Sip It feels like there’s a winery at every turn in the upper reaches of the Willamette Valley, Oregon’s largest wine region. Newberg’s Bells Up Winery is a family-owned, smallbatch operation where tastings are always led by the welcoming owners. Just down the road, Utopia Vineyard & Winery crafts bold, LIVE- and Salmon Safe-certified Pinots at its wooded estate. Other must-visits include Nicolas-Jay, lauded for its expressive Pinot noirs from grapes grown in Yamhill- Carlton and beyond, and Remy Wines, which serves tasty wines made with European techniques and Willamette Valley fruits in a low-key farmhouse tasting room. In Amity, family-owned Brooks Wine offers not only tastings but also an educational series where visitors can learn about what goes into making a great bottle of wine. Travel west of Salem to visit the newest sub-AVA in the region — Mount Pisgah, Polk County — which was established in 2022. Try the whole-cluster Pinot noirs at boutique, 30-acre Amalie Robert Estate outside Dallas, or head to nearby Illahe for a six-wine flight with a view from a spacious tasting deck, where well-behaved pets are welcome. Eat Exquisitely crafted dishes made from seasonal, locally sourced ingredients are the standard in the North Willamette Valley. McMinnville is a major culinary hub. Don’t miss the farm-driven dishes at Grounded Table (formerly Humble Spirit), led by a 2025 James Beard Award nominee. Also nominated was eco-friendly Hayward, which moved from McMinnville to Carlton in 2025 with its new Northwest menu. For a more casual experience downtown, visit La Rambla and pair Spanish paella and tapas with Willamette Valley Pinots and Chardonnay, or partake in a gloriously chewy, crispy wood-fired pie at Pizza Capo. To enjoy excellent tunes with a glass of wine and nibbles, HiFi Wine Bar is the spot. At the Four Graces in the Dundee Hills, Anthology offers intimate dining experiences at its cozy tasting room, where it serves impeccably paired tasting menus to Foley Food & Wine Society members. In downtown Dundee, Tina’s is a farm-to-table pioneer and has provided Dundee visitors and guests with a French-inspired fine-dining experience since 1991. It’s only a block away from The Dundee Bistro, a more casual affair serving FROM TOP: ANDRÉA JOHNSON; CARTER HIYAMA Hayward Alexana Winery WINE TRAILS Downtown Newberg Wineries Newberg’s compact downtown makes it easy to spend an afternoon wine tasting while only relying on your own two feet. This walkable city center in the heart of the North Willamette Valley’s wine country offers plenty of great restaurants that showcase the region’s fresh produce and its world-class wines, as well as standalone tasting rooms where you can get an introduction to what the valley has to offer. Don’t miss the Et Fille tasting room, which offers flights of some of the local winery’s finest wines, many of which aren’t available anywhere else, or Bravuro Cellars’ tasting room, where you can taste some of the celebrated Amity winery’s small-batch creations. Or stop by intimate Artisanal Wine Cellars for a flight or food-friendly bottle selections. tastenewberg.com 58 OREGON WINE TOURING GUIDE
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