This Underrated Oregon Wine Region Is Like Napa Valley Without The Crowds
By Hillary Louise Johnson
VACATIONS
Oregon's verdant, scenic Willamette Valley is a wine region that Time named one of the 50 World's Greatest Places in 2023, dubbing it "the next Napa."
More than 700 wineries occupy 31,000 acres in the region, many of them small, independent start-ups. Since it's lesser-known, tastings cost less than half of what they do in Napa.
The Willamette Valley is known as the best region outside France for pinot noir. The cooler, wetter weather and rocky, sandy soil here favors Pinot grapes.
Willamette Valley Vineyards was the location of the season 18 Top Chef finale. Other great wineries include Sokol Blosser and Antica Terra, which has achieved cult status.
The region is also innovative. Ponzi has a sustainable, gravity-flow winemaking facility, and Carlton Winemaker's Studio has 16 creative young vintners in a one-stop tasting room.
Willamette Valley also has luxury bunkhouses offering rooms that sleep three couples or six BFFs, and The Ground has airy, modern accommodations.