Wine tasting in Willamette Valley is one of our favorite activities in Oregon, and one of the main reasons I wanted to go for my birthday trip. Staying in Newberg for the weekend gave us easy access to many old favorites and some new ones as well.

Saturday

Trisaetum Winery – We were the first people to arrive and the wine tasting experience with Jasmine was pleasant. I opted for the Red & White flight while Eric got the White only flight. They have a LOT of Rieslings (one of the main reasons we choose this place) but Eric definitely preferred the 2014 Ribbon Ridge (baked apple and lemon with some mineral) over the five other choices. I found their Pinots to be a bit on the light side and also pricey.

Arborbrook Vineyards – An old favorite of ours (we used to be wine club members), we stopped in to buy a few bottles of the Pinot Gris but decided to do a wine tasting as the fee was waived with the purchase of the bottles. Eric picked up a few of the 2014 Croft Pinot Gris and I couldn’t resist two bottles of the delicious 2014 Coury Clone.

Lachini Vineyards – Located within sight distance of Arborbrook and suggested by the staff there, we made this small tasting room our next stop. Their website touts their wines as ‘premium’ and while we thought everything was good (especially the rose), the real value was the Grape Republic label at $25 for a perfectly drinkable Oregon Pinot Noir. Ashlyn was a great hostess and another lively group tasting with us provided plenty of entertainment. The tasting room was warm given the outside temperature, but we had an enjoyable tasting nonetheless. On a cooler day their patio area would have been a beautiful spot to sit.

Dominio IV – This small tasting room in McMinnville was also a revisit for us. The tasting experience was rather impersonal until the end when it was bolstered by the appearance of the winemaker, Patrick, who chatted with us for a few minutes about the wine. The Syrah and Pinot Noirs were good, as usual, but I was less impressed with the Tempranillo on this visit and Eric thought the Viognier had a slight bitterness to the finish this year.

Sunday

Erath – Because we are wine club members, we were able to secure a reservation for a private tasting out on the shady front terrace overlooking the vines. Theresa was our pourer (she also hosted me when I had the girls out two years ago) and she did a wonderful job of keeping our glasses full. We receive regular shipments from Erath throughout the year, but this tasting was helpful so we know how our existing bottles are tasting, plus notes on several of the other wines they have available. Our favorites were the 2015 Knights Gambit Rose, 2014 Leland Pinot Noir and the 2013 Le Jour Magique (White Pinot Noir).

Argyle Winery – Noticing the sign coaxing visitors to “end your day with bubbles!” (open until 7pm), we decided to stop here before heading back to the room. I was here two years ago, and since then they have built a beautiful new modern tasting facility behind the small house they previously used for tastings. Eric tried the special “Cool Whites for Summer” tasting and I got a glass of the Knudsen Vineyard sparkling to sip while he took tasting notes. :) Eric found two wines he liked on the list (2014 Spirit Hill Chardonnay and 2014 Nuthouse Riesling) and we let ourselves get talked into joining the wine club because it meant free refrigerated shipping on our first shipment, plus a free bottle of their standard sparkling since it was my birthday month!

Monday

Carlton Winemakers Studio – This place is a little further out but I wanted to go back since I remembered the tasting being good several years back. Christine did not disappoint with her energy and good humor but I was less than impressed with the Portfolio flight offerings. The price points were good but the wine just wasn’t to my liking – this is likely due to the wet 2013 season, which left me unimpressed at nearly all the wineries. Plus you have to buy six bottles to waive the $15 tasting fee. Our favorites were the 2013 Merriman Chenin Blanc and the 2014 Lazy River Estate Pinot Noir.

Argyle Winery (part two) – As we were now wine club members, we figured we should stop in and try some of their other options! This time Eric got the flight of bubbles and I tried the Pinot Noirs. I fell in love with the 2014 Nuthouse Pinot Noir and luckily was able to add two more bottles to our Sunday order, leaving room in our shippers for Cascade beer later in the trip.

As usual, we enjoyed our tasting experiences. In general, we noted that prices are definitely rising in Willamette Valley, and that we preferred 2014 & 15 to the 2013 vintages.