Entrance to Airlie Winery
5305 Dunn Forest Rd, Monmouth, Oregon
Website: http://www.airliewinery.com/
Nestled into the western part of the Willamette Valley in Monmouth, OR is Airlie winery and vineyards. This was one of the most serene wineries I have ever been to. The views from the winery are absolutely spectacular, and my tasting experience felt like I was stopping in to visit a relative. This is a dog friendly winery. After parking our car, the owner’s two Irish Setters came right up to greet us as we opened our car doors.
Airlie Winery was established in 1986. The original site of the winery was a Christmas tree farm and the former owners began planting vineyards in 1983. Current owner Mary Olsen purchased the property in 1997. She was raised in Osceola, Wisconsin and had a 22 year career working outside of the wine industry. During that time she had the opportunity to spend a couple of years in Oregon and visited the wineries on weekends. That was the beginning of Mary’s dream to own her own winery. There is a lot of history behind the name and label. In the late 1800s a railroad was built in the area and purchased by Scottish investors who named the town Airlie after the Scottish Earl of Airlie. The hot air balloon on the label is symbolic of a tradition in France where balloonists would carry a bottle of wine with them to give to the vineyard owner after crushing some of the grapes upon landing.
Outdoor tasting area at Airlie Vineyards
Airlie is a certified sustainable winery and produces a variety of wines that include Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Müller Thurgau, Gewürztraminer, Maréchal Foch, and Muscat Ottonel. There is a rather small indoor tasting room, but the real charm of the winery is their outdoor area. There are a couple of different options for sitting outside on a nice day. Right outside of the tasting room is a picnic table beneath a canopy. There are also some tables and chairs on the opposite side of the parking area the overlook the pond and surrounding vineyards. When my friend Denise and I pulled up the winery there was a group sitting at the picnic table outside the tasting room and we thought it must be some kind of group tour. As we walked up, Mary greeted us and offered for us to take a seat at the table. We hesitated a moment feeling like we were intruding, but the rest of the group encouraged us to have a seat as well. We learned quickly after taking a seat that they were not all one group and were from different places. Everyone was friendly and having a good time and as our tasting continued on we were joining into the conversation too. Mary poured the wines for us and had a story to go with each one. She was so kind and friendly that we couldn’t help but want to try them all. The tasting experience was very generous. The menu included all of their wines and we were able to sample any one of them. There is no set fee. Instead, there was a jar in the middle of the table for donations that go to a local food bank.
Outdoor tasting area in front of the pond at Airlie
There is a quote on the website “Airlie is truly more than just a stop along the way it is a place to sit and stay!” That is my sentiment exactly. This is a place worth seeking out. What can be better than a quiet place with good, environmentally friendly wine, gorgeous views, and friendly people? Not to mention that tasting fees are donated to a good cause. Bring some friends and family and plan to stay awhile. Note that the tasting room closes between December and February but check the website to see if they will take a call-ahead.
Beautiful view of Airlie vineyards