The Willamette Valley, also known as Oregon wine country, is truly a Pacific Northwest gem. Just an hour south of Portland, the Willamette Valley spans 150 miles and is home to more than 700 wineries, tasting rooms, and a bustling restaurant scene. Some say it’s the new Napa! Oregon wine country is beautiful any time of year, and it is one of our absolute favorite places to visit. We’re sharing the perfect weekend itinerary with you.

Where to Stay: The Allison Inn & Spa

If you’re looking for a luxurious and relaxing experience while visiting Oregon wine country, then The Allison Inn & Spa is for you. Located in the heart of the Willamette Valley, The Allison is a luxury spa resort that is situated in a charming 35-acre landscape and is enveloped by expansive vistas of vineyards, farms, and lush greenery. Visiting The Allison feels like you are escaping to your own secluded paradise and it is such a special place to stay.

One of our favorite things about The Allison is their onsite restaurant, JORY, which offers farm-to-table dining in a beautiful setting. The creative fine dining menus accentuate the local flavors of the Willamette Valley with a strong influence on seasonal and local ingredients. JORY is open daily for breakfast and dinner, and offers a weekend brunch and weekday lunch.

The Allison has an indoor swimming pool we love, as well as a whirlpool jacuzzi and a gorgeous pool terrace. It’s not an exaggeration when we say we spent hours relaxing there during our stay. While we did not partake in any spa treatments while visiting, The Allison has a fabulous selection of spa services, including hydrofacials, Himalayan salt therapy, a variety of massages, and much more.

The Allison offers 77 deluxe guest rooms and 8 suites, all conveniently accessible via an elevator or the stunning glass-enclosed staircase. Every room at The Allison features oversized windows that offer incredible views of the Willamette Valley vineyards and the Oregon countryside. The spacious rooms come with many lavish amenities, with some of our favorites being the private balcony, soaking tub, gas fireplace, a complimentary snack basket, and plush bath robes and slippers. You are sure to feel right at home.

Wineries to Visit

Andante Vineyard: Nestled in the rolling hills of the Van Duzer Corridor of the Willamette Valley, Andante Vineyard spans 15 acres and is known for its beloved Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Aligoté, and Gamay Noir grapes. While no day of wine tasting in the Willamette Valley is complete without a leisurely lunch, surprisingly few wineries offer a midday dining experience to match the quality of their wines or the splendor of their surroundings. Andante Vineyard stands out by offering delicious a la carte food pairings that are made to order to accompany estate wine flights. The offerings at Andante are inspired versions of classic dishes using a combination of modern and traditional techniques applied to local and seasonal Northwest ingredients. Favorites include the marcona almond-crusted halibut with potato leek purée, the bone-in pork chop with blueberry gastrique, and the garlic butter poached prawns with cucumber granita. Enjoy these spectacular dishes in their mid-century modern-inspired tasting room, or outside on their sprawling patio with stunning vineyard views.

Sokol Blosser: Sokol Blosser is a winery and tasting room located in the Red Hills of Dundee. They are family owned and—like many Oregon wineries—they specialize in Pinot Noir. The first vines were planted at Sokol Blosser in 1971 by Susan Sokol and Bill Blosser, and now their children carry the legacy as second generation winegrowers. The wines at Sokol Blosser are sustainably crafted from organic grapes, and in 2015 the winery became a Certified B Corp. In addition to Pinot Noir, Sokol Blosser makes a variety of white wine, rosé, and sparkling wine. They also offer an award-winning food and wine pairing experience called Farm & Forage, which takes place on their lovely patio during warmer months.

Durant: Located in Dayton, Durant is a destination for the senses. Not only do they offer wine tastings, they also have an olive mill and nursery where you can do olive oil tastings. The wines at Durant are estate-grown and pair perfectly with the signature picnic platters which feature local charcuterie, cheeses, and baguettes drizzled with Durant olive oil. The wine tasting room is perched above the Willamette Valley and features incredible views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, and miles of diverse agricultural land.

Restaurants to Visit

JORY: As mentioned above, JORY is The Allison’s onsite restaurant that focuses on sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine. We loved having dinner there, with standout dishes like the house-made ravioli with lobster mushrooms, charred corn, and pancetta; the Alaskan halibut with patty pan squash and stone fruit; and the grilled Australian wagyu striploin with smoked king trumpet mushrooms and smoked garlic. Starters include a refreshing apple and pear salad, a seasonal butternut squash soup, fresh pacific oysters, citrusy albacore ceviche, and more. The herb and parmesan brioche bread is an absolute must. JORY has an excellent wine selection to pair perfectly with their dinner offerings, and if you’re a Pinot Noir lover, we highly recommend trying the flight.

La Rambla: Located in downtown McMinnville, La Rambla is an award-winning Spanish restaurant and bar that offers tapas, paella, craft cocktails, and an impressive wine list. La Rambla blends fresh ingredients of the Northwest with the delicious cuisine of Spain. Their menu consists of pinchos (small snacks), a selection of charcuterie and cheeses, meat tapas, seafood tapas, vegetarian tapas, and of course, paella. We recommend ordering a bunch of tapas to share, as there are so many fantastic options to choose from. Favorites include the bacon dates stuffed with blue cheese, the coffee dusted flat iron steak, the sauteed garlic chili shrimp, the piquillo peppers, and our number one recommendation: the sauteed mushrooms in a creamy cherry Manchego sauce. Their wine list is currently nine pages long, with selections ranging from Oregon wines to Spanish wines.

Hayward: Hayward is a relatively new restaurant serving northwest fare with a focus on local ingredients. Hayward is located inside of Mac Market, a collaborative and community-driven eating, drinking, shopping and gathering place housed in a renovated historic warehouse in McMinnville. Hayward is rooted in local farming and purveying, and the menu is hyper seasonal. Though the menu changes often, a staple is the sesame focaccia with koji butter. We also loved the pork and squid dumplings with sweet corn dashi and chili crisp, and the sesame butter mochi with plum jam and pink peppercorn is a flavor delight. Hayward offers a lovely selection of unique craft cocktails, and plenty of local beers and wines.

Happy traveling!