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wine tasting

Wine for Thanksgiving in the Willamette Valley

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Before we were parents, before the mornings of waking up at 3am to our son singing Band on the Run in his underwear after turning on every light in the house, my husband and I took leisurely romantic getaways. Ah, the memories. Our favorite, perfect Northwest weekend getaway was wine tasting in Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley. […]

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TRIP GUIDE: Walla Walla Wine Country

Ask a local wine lover which Northwest region is producing the most complex, interesting reds right now, and Walla Walla will probably top their list. And while not all great wine regions are necessarily great travel destinations, you’re in luck. Walla Walla is both. And it’s much closer than you think. We visited Walla Walla […]

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Wine Tasting: Getting to Know Northwest Wines

Have you pondered why Washington is known for full-bodied Merlot while Oregon is famous for its fruity Pinot Noir? Location, location, location. The topography and climate of the Pacific Northwest is incredibly diverse, and this diversity is reflected in our wines. When you visit a particular wine region, you’ll encounter some of the same wine varietals again and again. For example, […]

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Wine Tasting: Vino Vocab

Do you know what fruit-forward means? How about tannin, or terroir? Students, gather ’round. You don’t have to be ultra-knowledgeable about the world of wine to enjoy visiting wine regions and tasting rooms. In fact, like we told you in Wine Tasting 101, the point of visiting wineries is to learn. Still, you might feel […]

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Wine Tasting 101: Tips for First-Timers

So, you’re a tasting room virgin. It’s okay, we’ve all been there. Maybe you’re in the camp that thinks wine-tasting is a silly pastime for urbanites who can say “nice residual sugar” with a straight face. Or perhaps you’re just deathly afraid to walk into one of those granite-clad tasting rooms with no freakin’ clue what to do […]

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Tasting the Umpqua

Down in the valley, where the green grass grows, there are over a dozen small, family-owned wineries whose creations range from spicy Syrahs to deep-noted Pinot Noirs. Oregon’s Umpqua Valley wine region is not just one valley, but comprises several small valleys and undulating hills. It’s drier than the Willamette to the north, and cooler […]

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Grape Lakes in Canada’s Okanagan Valley

The region is stunning, and so are the wines. So why do American wine lovers have so few bottles from BC’s Okanagan Valley in their wine cellars? Sunset magazine covered the challenges of crossing the U.S. Canadian border with alcoholic goods in hand after a visit to British Columbia’s Okanagan wine region. Here’s the deal. If […]

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Wine, Hops, and a Baby in Yakima

When I had a baby last year, there were a few revelations that went through my head about how our life as a carefree traveling couple had suddenly changed. For example, those lazy days of tasting our way through wine country were probably over. Not so! Meet Jodie and James, an Australian couple living in […]

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Biking in Oregon Wine Country

Pinot noir and bicycling go together like bread and butter. If you don’t believe me, you’ll just have to try it for yourself! If you have a bike and a free summer weekend, head to the Willamette Valley south of Portland and tour wine country by bicycle. You have two choices to ride through the […]

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