Winemaker:  Forrest Klaffke

Vineyard Acreage:  195 acres
Contract with other fine Oregon vineyards

Average Annual Production: 
125,000 cases per year

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Wine Guild      Picnic Area  

On-Site & Off-site Special Events 

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Weddings/Receptions 

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     Once covered with remnants of an old plum orchard and strangled by invasive blackberry vines and scotch broom bushes, the 50 acres of south- and southwest-facing slopes that surround the Willamette Valley Vineyards winery site are now blanketed by neatly and sustainably planted vines of  Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

    The winery and its underground cellar are carved into the top of an ancient volcanic cinder cone -- Ilahee Hill.  Well-drained volcanic soils - colored red by their oxidized iron content - slope away from the winery site at about a 750-foot elevation to a
500-foot elevation of Enchanted Way below, paralleling I-5.  The combined geologic and climatic characteristics of this fine hillside location have proven their propensity to yield intensely flavored grapes year after year.

     What began as a fledgling winery in 1989, in the heart of Oregon's Willamette Valley appellation, is today the premier landmark Willamette Valley Vineyards and winery, inspiring awe in even the most casual observer traveling along the I-5 corridor just south of Salem.  For the wine enthusiast, the awe of Willamette Valley Vineyards goes beyond the visual as the wines express the elegant flavors and aromas enjoyed in high-quality Burgundian-style wines and the terroir of individual Willamette Valley growing sites can be tasted. 

      With the success of the original estate vineyards and the wines produced from that site, Willamette Valley Vineyards went on to expand its wine-grape sourcing with the 1997 purchase of one of the state's oldest and most respected vineyards -- Tualatin Estate, located near Forest Grove, Oregon.  Since then, plantings at Tualatin Estate were increased to include new rootstocks and Dijon clones of the Pinot Noir grape. 

     In addition to the estate vineyards and those at Tualatin Estate, Willamette Valley Vineyards now purchases fruit from many additional sites throughout Oregon. 

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     Every vineyard lot used by Willamette Valley Vineyards is held separately through fermentation and cellaring; many wines produced from these lots are then blended to achieve the finest synergistic results. 

     "Our intent," explains founder Jim Bernau, "is to create premium wines that are true to their origins and keen of aroma and flavor."

     With native Oregonian Jim Bernau at the helm, environmental issues and sustainable practices related to the growing and vinifying of wine grapes are always part of the equation at Willamette Valley Vineyards' estate vineyards and those at Tualatin Estate.  Both are certified LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) and Salmon Safe, and all vineyard equipment uses bio-fuel. Bernau believes wines made with consideration for the environment, employees and community simply taste better and are necessary to maintain and grow a sustainable company for the future.

     The art and science of winemaking at Willamette Valley Vineyards are woven together to produce the finest wines possible using the winery's state-of-the-art equipment and age-old European winemaking methods. 

     For an ideal blend of picturesque scenery, award-winning wines, and relaxing atmosphere, be sure to enjoy a leisurely visit to Willamette Valley Vineyards.