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…