Press Time Again

Last year around this time I posted about the "wine press" that has just ended here in Oregon. For those of you that like wine, you've definitely heard of Napa and Sonoma. However, the Willamette Valley has been producing wonderful wines for a few decades now. Surrounding the sleepy town of Dundee, there

are a few sporadic neighborhoods and plenty of grapes. Every Fall, these grapes are harvested and pressed into juice to be stored and produced into top quality wines. Pinot Noir is the most celebrated grape in the Willamette Valley, but the winemakers here are growing plenty of other varietals. The "press" is what the winemakers call this time of year, and they are raging about this years harvest.

Visiting the town of Dundee and the many vineyards is easy. Most vineyards have tasting rooms where you can taste, often for free. This isn't like Sonoma or Napa, where you spend a pretty penny to taste. Most tastings are free or minimal in cost. Real Estate has heated up in the last few years in this area because of its proximity to Portland (45 minutes). People are buying farms or land with the intent to spend some time relaxing, or even to test their hands at growing grapes.

Living in Portland...one hour to the mountain, one and a half hours to the beach, 45 minutes to fantastic wine!