Photo Courtesy 00 Wines
A lot of exceptional Oregon wines, created in small quantities by family-owned wineries, never make it out of the Northwest. There’s a simple solution, though, if you live in one of the many states with reciprocal interstate shipping laws: You can buy directly from the wineries or become a member of their clubs to get exclusive access.
Here are four small producers whose wines you won’t want to miss.
David Hill Winery
This heritage winery sits in the newly minted Tualatin Hills American Viticultural Area (AVA) and has taken on a multiyear project of renovating the original mid-1960s plantings by Oregon pioneer Charles Coury. Look for the Coury clone Pinots as well as a limited selection of such rarities as Sylvaner, all value priced from vines a half century old.
Reustle Vineyards
Set on a steep hillside northwest of Roseburg in the heart of the Umpqua Valley AVA, Reustle produces a dizzying range of estate-grown varietal wines. Seek out their Grüner Veltliners, made in three different styles. Racy, fresh and mineral-driven, all are impressive. The Green Lizard reserve is the richest, while the concrete-fermented Dolium boosts the minerality.