9 Top Wineries Near McMinnville Oregon You’ll Love

McMinnville is a historic town in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and one of the best places to base yourself if you want to explore the famous wine region. With a population of 35,000, McMinnville is big enough to have all the services you’ll need, all while maintaining small-town charm.

A key reason to base yourself in this delightful town is the number of great wineries near McMinnville, Oregon. You’ll be able to visit some of the best-known names in Oregon winemaking and experience wine tastings as well as potentially discover some hidden gems.

9 Best Wineries Near McMinnville Oregon

Oregon’s Willamette Valley AVA stretches over 150 miles with 11 AVAs (American Viticulture Areas) and over 700 wineries. McMinnville has its own AVA (McMinnville AVA) and in this article I will be recommending some wineries that are near McMinnville but officially part of another AVA. 

Willamette Valley is on the same latitude (47 degrees) as Burgundy in France. Unsurprisingly, then, the Valley is known for similar grapes to Burgundy. Willamette Valley is best known for pinot noir, and every winery will have at least one pinot noir on offer. These are world-class wines.

In recent years, more white wines have been produced and most wineries in the region will offer at least one white wine. Sauvignon Blanc is popular as is Chardonnay. The chardonnay of Willamette Valley tends to be lighter and higher in acidity – there are no California-style butter bombs to be found in Oregon! 

Here are 9 of the best wineries near McMinnville serving great wine in no particular order.

1. Sokol Blosser Winery

This family-owned winery first planted grapes in the Willamette Valley in 1971. Today, Sokol Blosser wines are made from organic grapes and the winery was certified organic in 2005. 

Distance from McMinnville 9.1 miles

AVA Dundee Hills

Best Known For Pinot Noir, Organic Winery

Best Suited to If you are or are traveling with a white wine lover. Of course, Sokol Blosser has Pinot Noir, as this is Oregon, but they also have chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, and sparkling wines. Their sauvignon blanc is New Zealand style.

Tasting Options USD$35 for a seasonal flight of 4 wines, USD$45 for an Estate Pinot Noir Flight of 3 wines. Both tasting fees are redeemable if you purchase 2 bottles, range of white and red wines available by the glass

Amenities Cheese and “Butcher” boards can be ordered as can popcorn, 6 course Farm and Forage tasting menu can be booked, 

And Sokol Blosser has a second brand, Evolution that is more affordable and often designed to be served with food. And they have curbside pick up if you just want to grab some wine. 

2. Resonance

The original vineyard at Resonance started in 1981 and consisted of just 20 acres. A French company, Masion Louis Jadot, purchased the vineyard in 2013. They bring the best of Burgundy wine-making to the Willamette Valley. 

Their Carlton tasting room has a fantastic location on the top of a hill within their estate. The views are fantastic and there is both outdoor and indoor seating.

Distance from McMinnville 8.4 miles

AVA Yamhill-Carlton, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills

Best Known For being French Owned, Top Level Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Best Suited to lovers of Burgundy style wines, those who enjoy their wine with a jaw dropping view

Tasting Options USD$35 to try 5 wines, free for members, USD$95 to taste both their Oregon and French wines.

Amenities olives, cheese and charcuterie board, local hazelnuts.

And they also have a small tasting room in Dundee, the main tasting room has fantastic views over the vineyards

3. Flaneur

Flaneur is a small producer in the heart of the Willamette Valley with 40 acres of estate vineyards that are organically dry farmed in-house. Flaneur is a French word from the 19th century that means leisurely wanderer or being a connoisseur of life.

Their main tasting room is in the heart of downtown Carlton. The tasting room is part of a grain elevator which dates back to 1890. It is certainly one of the most unique tasting rooms in the Willamette Valley and very atmospheric. 

Distance from McMinnville 7 miles

AVA Ribbon Ridge, Chehalem Mountains

Best Known For their iconic building with its grain elevators, High point scores for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Best Suited to cosy tasting experience, lovers of small vineyards

Tasting Options USD$30 to taste 5 wines, for $75 per person you can also get a full tour of all the winery’s operations.

Amenities cheese and charcuterie boards

And they have a rare 100% pinot meunier, don’t miss the truffle popcorn

4. Ken Wright

Ken Wright is one of the fathers of the Willamette Valley Wine Region and has produced some of the most acclaimed wine the region has seen. He has been making wine in Willamette Valley since 1985.

Today, Ken Wright Cellars produce three tiers of Pinot Noir -from their introductory Willamette Valley Pinot noir up to their 13 single vineyard offers. Their tasting room in downtown Carlton is in a 1920s train station which makes for an atmospheric experience.

