The Dundee Hills of Oregon: Home of Award-winning Wines and Views
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Autumn was only two weeks away. But you wouldn’t know it. The sun had dialed up the heat just enough to make us want to linger on the vineyard’s terrace a little longer—soaking in the last rays of summer along with some of Oregon’s best countryside.
It was difficult to believe we were just 25 miles from Portland. Sitting there overlooking the Dundee Hills, we felt far removed from urban life. We were captivated by the arrow-straight rows that meshed together in gentle green waves over the terrain.
This part of the Willamette Valley is home to the majority of the state’s 725 wineries. It hadn’t always been like this. Only 40 years ago there were about 40 wineries here. Many wine aficionados thought these Oregonians were wasting their time and money. Nonetheless, they persisted, knowing that their land which sat near the 45th parallel—like Bordeaux, France—had the potential to be ideal for producing wine. Now these wines, especially the pinot noirs, receive awards around the world. Cheers!
If you enjoyed this story in our series, we invite you to check out a wildlife refuge just outside of Portland and our travel books.