Willamette Valley wineries to visit in a day

Pinot wasn’t always my drink of choice but my husband is a fan so I would have a glass when he wants to open a bottle. When I tried Pinot Noirs from Willamette Valley region though, I was sold. We took a trip to Oregon in 2019 and made sure to dedicate a day for wine tasting.

We wanted to mostly visit small/boutique wineries and added in wineries with varietals other than Pinot as well. Here’s my list that I think you can’t go wrong with:

1. Bells up: Casual winery where we got to meet the owner while tasting. Compared to Napa wines, we thought all of their wines had amazing price to quality ratio and bought multiple bottles. Mostly Pinot! $30 tasting fee waived with purchase.

2. Natalie’s Estate: Small family run winery where we got to meet the husband and wife owners of the winery. I added this to the itinerary after seeing they also have Cab Sauvs and Cab Francs and definitely glad I did. $25 tasting fee waived with purchase.

3. Soter: Probably the largest winery we visited during our trip. Tasting experience was a bit more formal compared to others and enjoyable with an amazing view. They do distribute outside Oregon and I actually started noticing their bottles at wine shops after the visit. $30 tasting fee waived with purchase.

4. Beaux Frères: Not a huge commercial winery but well-known for their Pinot. It is on the pricier side compared to others (~$85-100/bottle) but definitely still affordable compared to Napa. We really liked the wines and regretted only buying 1 bottle because it was our first stop. $40 tasting fee waived with purchase

5. Ayoub: This is probably the most intimate/boutique winery. Wine maker hosts tastings himself at his property overlooking his vineyard. Really unique and fun experience + great Pinot. $30 tasting fee waived with purchase.

Paso Robles wineries for red wine lovers

I first learned about Paso Robles in 2013 when I used to work for the company that owns Justin Wine and it’s always been one of my favorite weekend trip destination from LA or SF. Wineries are mostly family owned and tastings tend to be more intimate and casual. Not to mention that tasting fees are usually much lower compared to Napa (usually around $10-30, sometimes over $40 for a more elevated experience). Region produces a lot of Zinfandels but there’s no shortage of other good bold red wines in Paso.

Here’s my list of recommended wineries if you like drinking Cabs and other reds

1. Denner: Located on top of the hill, worth a visit just for the view but their wines are equally good. They have a number of red blends and Cabernet Sauvignon. $20, waived with purchase

2. L’aventure: Primarily focuses on French inspired Rhone style blends, which are fun to try for those who drinks Napa reds or French CDPs. They also have a really good Cab-Syrah blend that will please red drinkers. $40 tasting fee, only waived with membership

3. Parrish Family: Another winery where I found a Cab-Syrah blend and surprisingly loved. It’s named Silken and yes, it is really smooth. $25 tasting fee, waived with purchase

4. Austin Hope: You’ve probably heard about this wine if you like Paso Cabs or Cabs in general. Worth a visit to try a variety of reds and whites. $25 tasting fee

5. LXV: Located in downtown, they have a great lineup of red wines that are all pretty tasty. $15 tasting fee

Fun weekend trip itinerary to Healdsburg wineries

Napa is only about 45min-1.5hr from SF depending on which part of the wine country you are visiting and we usually make it a day trip. However, if you drive a bit further north, you will get to Healdsburg, Sonoma for additional (usually less crowded) group of wineries that are super fun to visit. We like to make it an overnight trip to be able to visit multiple wineries and spend more time in downtown (super cute!). Below are few of wineries to visit in Healdsburg

1. Lambert Bridge: Usually members only (we were referred) so relatively private but they sometimes accommodate you if you call and ask. Really good red wines, loved our host and the tasting room is super cozy. Not sure about the tasting fee but bottles are $80+. If you get a chance to visit, you will have a great time.

2. R.Fanelli: We saw the entrance to the winery while driving by, looked them up online and made a reservation for the next day. Cute little family owned winery focused on Cab and Cab blends. They usually only have 2-3 wines to taste (4 wines in their entire portfolio) but the host was great and will tour you around the cave. Remember tasting fee to be not much, probably around $10, we got it waived with a bottle purchase.

3. Lancaster Estate: Larger winery within the Foley Food and Wine family of wineries. Beautiful grounds and good big bold red wines.

4. Martorana: Casual spot with a picnic area for games and tasting wines. Enjoyed their Merlot!

5. Jordan: We ended up not being able to visit due to timing but have gotten recommendation for their food pairing. From their website the grounds look beautiful and seem to have reds, whites, and sparkling