Willamette Valley Vineyards

Willamette Valley Vineyards was founded in 1983 by Jim Bernau who believes strongly that the best wines are made from grapes that are naturally grown. To that end, his winery has become a true steward of the land and is one of the "greener" wineries in Oregon. They were the first to use natural cork certified by the Rainforest Alliance to Forest Stewardship Council standards in all of their bottles. In addition, they run all of their tractors and delivery vehicles on biofuel. They even offer a 10 cent "refund" for any wine bottle returned to their tasting room for recycling.

Willamette Valley Vineyards produces high quality, highly rated wines specializing in Pinot noir as well as some other cool-climate varieties. The winery and tasting facility sit atop Ilahee Hill just south of Salem, Oregon. The surrounding 50 acre estate vineyards are planted to select clones of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling. Their wines have been served at the White House, the James Beard House, as well as many fine restaurants throughout the world. They earned the distinction of being named 2011 Oregon Winery of the Year by Wine Press Northwest .