The Best Willamette Valley Wine Tastings and Wineries

Oregonians have long known that Willamette Valley wines are some of the best in the world, but in recent years, the rest of the world has caught up. In the spring of 2025, Vinepair named the Willamette Valley the number one wine destination in the world, and Willamette Valley wines made up 15 of Wine Enthusiast’s list of top 100 bottles of 2024. Several high-profile, James Beard-nominated restaurants and luxurious hotels have opened recently to accommodate locals as well as visiting wine hounds. And while Oregon used to be more or less synonymous with pinot, that’s rapidly changing. Today, you can find everything from bold tempranillo to super-dry riesling and world-class traditional method bubbles — though our pinot is still an excellent choice.

With hundreds of wineries to choose from, ranging from the Chehalem Mountains to the ocean wind-filled Van Duzer Corridor, it’s still possible to waltz into any number of tasting rooms, sip some world-class pinot noir, and be back in Portland by dinnertime. But planning ahead to secure spots at your top-choice tasting rooms is still a good idea. At smaller wineries, the winemaker themselves might be leading your tasting, while at others, reservations are necessary for special food menus or the tables with the best views. As a good rule of thumb, weekdays are generally best for walk-in tastings to avoid the crowds. Wineries tend to get mobbed on weekends, and some seasons, like summer, will always be more packed with fewer chances of breezing in for an unplanned tasting.

From buzzy new tasting rooms to venerated valley institutions steeped in history, these are some of the best wineries to check out around the Willamette these days, with or without reservations. As always, this map is not ranked; it’s organized geographically.

— Additional reporting by Zoe Baillargeon

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