Winderlea Vineyards and Winery

8905 NE Worden Hill Road, Dundee, OR

Website: http://winderlea.com/

I was not familiar with Winderlea Vineyards before I visited. My friend Denise and I heard about it when we asked for a recommendation from some locals. Winderlea Estate tasting room is located in Dundee, right up the street from Erath Winery. They also have a second tasting room in McMinnville. This winery is a second career for owners Bill Sweat and Donna Morris who left their careers in Boston in 2006 to follow their passion for Oregon Pinot Noir. The name Winderlea comes from a property that Bill and Donna purchased in Vermont in 2001 and was made up from the words “Wind” and “Lea”, which translates loosely to “wind in the meadow”. The owners feel this name characterizes their wines and also the special feelings they have for both the place in Vermont and the winery.

Winderlea’s tasting room in Dundee

The tasting room in Dundee is very modern. It was also quite popular. Getting and in out of the parking lot was a little bit of a challenge because of the small space and cars coming in and out constantly. The exterior of the tasting room reminded me almost of an industrial office building with lots of windows. The industrial theme continues on the interior of the tasting room with a wide open space, stark white walls, and windows from ceiling to floor. Right inside of the entrance was a small, modest tasting bar. The real appeal of this tasting room is that the back side opens up completely to a deck overlooking the vineyards. There is a fabulous view from the back deck. Between the tasting bar and the back deck are several tables and chairs.

This place was so popular when we visited that it was difficult to find a space for a tasting. We managed to grab a little space at the tasting bar after waiting for some people to leave. All of the tables were full, and there was a crowd standing on the back deck. It was literally like being at an afternoon party with a group of 30-40 year olds. Without a doubt, this is the type of winery you would take your best friends to hang out. The Dundee tasting room is open to the public Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (check their website to confirm before you go). Reservations are required on Saturdays and Sundays. This doesn’t surprise me considering how busy it was when we were there. A tasting flight includes 5 wines, typically 1 Chardonnay and 4 Pinot Noirs. A large portion of the tasting fee goes to a good cause called iSalud! which provides healthcare services to Oregon vineyard workers and their families. There were a couple of Pinot Noirs that I really enjoyed, the Dundee Hills Vineyard and Meredith Mitchell Pinot Noir for their dark berry and mocha/chocolate notes. I can understand the appeal of this tasting room, but if you are planning a visit be prepared for the crowds.

View from the deck at Winderlea