“While the Willamette Valley made its name with Pinot Noir, other grapes and styles are now challenging that throne.”
Every wine region is idyllic in its own way, but Oregon’s Willamette Valley is especially picturesque. With vast tracts of vineyards and woodlands spreading out to a horizon of undulating hills and snowcapped volcanoes, the Willamette spoils visitors with enthralling views alongside tastings of the region’s signature varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This is especially true in summer, when 15-hour days keep those bucolic views illuminated longer and warm weather drives tasters to patios, terraces, and window-lined tasting rooms for leisurely, wine-filled afternoons. The odd hike through the vines on one of the region’s wine trails or jaunt along bike paths only adds to the fun.
Home to over 700 wineries spread out across eleven AVAs within the larger Willamette Valley AVA, the valley has no shortage of spots to taste. For a summertime tasting itinerary, head to these wineries, which offer some of the most scenic outdoor (and sometimes indoor) tasting areas around to pair tastings and by-the-glass pours with grand vistas. Looking for hotel recommendations or restaurant suggestions? We have those as well.
Adelsheim-Tasting-Room.-Courtesy-of-Andrea-Johnson-Photography.
Adelsheim Vineyard
Best for: Willamette Valley classics at an OG winery
Price: $$-$$$
North Stars:
Offering sweeping views of the winery’s vineyards, gardens, and the Chehalem Mountains, the outdoor patio at Adelsheim Vineyard is an ideal spot for a nice day of alfresco indulgence. As one of Oregon’s founding wineries, Adelsheim has long been known for its estate-grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which showcases the region’s unique terroir. If the weather is too hot, the indoor tasting room’s large windows ensure visitors don’t have to miss the views.The atmosphere is inviting and educational, making it an ideal spot for newcomers and seasoned wine enthusiasts, alike.
Inside the tasting room at Artist Block. Courtesy of Artist Block Winery
Artist Block Winery
Best for: Unique tasting experiences and fun bottlings
Price: $$-$$$
North Stars:
Who says wine tastings have to be formal and by-the-book, or that the winemaker is the only one who gets to be creative at a winery? That’s the gist behind this female-founded winery in the Dundee Hills, where art and free expression is as much a part of the tasting experience as the wine itself. Fun and freewheeling tastings are held in the breezy garden or inside the eclectically-decorated tasting room, with creative events like craft and sip sessions, flash tattoo pop-ups, and kitten-cuddling during wine tastings. Definitely snag a bottle of the Original Work Rosé to take home; it comes with a blank label and a miniature watercolor paint kit for drinkers to create their own label.
Brooks Wine. Courtesy of Cheryl Juetten
Brooks Wine
Best for: Multi-faceted Pinots and plentiful Riesling
Price: $$-$$$
North Stars:
Brooks has become well-known for its biodynamic practices, with one of the largest fine wine Riesling programs in the country. The tasting room, located in the Eola-Amity Hills, has a casual indoor-outdoor feel, featuring a large patio overlooking the vineyard and a full kitchen serving up seasonal dishes and light bites. Summer brings a host of events to enjoy, like Twilight Hours with outdoor pours in the garden and food provided by local food trucks, wood-fired pizza nights during June and July, special meals, cooking classes, and the Harvest and Garden Festival.
Cho Wines on display. Courtesy of Cho Wines
CHO Wines
Best for: A fun, insta-ready tasting room and sun-soaked patio
Price: $$-$$$
North Stars:
Founded by Dave and Lois Cho, CHO Wines is Oregon’s first Korean-American-owned winery. Set high on Bald Peak in the Chehalem Mountains overlooking the Wapato Lake Wildlife Refuge, the sleek, modern tasting room is as much a standout as the winery’s eclectic line-up which ranges from high-elevation Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to sparklings and chillable reds. Snag a table on the breezy outdoor patio if possible but the floor-to-ceiling windows ensure indoor tasters don’t miss out on the views either. CHO also frequently hosts fun events with other wineries and restaurants, so watch the calendar for cool goings-on.
View of the Corollary tasting room. Courtesy of Corollary Wines
Corollary Wines
Best for: Sparkling-centered tastings and design-lovers
Price: $$
North Stars:
Set inside a bright-red, cubist tasting room overlooking vineyards and valleys, Corollary is one of the Willamette’s flagship sparkling wine destinations. A tightly curated tasting of its all-sparkling, traditional method-produced portfolio can include blends, blanc de blanc, and dynamic rosés. Tastings are by reservation-only and the tasting room can only fit a few parties, so be sure to book well in advance. It’s worth it not only for the wine, but also the design-driven tasting room and expansive views.
Cristom Vineyards ImmersionTour Tasting. Courtesy of John Valls Photography
Cristom Vineyards
Best for: Premium, Burgundian-style Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Price: $$-$$$
North Stars:
This Eola-Amity Hills winery is acclaimed for its single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, best enjoyed from the vineyard-facing outdoor patio of its dreamy, red-roofed tasting room near Salem. Drink in views of the Cascade Range alongside tastings and other on-site experiences, from casual flights to immersive vineyard tours and vertical flights. The Summertime Patio Sessions is a seasonal highlight, with food trucks, live music, and wine by the glass or bottle.
