The Pacific Northwest has become world reknowned for its outstanding and distinct wine regions. With areas like Walla Walla producing incredible Cabernet Sauvignon, Souther Oregon excelling with Spanish varietals, and of course the Willamette Valley producing its world famous pinot noir, there is a wine region for every palette.
If you’re visiting one of the Pacific Northwest’s major cities like Seattle, it is only a short drive over to nearby Woodinville, which is home to numerous tasting rooms that showcase wines from grapes grown across the state. Portland offers similar offerings with urban wineries serving up modern flavors, and the Willamette Valley is only a short drive away.
Let’s pack up a picnic and hit the road to sample some of the best wine towns to visit across the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
Walla Walla, Washington
Located far from the urban centers of Washington, Walla Walla, once more famous for its sweet onions than its wine, has grown into a wine powerhouse that is home to over 125 wineries. Visitors spend their days making their way through fields of grapes to visit tasting rooms that dot the hillsides around town.
Downtown Walla Walla is also home to numerous tasting rooms and as well as outstanding restaurants that are perfect for capping off a day at the wineries.
McMinnville, Oregon
Located smack dab in the middle of the Willamette Valley, McMinnville serves as the economic center of this world famous wine region. If you’re looking to visit a little bit of everything that the valley has to offer then McMinnville serves as the perfect basecamp with plenty of boutique hotels, restaurants, and tasting rooms to choose from.
Once you’ve had your fill at the wineries, don’t miss checking out the Spruce Goose, the largest wooden plane ever built, at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum.
Hood River, Oregon
Its hard to imagine a more scenic wine tasting location that the hills that surround Hood River. The area is filled with apple and pear orchards as well as grape vines and no matter where you go you seem to always have a commanding view of Mt. Hood.
The weather around Hood River tends to be on the cooler side which favors pinot noir, chardonnay, and riesling grapes. This is a stark difference from the warmer and drier climate just across the river on the Washington side of the gorge.
Woodinville, Washington
Woodinville sits just outside of Seattle and has become a hub for wineries to set up tasting rooms so locals to Western Washington can taste the amazing wines made from grapes grown across the state without having to travel to the gorge or out east.
Here, you can quickly hop between wineries and taste the flavors of the grapes from all of the terroirs across the state. So, if you’re looking for big, bold Walla Walla wines or fruitier offerings from the Columbia River Gorge, the wineries here will have you covered.
Chelan, Washington
Chelan is a summer destination for vacationers across the Pacific Northwest both for the incredible Lake Chelan and the amazing wineries that dot the hills above the water. This relatively young wine region has quickly grown to over 40 wineries and tasting rooms and is known for its long sunny days and sandy glacial soil, perfect for growing syrah, pinot noir, and chardonnay.
One of the most unique offerings in the region is a wine tour that is by boat rather than car!
Dundee, Oregon
Dundee, Oregon, is a renowned wine town located in the heart of the Willamette Valley. The town offers a robust wine tourism experience with numerous acclaimed wineries, tasting rooms, and scenic vineyard views.
Its proximity to Portland makes Dundee easily accessible, and its growing culinary scene offers up plenty of farm-to-table options with produce straight from nearby growers
Carlton, Oregon
While McMinnville may be the economic hub of the Willamette Valley wine scene, Carlton is the quaint town where the wineries take center stage. Located off the main drag of Highway 99, everything moves a little slower here, and you can tell when visiting the local wineries and tasting rooms.
It feels like you always have a little extra time to talk to the wine makers and enjoy each tasting rather than rush through the glass. Aside from some bed and breakfasts you won’t find many hotels out here but that’s just the way the locals, and visitors, like it.
Jacksonville, Oregon
Jacksonville is quickly growing into its own as a wine destination as the southern Oregon and Applegate Valley AVA gain national and international recognition. The town offers a unique wine tasting experience with its historic Gold Rush-era architecture, numerous boutique wineries, and incredible views.
Lovers of bold red wines should definitely add this area to their list as the warm sunny days and mixed soils produce outstanding cabernet sauvignon and syrah.
Roseburg, Oregon
Located in the center of the Umpqua Valley AVA, Roseburg is home to an incredible diverse array of wineries as it serves as the meeting point of the cooler climates of the Willamette Valley and warmer climates of southern Oregon. This means that traveling just a few miles between wineries can lead to tasting completely different styles of wines.
Roseburg itself serves as an excellent hub as it is home to numerous lodging options, amazing outdoor recreation opportunities, and long, warm summer evenings perfect for relaxing with a glass of your favorite wine.
