It's no secret - the wineries of Oregon's Willamette Valley are some of the best in the country. Though Oregon Wine Country first earned its reputation for producing exquisite Pinot Noir Wines, Willamette Valley wineries have also been making a name for themselves in sparkling wines - including one of our go-to Oregon Wineries, Soter Vineyards.
If you're looking for new and fantastic wineries to visit in Oregon's Willamette Valley in 2023, you should definitely add Soter Vineyards at Mineral Springs Ranch to your list. Their sparkling wines are divine, but they also have exquisite Pinot Noir and some of the best elevated wine-tasting experiences around.
To make the most of your time at Soter Vineyards - not to mention the other exceptional Oregon wineries you'll find in the Willamette Valley, you'll need a comfortable place to rest your head for a few days. There's nowhere better to stay in Oregon's famed Willamette Valley than our top-rated Willamette Valley Bed and Breakfast, A' Tuscan Estate. Book your room today!
Don't Miss Soter Vineyards at Mineral Springs Ranch
More and more Willamette Valley wineries are turning to biodynamic and sustainable farming practices. This has always been the case at Soter Vineyards, located on the 240-acre biodynamic Mineral Springs Ranch. The wines that result from biodynamic farming practices are better for the environment and world as a whole and reflect the terroir better than traditionally-farmed wines.
When you plan a wine tasting at Soter Vineyards, you can expect highly complex and nuanced wines to be poured into your glass; an experience that truly reflects the hard work of the people - and soils - behind the scenes of every great bottle of wine. You can read more about the farming practices at Soter Vineyards on their website, but this is definitely one of the many fantastic Oregon wineries we love to support.
As delicious as the wines at Soter Vineyards are, the exquisite tasting experiences on offer here set this Willamette Valley winery apart from its competition. They offer a classic tasting of wines that does anything but disappoint, but their special provisions tasting is exquisite.
The Provisions Tasting Experience goes far beyond treating you to delicious wine. It is an elevated, guided culinary journey reflective of the entire operation at Mineral Springs Ranch, including the wines from Soter Vineyards. The pairings in this experience change weekly and are based on the seasonal availability of ingredients. They aim to source entirely from their own farm or other local purveyors.
12 More Fantastic Oregon Wineries to Visit
Though we would happily place Soter Vineyards at the top of our list of Oregon wineries worth visiting in 2023, they are just one of the many fantastic wineries spread throughout the Willamette Valley. In fact, there are more than 700 wineries and tasting rooms in the Willamette Valley - far more than anyone could visit in a single getaway - so you may want to start planning your return trip!
From great tasting rooms in downtown McMinnville to wineries and vineyards worth visiting throughout the entire valley, we've gone through our lists and picked out what we think are 12 wineries that will make an excellent addition to Soter Vineyards in the new year.
- For more great sparkling wines, head to ROCO winery. Of all the wineries in Willamette Valley producing sparkling wines, they are rated the highest.
- For another great stop similar to Soter Vineyards, which offers an elevated wine and food pairing, head to an appointment-only tasting at Fairsing Vineyards.
- Lavinea Winery is where you'll find head female winemaker Isabelle Meunier, who crafts delicious single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
- Patricia Green Cellars in Newberg produces more individual bottlings of Pinot Noir than any other winery in America. Their collaborative approach to business ranks them easily as one of the best wineries in Willamette Valley.
- Ayoub Wines is located in the Dundee Hills area of Oregon's Willamette Valley and is prized for its focus on small-batch wines and dedicated winemakers.
- Beaux Feres Vineyards is located in the beautiful Ribbon Ridge area of Newberg. Their signature wines are developed using minimal techniques for a delicious product that genuinely reflects its terroir.
- Shea Wine Cellars has been producing delicious and world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir since the late 1980's. These two of the varietals are specialties of the Willamette Valley.
- Like Soter Vineyards, Duke Family Vineyards produces exquisite Pinot Noirs using sustainable agricultural practices. Their focus is on producing exceptional food-friendly wines that are elegant rather than overstated, and we think they do this beautifully!
- Bethel Heights Vineyard, located in the Eola-Amity Hills region, is one of the first wineries in Willamette Valley to plant in this area, and their bold wines never fail to disappoint.
- If you're looking for a tasting experience close to town, don't miss the R Stuart & Co. Winery tasting room in downtown McMinnville.
- Open Claim Vineyards has a new tasting room featuring wines from their 55-acre estate located in the new AVA at the base of Mount Pisgah. This is an elaborate, one of kind, private wine and food experience similar to the elevated tastings at Soter Vineyards and Fairsing Vineyards.
- One of the best-known wineries in Willamette Valley is Domaine Drouhin. Here, you get the opportunity to taste three different labels, one of which is Burgundy, France, all from the same female winemaker. It's truly an experience you don't want to miss.
With so much fantastic wine on offer, you'll need to plan at least a few days here in Oregon's Willamette Valley. There's no better place to stay in the heart of Oregon's Wine Country than our charming, upscale Willamette Valley Bed and Breakfast, A' Tuscan Estate, located near the historic heart of downtown McMinnville. Book your room today!