Our local wine industry gives thanks each year over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, so why not celebrate with them?
Today, tomorrow and Sunday offer the perfect opportunity to enjoy some locally made wine and stock up for the rest of the holiday season. Just about every winery in the area is open for business; many with wine specials, tasty bites, live music and some even have souvenir glasses. And if you’re on social media, please use the #gowinetasting hashtag when posting about your Thanksgiving weekend out wine tasting.
Here are a few favorites, listed by location.
Portland:
SE Wine Collective is having their 4th Annual Urban Thanksgiving event. Nine wineries are taking over the Collective on Saturday afternoon from 3-6pm. Tickets are $25 and include turkey nachos!
Hip Chicks do Wine is celebrating all weekend long by pouring all their wines, paired with local cheeses and live music and all tasters receive a souvenir logo glass. Tasting fee is $18 and they are open Friday and Sat 11-8pm, Sun 11-6pm.
Carlton:
Twelve Wines is breaking into some of their library wines this weekend. Visitors will get to sample their 2007 and 2008 vintages, along with their late harvest dessert wine. Tasting fee is $10 and they are open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12-5pm.
Monksgate Vineyard & Wines invites wine lovers to come taste in their vineyard this weekend. Open Friday-Sunday, 12-5pm, they promise to have good food and family hospitality! Tasting fee is $10.
Amity:
Brooks Winery is open from 11-5pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and tasters will enjoy not only the wines but also the views of the mountains and vineyard. On Saturday only, David Baker, producer of American Wine Story documentary and author of the new book Vintage will be signing copies of both– good holiday gifts for wine lovers.
Dukes Family Vineyards is only open twice a year so this weekend is a great time to visit! They are opening both old and new vintages of their wines paired with small bites, all enjoyed in their 1870’s barn with beautiful views. This weekend’s hours are Saturday & Sunday, 12-5pm and the tasting fee is $25.
Gaston:
Kramer Vineyards is offering new releases and special pricing over the holiday weekend. Both the estate vineyard location and their tasting room in Carlton are open Friday, Sat, Sun 11-5pm and the tasting fee is $15.
Tendril Wine Cellars is celebrating the holiday weekend a little differently than most of the wineries. They have seating tastings by reservation on Friday & Saturday from 11am-4pm with a tasting fee of $25 per person.
Salem:
Helioterra Wines recently relocated their wine making down to Bjornson Vineyard and are inviting wine lovers to come visit the new digs. Open Friday and Saturday from 11-5pm, visitors can try wines from two other labels; Bjornson and Mahonia Vineyard, all paired with tasty small bites. This weekend’s tasting fee is $10.
Walter Scott Wines is open Saturday & Sunday from 11-4pm with a tasting fee of $15. Take the Wheatland Ferry over the Willamette River and try barrel samples of their 2013 vintage.
St. Paul:
Sineann Wines, located at Lady Hill Winery, near Champoeg Park, is pouring wines from five AVAs, including New Zealand! Slightly off the beaten path, tasters will have the opportunity to taste the Sineann lineup, then try the Lady Hill wines, both made onsite. Open Friday-Sunday, 11-5pm, the $10 tasting fee is for the Sineann wines only.
Newberg:
ROCO Winery is open all weekend long from 11-5pm with brand new releases and wine samples fresh from the barrel. Their tasting fee is $15 and this weekend they are offering the chance to buy ROCO 2014 Futures!
Shea Wine Cellars is rarely open to the public so this weekend is a great opportunity to taste their 2013 Estate Pinot noir and Chardonnay, grown just feet from the winery. They are also pouring their 2014 limited release Pinots for a tasting fee of $15. Open Friday & Saturday, 11-4pm.
McMinnville:
R. Stuart & Co. Wine Bar is celebrating the release of their 2013 Single Vineyard Pinot noirs with seated tasting flights and small plates to enjoy. They are open Friday & Saturday from 12-8pm and Sunday 12-6pm and will have special pricing all weekend long. Also available are wines from their brand new label called Love, Oregon. Weekend tasting fees are $12-15.
Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard is releasing their newest bottling of their 2011 and 2012 Pinot noirs, paired with Flora Momtazi’s legendary antipastos! They are open all weeke