Domaine Willamette. Courtesy of Andrea Johnson Photography
Domaine Willamette
Best for: Effervescent méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines
Price: $$-$$$
North Stars:
While the Willamette Valley made its name with Pinot Noir, other grapes and styles are now challenging that throne, including sparkling. This Dundee Hills winery is one of the best places to dive into the Willamette’s sparkling scene, as it was the valley’s first exclusive sparkling wine facility. Roam the winery gardens and learn about the estate’s biodynamic practices, relax on the dog-friendly outdoor patio enjoying by-the-glass pours, or do a tasting for the full experience of the winery’s méthode traditionnelle offerings.
Evening Land. Courtesy of Taylor Davis.
Evening Land Vineyards
Best for: Estate-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Price: $$-$$$$
North Stars:
Being outdoors is a key part of the visitor experience at this serene winery in the Eola-Amity Hills, where tastings can include a walk among the vines of the Seven Springs vineyard. By keeping tastings small-group and reservation-only, the atmosphere is relaxed and intimate, and guests are welcome to indulge while admiring the views from outdoor patios and scenic platforms. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the focus, and done exceptionally well.
LucidWild Estate's extravagant tasting room. Courtesy of LucidWild Estate
LucidWild Estate
Best for: Over-the-top indulgence
Price: $$$-$$$$
North Stars:
LucidWild’s Dundee Hills tasting room may be barely a year old – having just opened to the public in summer 2025 – but it’s already made quite a splash around the valley for its wild, no-holds-barred amenities and experiences. Think speakeasies with jellyfish tanks, wine cave tastings, party bus transportation, and hanging out with llamas, Black Valais sheep, and miniature Highland cows at the on-site farm. And that’s on top of opulent, caviar-accompanied tastings in glamorous rooms. While the signature experiences are all great fun, the wine selection and food accompaniments hold their own and are just as enjoyable without the pomp and circumstance, savored while sitting out on the vineyard-facing patio.
Penner-Ash Wine Cellars. Courtesy of Penner-Ash Wine Cellars
Penner-Ash Wine Cellars
Best for: Switching things up with some old-vine Riesling and Viognier (plus plentiful Pinot Noir)
Price: $$-$$$
North Stars:
Overlooking the Chehalem Mountains, Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in the Yamhill Carlton AVA offers a luxurious visitors’ experience featuring their acclaimed Pinot Noir and Viognier. Guests enjoy panoramic views from the hilltop tasting room, which boasts a lush outdoor seating area facing forests and vineyards. The By-The-Bottle Picnic Experience is an especially fun experience for the summertime, where guests can bring their own picnic to pair with Penner-Ash bottles and sit outdoors in the gardens or oak grove.
Resonance Tasting Room in Carlton. Courtesy of Brian Richardson
Résonance Wines
Best for: Switching things up with some old-vine Riesling and Viognier (plus plentiful Pinot Noir)
Price: $$-$$$
North Stars:
Known for its single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Résonance Wines offers two tasting room experiences for guests: one in the Yamhill-Carlton area and another in the Dundee Hills. The Carlton tasting room sits on a hilltop surrounded by vines and offers seated tastings with sweeping views, while the Dundee Hills Salon offers a more intimate, barnwood-accented experience with reserve pours and small bites. On Sundays from June through September, the Dundee Hills location offers hikes around the Découverte vineyard, followed by a tasting. A live music summertime series is also a mainstay at the Dundee Hills outpost.
Views from Soter Vineyards. Courtesy of Cheryl Juetten.
Soter Vineyards
Best for: Pinot Noir-heads and sparkling wine enthusiasts
Price: $$-$$$
North Stars:
Savor the bounty of Mineral Springs Ranch, an expansive and idyllic 240-acre biodynamic farm near Carlton, at Soter Vineyards. Its hilltop perch affords all-encompassing views of the landscape, with outdoor seating and large windows for the indoor crowd. Guests can enjoy the Provisions Tasting, a guided culinary journey featuring biodynamic wines paired with seasonal fare sourced from the estate. Summertime also usually offers fun events like wine dinners, concerts, and solstice celebrations.
Experience Center Stoller Family Estate. Courtesy of Stoller Family Estate
Stoller Family Estate
Best for: Pinot Noir lovers looking to sip to sweeping vineyard views
Price: $$-$$$
North Stars:
From the Adirondack chair-lined lawn and outdoor patio of this Dundee Hills winery, guests get to enjoy one of the Willamette’s most pastoral views: grassy meadows stretching down to a tree with a tire swing, backed by vineyards and woodlands. It’s the perfect setting to enjoy the winery’s estate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, rosé, and sparkling selection, but don’t miss a chance to tour the state-of-the-art, LEED Gold-certified winery as well.