Distance from McMinnville 7 miles

AVA Vineyards in several AVAs including: Eola-Amity Hills, Yamhill-Carlton, Ribbon Ridge and Dundee Hills

Best Known For single-vineyard pinot noir, award winning pinot noir

Best Suited to pinot noir lovers, those who enjoy tasting the most famous wines in a region.

Tasting Options  USD$30 for five wines that regularly change, elevated tour options covering the winemaking process are also available on request

Amenities Light Snacks and cheese and charcuterie board

And online virtual tastings are available, accommodation is also an option at one of the five Carlton Winery Lofts.

5. Carlton Winemaker’s Studio

Carlton Winemakers Studio is quite different from all the other wineries in this article. It is actually a winery collective where numerous winemakers craft premium Oregon wines in one shared space. When I visited they were working with 16 different vintners in the region. 

They have a stunning tasting room in Carlton where they serve a mix of their wineries. Reservations are not required for a standard tasting and they also offer seated tastings and tours.

Distance from McMinnville 7.7 miles

Best Known For showcasing a large number of small Willamette Valley producers

Best Suited to those who love discovering small hidden gem wineries, wine enthusiasts who love to experiment with their wine

Tasting Options: USD$45 for a hand-selected flight of classic grapes or try their off-the-beaten-track tasting of rare and unusual wines for the same price.

Amenities Extensive a la carte cheese and charcuterie menu

You might enjoy reading my articles on hot springs in Oregon and where to stay in Eugene Oregon.

6. Remy Wines

Specializing in Old World varietals, Remy Wines brings a piece of Italy and France to Oregon. With a focus on small, carefully curated batches, this winery is based in a farmhouse from 1900 and is one of the few to be run by a queer woman, Remy Drabkin. Remy was born and raised in McMinnville and when I visited she was also the Mayor of McMinnville.

Distance from McMinnville 8.7 miles

AVA Dundee Hills

Best Known For Northern Italian red grapes, wines designed to be consumed with food

Best Suited to Red wine lovers, Italian wine lovers, boutique winery lovers.

Tasting Options Non refundable booking fee of USD$30 is redeemed against wine and food purchases. Taste 4 wines for USD$25. Or taste Remy Wines with a picnic for USD$89 per person.

Amenities Picnic lunch

And they make a tasting traditional method sparkling rose. Remy produces wine under 3 labels: Remy, Three Wives and Black Heart.

You might enjoy reading some of my other articles on wine regions in the United States: Livermore Wine Region, Washington Wineries, Charlottesville Wineries, and Calistoga, California.

7. Durant Vineyards

Durant is one of the older vineyards in Willamette Valley, having begun in 1973. For their first 30 years of operation, Durant sold all its fruit to winemakers. They started making their own wine in 2003 and built their winery in 2012. 

Distance from McMinnville: 9.5 miles

AVA: Dundee Hills

Best Known For  Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Best Suited to those with disparate tastes in wine. Durant has a good range of reds, rose and whites so it is likely to have at least one wine to suit everyone. It is also a great spot if you’re looking for a lazy afternoon with its Adirondack chairs and awesome views. Plus, it is possible to order charcuterie boards and other snacks so you can make a meal of it.

Tasting Options USD$30 is the standard cost for a wine flight and it is redeemable against purchases. 

Amenities Farm shop, Olive Mill, Lavender fields and Nursery. And they have overnight lodging at Stoneycrest Cottage.

And You can also do an olive oil and vinegar tasting in the Nursery

https://www.tiktok.com/@boutiqueadventurer/video/7298332634969574689

8. Argyle Winery

Argyle Winery is best known for sparkling wines. They use the traditional method and age all of their sparkling wines for at least three years. Argyle Winery was founded by Rollin Soles in 1987 with the specific purpose of creating world-class sparkling wine in Oregon.

As I mentioned earlier, Willamette Valley is on the 47 N latitude, the same as Burgundy France. Champagne in France is on the 49 N latitude, so the Oregon climate is theoretically suited to growing Champagne-style grapes. 

Argyle has a beautiful tasting room with high ceilings and lots of light in the heart of downtown Dundee. It is more like a bar than a traditional tasting room and can be treated as such with wines available by the glass. 

I am a big fan of sparkling and Argyle was one of my favourite wineries of the trip. 

Distance from McMinnville 11.6 miles

AVA Eola-Amity Hills

Best Known For Bubbles

Best Suited to Sparkling Wine Lovers

Tasting Options  USD$45 to taste either a sparkling flight or a still flight, 4 wines each. 

