Avoid the Christmas Rush, Embrace the Thanksgiving Crush

Dreading the post-Thanksgiving Christmas Crush of Commercialism?

This weekend, enjoy a different kind of crush and venture into the pastoral Oregon wine country for the 2007 Thanksgiving Wine Country weekend.

A favorite tradition of wine enthusiasts, it’s an opportunity to visit many of the smaller Oregon wineries that only open twice a year–Thanksgiving and Memorial Day.

Because they don’t have formal tasting and retail space, the smaller wineries open up the production floor near their barrels, invite cheesemakers, bakers and other food artisans, and provide the first tastings from the 2006 crush. Of course, the larger winemakers are open too, but you can visit them just about any weekend.

You’ll find a wide variety of wineries, wine bars, barns, and cellars throughout Gaston, Forest Grove, Newberg, Carlton, Lafayette, Gaston, McMinnville, Scholls, Dundee and south to Salem to be open Friday through Sunday, with entrance fees ranging from free to well over $20.

So, grab your mobile GPS, print out the map and winery list and head out. The weekend’s weather forecast is making for an unforgettable scenic and gustatorial adventure.

Here’s the map and list of participating wineries in the Willamette Valley tour. My picks: Sineann and Brick House.

And, if you’re in the market for wine property, you’ll want to look up Peter Bouman of GMAC Realty, who is both a winemaker and wine country real estate specialist. Ask me for his number or look for him pouring for the Sineann label this weekend.

Technorati Tags: Oregon, Thanksgiving, wine, wineries, tour, tasting

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2 comments November 23rd, 2007