Welcome to Wine Country
The wine guide is now 10 years old, and with this issue we debut a new look but keep our old mission: to highlight the amazing wines from Oregon and Washington, and to facilitate visiting those wineries during the holiday weekend (11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 28-30).
This year we're taking advantage of the Web, and have moved the complete listings of wineries online so you can search, download and print out the info you need to create your own custom experience.
In the printed guide we offer an overview of the regions to get you dialed into the latest buzz and plan a perfect day of touring and tasting. We've got shopping and dining guides, picks from our critics, advice for the right wine for holiday meals and much more that will keep you in the know, not just through the weekend but throughout the year.
How to find our winery listings and maps
All winery information, including hours, address, phone number, Web site and driving directions, is online at oregonlive.com/wineries. From that page, click on a region you'd like to explore.
On your left, you'll find a listing of the wineries. Browse through the list as is, or click on "alphabetically" in the sort field to put the list in alphabetical order. The list includes address and phone number plus links to hours, maps and the winery's own Web site. You can just pick an area and "mouse" over the markers on the map to see what wineries are in the vicinity, then make your choice from there. Note that you can zoom in and out to see a larger or tighter, more detailed, area on the map.
A NOTE ON MAPS
The online maps at oregonlive.com/wineries are excellent at providing specific directions. Other resources include:
The Willamette Valley Wineries Association brochure: includes info on members along with a map; available at tasting rooms around the valley or order at willamettewines.com.
The Oregon Wine Board comprehensive packet: includes an overview brochure, plus maps and winery listings from the Willamette Valley, southern Oregon and eastern Oregon wine regions, along with specific touring guides from eight regional winery associations. Delivered via USPS first class; cost is $2.99. Order at oregonwinebrochure.org.
The Oregon Wine Board also offers a trip planner at explorer.oregonwine.org.
Oregonian wine writer Katherine Cole also recommends the DeLorme Oregon Atlas & Gazetteer, available at bookstores or through amazon.com, for navigating wine-country roads.