It’s that time of year again, Memorial Day Weekend, which symbolizes the beginning of the summer tourism season. And for most Oregon Wineries that means one of the biggest weekends of the year to visit their tasting rooms.
Now while most people are already in full swing planning
their Willamette Valley weekend getaways I am here to offer five reasons to NOT go to the Willamette Valley, but instead venture east from Portland to the Columbia Gorge
Wine Region over this holiday weekend.
*Now before you start sending me hate mail for not being a Willamette Valley lover this weekend you should know that I sincerely love me some Willamette Valley as much as the next person and spend my fair share of time venturing around the wineries there and appreciating all that gorgeous region has to offer. But in all honesty there are two weekends where I have learned to avoid the Willamette Valley like the plague… Memorial Day Weekend and Thanksgiving Weekend. Why?
These five reasons:
1. Traffic:
I
should admit that traffic is one of my biggest pet peeves on any given day, but
over this particular weekend traveling down Hwy 99W to get to Dundee and onto
McMinnville traffic is doubly horrible. So expect stop and go traffic and
bring a double dose of patience.
On the other hand, you can chose to venture out east along
I-84, on arguably the most scenic and beautiful drives in all of Oregon, along the Columbia River
and hit virtually no traffic and get to your winery of choice in roughly half
the time as driving to any Willamette Valley winery from Portland.
2. Price:
In
general many wineries in the Willamette Valley charge double their normal
tasting fees so expect to pay an average of $10-$20 per person per winery (if not
more). But hey, you get to keep a pretty souvenir logo glass!
Remember, however, that your tasting fee paid for that glass. If
you’re like me, and have too many logo glasses to even fathom another one, just skip the “free” glass and just go for the wine.
Wineries of the Columbia Gorge, on the other hand, are not
doubling their fees, but instead charge an average of anywhere from free (yes
those wineries still exist) to $5 per person for a flight. On top of
that, many of the wineries will waive that fee with a bottle purchase.
And if that didn’t sell you, many are also offering great 6-pack and case
discounts over the holiday weekend, in addition to the live music, events, chocolate
and cheese that is luring you to the Willamette Valley wineries.
3. Crowds:
If there
is anything more irritating than traffic, for me, it is elbow-to-elbow crowds
lining up blocking a winery tasting bar. In my experience, many wineries will be so crowded you are lucky to even get to hear the name of the
wine you are sipping on let alone any additional information you may be
interested in hearing about the wines, the winery, or the people.
The Gorge? Although it may be busy at times, still fewer people have discovered this unique region enough to anticipate the crowds that are inevitable in the Willamette Valley over this particular weekend. Bonus is that many of the actual winemakers and winery principals will likely be behind the bars pouring their own wines and talking to you, the consumer, about the details about their hard work!
4. Scenery:
Although the Willamette Valley can provide some breathtaking scenery of
vineyards and rolling hills, you are not likely to see the breadth of offerings
a drive along the Gorge will expose you to; like the stunning Columbia River
below the high ridges of the Gorge, with the snow capped Mt. Hood visible to
your south, and Mt. Adams to your north. What’s not to love about
that? Plus you’ll see much less strip malls and fast food joints, not to
mention bumpers from the traffic in front of you (mentioned above), on your
drive to get there.
5. Wines:
Believe me, I am a Pinophile if ever I lived in the state of Oregon. But I,
like many wine lovers, exist on more than cool climate varietals alone. If all you are interested is in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and a few
additional offerings, then you will not be disappointed by the Willamette Valley's wines. However, in
the Gorge you literally get a world of wine in 40 miles. Expect to see
Rhone varietals of Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, Roussanne, big reds like Cabernet Sauvignon
and Merlot. And don’t forget Zinfandel, Barbera, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, and many
many more in addition to your cool climate favorites. Oh yeah and they are all actually grown in the Gorge.
Again, I write this not to shun the Willamette
Valley. I LOVE the Willamette Valley, but for these busy weekends, I do
recommend exploring new regions where you are likely to have a more relaxed
time and possibly find some new gems. Why not explore something new that
this great state has to offer and avoid excessive fees, traffic, and crowds?
*If there was to be an exception to my rule, I’d have to say if you do chose to visit the Willamette Valley seek out the wineries that are ONLY open specifically on these holiday weekends. Many wineries do not have regular open tasting room hours (like, a-hem, Soter), and for these wineries it is definitely worth waiting in traffic and paying the fees to experience.
But if you were planning to visit wineries that do have regular tasting room hours throughout the year, I say skip them, head to the Gorge, and visit those Willamette Valley wineries on a less crowded weekend for a better overall experience.
Tips:
Whatever wine region you chose this Memorial Day weekend, make sure to
have a good breakfast, use those dump buckets (they are there for a reason),
drink lots of water, snack often, use a designated driver, and most importantly explore, try new things, and
have fun!
Cheers!
*You can find more information on specific Memorial Day
Weekend wine events for the Columbia Gorge Wine Region here, and for the
Willamette Valley here.
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