Amenities Charcuterie boxes can be ordered.

And they are dog friendly.

➡️ Book Your Wine Tour of Willamette Valley

9. Domaine Serene The Clubhouse

In 1989, Domaine Serene created Oregon’s luxury wine industry in its 42 acre estate in Dundee Hills. They were amongst the first producers of chardonnay and sparkling wines in the region. Today Domaine Serene also owns a property in Burgundy, France Chateau de la Cree. Their burgundy range is amongst the 80 different wines that can be purchased at their vineyard. 

Distance from McMinnville 10.9 miles

AVA: Dundee Hills

Best Known For  One of the most awarded wineries in the USA. They shocked the wine world in 1998 and 1999 when they beat out the French in blind tasting. They have one best pinot noir in Oregon in the past and their chardonnay has been voted one of the top wines in the world by Wine Spectator. They also have an interesting and highly rated white pinot noir.

Best Suited to a decadent wine-tasting experience, Chardonnay lovers.

Tasting Options Flight of 5 wines for USD$40, redeemable if you become a member or spend more than USD$100 on wine. Add one of two sparkling wines for USD$15. All the wines are also available to buy by the glass or bottle. There is also a tasting just for members, a more limited signature wine tasting experience and the Grace’s Grove experience with an outdoor tasting.

Amenities Bread, oysters, charcuterie and cheese boards are available.

And There are Domaine Serene Wine Lounges in Portland, Bend and Lake Oswego

Tasting Rooms in Historic Downtown McMinnville

McMinnville’s main street, Third Street, is full of tasting rooms as well as some great bars, restaurants, shops and craft beer tasting rooms. You could spend the whole day on Third Street and visit a range of McMinnville wineries without using any type of transport. 

Whilst in the city of McMinnville, look out for these Oregon wineries:

Willamette Valley Vineyards Tasting Room – great value daily flights of excellent wines for a USD$20 tasting fee or reserve flights USD$25 or buy wine by the glass, cosy tasting room that has live music.

Pike Road Wines – lots of wines with 90 points or more in Wine Enthusiast. Pinot noir, of course, but also some top-scoring chardonnay.

Terra Vina – if you’re a bit over pinot noir but love reds Terra Vina are known for their big reds beyond pinot noir.

J Wrigley Vineyards – well recognised complex pinot noir.

Jacob Williams – Bordeaux Varietals and even zinfandel

Troon – grow some of the less common grapes in the area including vermentino, zinfandel, malbec and syrah

I would also highly recommend visiting the super cute Hi Fi bar in McMinnville. It has a big beautiful oak bar, vinyl records and loads of Oregon wines available by the glass.

And don’t miss having a meal at Humble Spirit. When we asked the people we met in the Willamette Valley to recommend restaurants, virtually everyone nominated Humble Spirit, and I can see why. Local ingredients make for a diverse menu but we were told not to miss the smash burger or the homemade oreos. Make sure you book ahead.

Where to Stay in Willamette Valley

1. Vintages Trailer Resort

Whilst in wine country why not take part in some airstream glamping? The Vintages Trailer Resort has 36 fully restored and custom-fabricated trailers with outdoor grills and bikes for hire. Imagine a trailer made over by a boutique hotel design expert and this is the Vintages Trailer Resort. There is a general store on site that stocks all you might need as well as a pool, club house and fire pit.

Check Prices and Availability for Vintages Trailer Resort

2. Inn the Ground

My top pick for where to stay in Willamette Valley is Inn the Ground. This boutique hotel is located just outside Carlton and is the perfect base for drinking wine in the Willamette Valley. The design aesthetic in Scandinavia meets nature, and it is stunning.

Check Prices and Availability for Inn the Ground

3. Yamhill House

If you are traveling with friends or family I can’t think of anywhere better to stay than Yamhill House. This beautiful home has the same owners as Inn the Ground above as well as the fantastic Humble Spirit restaurant in McMinnville. It has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths and a massive kitchen and living area. This is where I stayed when I visited Willamette Valley and I loved it.

Check Prices and Availability for Yamhill House

4. Tributary Hotel in McMinnville

With a fantastic location on McMinnville’s main street (Third Street), this 100 year old building has been restored and turned into a beautiful boutique hotel with eight suites.

Check Prices and Availability for the Tributary Hotel

My trip to Oregon wine country was sponsored by Willamette Valley Tourism. However, as always my opinions are my own. Please note this article contains affiliate links. That means if you click through on some of the links in the article and end up making a purchase I may receive a small commission.