Erath Winery
9409 NE Worden Hill Rd, Dundee, OR 97115
Website: https://www.erath.com/
Erath Winery was the last stop of my visit to Oregon wine country. It was such a nice way to end my stay. One of the most striking attributes of this winery is the gorgeous view. From the winery and parking lot, there is a view of vineyards that seems to stretch on forever. It was fall, the vineyards were green and lush, and the sky was blue. We couldn’t ask for a better day.
View of rolling vineyards from Erath Winery
Erath has been making wine in the Dundee Hills for over 40 years, the longest of any other winery in the area. Original owner Dick Erath was a wine pioneer in Oregon. He started making wine in his garage in 1965 and studied at UC Davis in California. He bought his first vineyard on Chehalem Mountain in 1968. While living in an unheated cabin with his family, Dick started planting 23 varieties of grapes. He made a discovery from those plantings that Pinot Noir really thrives in this region. Between 1969 and 1972 Dick continued his experiments with wine, helping to bring French Pinot clones to the Dundee Hills and producing his first commercial wine. Then in 1976, he started Erath Winery. Within ten years, the winery grew to produce more than 35,000 cases that are now distributed internationally. In 2006 St. Michelle Wine Estates purchased the winery and committed to upholding Erath’s winemaking style.
Indoor tasting bar at Erath Winery
Beyond the beautiful views and history of the winery, this place has some really lovely wines and a very comfortable atmosphere. Inside the wood paneled tasting room has a country feel. There are two sections with tasting bars and a few tables and chairs for guests. The tasting room was pretty busy when I visited, although I didn’t feel crammed in. There was ample space to move around. The staff was inviting. It was such a nice day that my friend and I opted to do our tasting outside in the shaded patio area that looks out over the vineyards. A server came out to explain the tasting options and walk us through each glass that was poured. The unique part of my tasting was the homemade flavored popcorn that they serve to pair with the wine. This was the first time I ever had a pairing like that. The popcorn flavors brought out some of the nuances in the wine. I loved their Quail Run Pinot Blanc and various Pinot Noirs. The Pinot Noirs continuously receive 90+ scores from wine magazines. They also poured a Sweet Harvest Pinot Blanc dessert wine. It was a very relaxing setting. We took our time sipping each wine and greatly enjoyed ourselves.