in the “bunkhouse” across the vineyards. The Evenstads bought the property in a fog so dense they didn’t know they had a spectacular view all the way to Mount Hood. Ken’s only real concern was that the soil tested well for growing great Pinot---and it did. The view just came with the territory (or in this case, the soil!).

Mount Hood overlooking vineyards
‘On a clear day….” as they say, you can see a majestic Mt. Hood above the vineyards of Archery Summit, just below the tasting patio and room near Dayton, Oregon. Visiting Oregon in October is risky, as the rainy season has begun. But when it’s clear, it’s truly spectacular wine country.

Mark Nicholl, winemaker at Sweetcheek's Winery
Lunch was on the patio, with Sweet Cheeks winemaker Mark Nicholl and GM Lorrie Normann. Nicholl is an Aussie who has big plans for this small winery in Crow Valley, Oregon---and seems to be right on track. They also serve a great picnic lunch so you can linger and enjoy the view down the valley.

Lunch and tasting with winemaker/GM Jim Kakacek
An interview, lunch and tasting with winemaker and GM Jim Kakacek, whose wines I have recommended for years. He’s a one-man show on his 75 acres near Dallas and wants to keep it that way.

Sunset at Newport Beach, Oregon	Sunset at Newport, from the balcony of our B & B, the gracious Tyee Lodge, which comes with a private chef.
After Van Duzer, we took a break for some fresh Oregon fish and beachcombing near Newport, on the Pacific coast. Don’t miss the best brewery lunch you’ll ever get the world-famous Rogue Brewery. The Oregon coast can be as beautiful and wild as Big Sur, and there’s a good chance for some whale watching with the local residents who stay near this coast year ‘round.
In Oregon wine country, it’s still a bit of a time warp. If you tire of the Hollywood hustle and "big deal" mentality of California, take a break and relax in Oregon for your next wine adventure. It’s laid-back, rural, friendly and uncongested. You’ll feel a local connection, much as it must have been when visiting Napa in the 1960s. The genuine hospitality makes the long trip worthwhile…and oh, those Pinots!