One Afternoon in Wine Country

With only one afternoon, the question I have for you isn’t which winery. It’s which direction are you driving from?

The last thing you need is to spend your few free hours in the car. The valley is bigger than it looks on a map, and the difference between a great afternoon and a frustrating one usually comes down to whether you picked the AVA closest to where you’re coming in from.

Coming from the North or East

(Portland, Happy Valley, Lake Oswego, Tualatin)

Stay in: the Tualatin Hills and Chehalem Mountains

Both directions funnel into the same country, so I’ve put you together. From Portland, take Scholls Ferry Road instead of 99W. From the east side, Wilsonville Road west into Newberg skips the 99W mess entirely.

Lunch & Snack Options

Wineries & Tasting Rooms

Coming from the West (the Coast)

Stay in: Yamhill-Carlton or McMinnville

Highway 18 drops you right in, and Carlton is small enough to park once and walk the rest.

Lunch & Snack Options

Wineries & Tasting Rooms

Coming from the South (Salem, Eugene)

Stay in: Eola-Amity Hills and the Van Duzer Corridor

You’ll drive right past this on I-5, and it’s the most underrated pocket in the valley.

---

One last thing

Two tastings is plenty for an afternoon. Three is ambitious. Four means you’re rushing, and rushing is the opposite of why you came.

Pick the pocket closest to you, book one tasting ahead, and leave the second stop open. The best afternoons here are the ones with a little room in them.

Not sure which direction is yours? Text me at (503) 308-8823 and I’ll sort it out.