Oregon Coast HWY 101 | Page 10

Oregon is home to approximately 300 wineries and over 700 vineyards L ustrous grapevines cast a golden glow over the slopes of the Ankeny Vineyard during the annual harvest season. “I was looking for good vineyard property and in 1980, I found this place and just fell in love,” says owner Joe Olexa. “We grow some of the best Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris grapes because of our warm weather and excellent drainage; it’s one of the earlier ripening sites in the Valley and I sell most of the grapes to local wineries. We keep the best grapes to make just enough wine to sell in our tasting room. The vines are rooted stock, so nothing’s grafted, which is unusual in Oregon today.” Olexa and his staff operate the tasting room, deck, and keep the wood-fired pizza oven ablaze from Friday through Sunday, so this is the perfect place to stop, sit on the deck, and enjoy a glass of wine. And there’s little excuse not to stop since the vineyard is only six miles west of the Ankeny Hill exit from the I5 freeway. Photo © Wollertz Founded in 1983 by Jim Bernau, Willamette Valley Vineyards was named one of America’s great Pinot Noir producers by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and in 2011 they were named winery of It’s Ankeny Vineyard Come visit our newly renovated Tasting Room! Taste our latest release, 2010 Estate Pinot Noir. Woodfired pizza and other savories available seasonally. Live Music on summer Saturdays til’ 8 pm. See our website for details. ankenyvineyard.com • 503.378.1498 2565 Riverside Drive, Salem, OR 97306 Summer Hours: 12-8pm (most Fridays) Saturdays 12-8pm; Sundays 12-5pm estate wines since 1980 emerson vineyards I no secret that Oregon has garnered international as well as worldwide attention for its wine production. Several regions within the state are ideal for the cultivation of grapes, and winemaking in Oregon dates back to the 1840’s. The best known winemaking regions include the renowned Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley, and Rogue Valley. Other regions, such as Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla Valley, and Snake River Valley span the state lines of Washington and Idaho. After Pinot noir and Pinot gris, the top varieties of wine produced in Oregon are Chardonnay, Merlot, and Riesling. Other varieties with significant production include Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer, Muller-Thurgau, Pinot blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon, and Syrah. Aside from wine grape production, Oregon is also a top U.S. producer of blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, sweet cherries, strawberries, and cranberries, all of which are suitable for wine production. • Among the grapes harvested are Pinot noir and Pinot gris, both of which are the most popular varieties of wine in the state. Pinot noirs from the Willamette Valley have been critically acclaimed, and Oregon is regarded as one of the best Pinot-producing regions in the world. Oregon is home to approximately 300 wineries and over 700 vineyards. With over 70 varieties of grapes, it should come as no surprise that wine tasting has influenced much of the tourism to the state. CRUMBLED ROCK 10 the year by Wine and Spirits Magazine. The Estate vineyard includes 50 acres with an additional 200 acres at their Tualatin Estate Vineyard, and 60 acres of vines at Elton Vineyard. All of their vineyards are certified sustainable by LIVE and Salmon Safe. P I N O T N O I R R E I S L I N G or by Appointment 8415 NE WORDEN HILL ROAD, DUNDEE, OREGON 97115 503.537.9682 [email protected] oregon Travel and Recreation Guide n the low rolling hills of the coastal range, in the heart of the Williamette Valley of Oregon you will find Emerson Vineyards, a family r [