Quick Escapes - Oregon Wine Country

Like most of you I considered an excursion to the Oregon Wine country more of a day trip rather than an overnight stay, mainly because of the lack of any destination hotel or resort.  Luckily, this has recently changed with the opening of The Allison Inn and Spa in Newberg.   Just a short one-hour drive from Salem, The Allison Inn and Spa is easy to get to and sure to become very popular with tourists and locals alike.  At the Inn you will find luxury accommodations, Jory, the Inn’s signature restaurant specializing in locally inspired cuisine, and a 15,000 square foot Spa to help you unwind after a day of winery tours and tastings.

The Allison Inn

You will find no shortage of great wineries to tour close to The Allison, my favorites include Lange Winery, Domaine Drouhin Oregon, Domaine Serene, and Bergstrom. Each of these wineries is located just minutes from Newberg and make for an excellent day of wine tasting.  Lange Winery has been producing great wines since 1987, including a great mix of Pinot Noirs and white wines.  The winery tasting room is small and casual and the staff is always friendly and willing to educate and entertain.  Domaine Drouhin of Oregon is an outpost of the French wine maker Drouhin and is known for its award winning Pinot Noirs produced in a spectacular hillside setting.  Plan ahead and you can schedule a winery tour lasting around 60 minutes and giving you a great overview of the wine making process and ending with a guided tasting of several of their current releases.

Domaine Drouhin

There are several great restaurants to choose from in the area, including the Yamhill Grill, Dundee Bistro, and for fans of mushrooms and truffles, the Joel Palmer House is a short drive away in Dayton.

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