Events
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Events for May 28
Memorial Day Weekend in Wine Country
Willamette Valley Wineries Celebrate Late Spring In Style
The Most Memorable Memorial Day Weekend in Oregon
Portland, Ore. (May 3, 2012) — Putting the long Pacific Northwest winter to bed for good, Memorial Weekend in the Wine Country offers a stunning bouquet of local wine culture. The holiday weekend features exclusive wines, greening vineyard views and an array of activities fit to please the wine enthusiast and foodie alike. Household names like Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris mingle with hard-to-find varietals such as Arneis and Gewürztraminer for three days devoted to treasured Willamette Valley wine.
Over 150 wineries invite tasters to their cozy tasting rooms and stunning vineyards Memorial Day Weekend. A handful of small producers are open to the public this weekend only, offering a rare glimpse – and taste – of the hand-crafted approach and award-winning flavors people associate with Oregon wines from the Willamette Valley. Sample wines of varying vintages, vineyards and varietal blends and meet the producers behind them.
“Memorial Weekend traditionally marks the start of the summer wine tasting season,” said Sue Horstmann, Executive Director of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association (WVWA). “Visitors to wine country this weekend will have the opportunity to sample new releases as well as older vintages. It is a great time to find new favorites to add to your cellar.”
Participating wineries accent their wines with culinary pairings, tours, and performers. Take in a live jazz band or sip an older vintage wine from inside an old grain silo. Play bocce ball beside an endless vineyard or munch on some barbecue while you play fetch with the vineyard dog. Learn what it means to be biodynamic or pack a picnic and enjoy it on a family farm.
Also, for the third consecutive year, the WVWA has teamed up with Ecotrust’s Farm to School program, which works to bring regionally grown food into school lunchrooms, educate students about agriculture and support regional farmers. Fifty participating wineries will donate a portion of their weekend’s proceeds to Ecotrust.
“Targeting the next generation of Oregonians, the Farm to School program took root in 2007 and promotes healthy, regionally grown food in school cafeterias statewide. We’re thrilled the Willamette Valley Wineries Association shares our deep commitment to keeping Oregon’s agriculture sustainable and our children healthy,” said Ericka Carlson, of Ecotrust’s Food and Farms program.
From its modest beginning 22 years ago, Memorial Weekend in the Wine Country has blossomed into a regionally recognized wine lover’s holiday, the preface to a sunny Oregon growing season. For a complete listing of wineries open during Memorial Day Weekend and those donating proceeds to Ecotrust, along with details about special events and individual tasting fees, visit www.willamettewines.com and request a touring map and guide.
About Ecotrust and its Food and Farms Program
Ecotrust’s mission is to inspire fresh thinking that creates social equity, economic opportunity, and environmental well-being. The Food and Farms program at Ecotrust strives to make sustainability the underlying value of the mainstream food system; the norm, not the exception. Its approach is multifaceted and includes: combating obesity, hunger, and global climate change; supporting Pacific Northwest farmers and food processors, both big and small; and enhancing regional economic development and community food security. For more information, please visit http://www.ecotrust.org/foodfarms/.
About the Willamette Valley Wineries Association
The WVWA is a non-profit industry association dedicated to achieving recognition for Oregon’s acclaimed Willamette Valley as a premier Pinot Noir producing region. Currently, the WVWA has 194 members representing wineries and tasting rooms throughout the Valley – from Portland to Eugene. Memorial Weekend in the Wine Country and Wine Country Thanksgiving are the two oldest WVWA sponsored touring events in Oregon. The Association also publishes an annual wineries guide with a touring map. For more information of to request a map, please visit www.willamettewines.com, call 503-646-2985, or follow on Facebook or Twitter: @wvwines.
