Visitors in the Willamette Valley Vineyards Wine Center on Third Street in McMinnville sample valley wines.

Marcus Larson / News-Register

The Willamette Valley Vineyards Wine Center, which aims to be the launching pad for quality wine country experiences, opened last week at 300 N.E. Third St. in downtown McMinnville.

McMinnville resident Meg Murray is serving as director of the center, which is the brainchild of Jim Bernau, founder and chief executive officer of Turner-based Willamette Valley Vineyards. His winery is Oregon’s third largest, with distribution in all 50 states and many foreign lands.

The center is designed around sustainability, a philosophy and commitment that runs deep in the Oregon wine industry.

Murray said McMinnville was chosen because it is the perfect place to begin a wine adventure. She manages a staff of eight employees, offering tasting, retail sales, interpretive displays and detailed information about Willamette Valley touring, lodging and dining options.

Visitors can take advantage of a concierge service, wherein employees suggest possible touring alternatives, assist in planning itineraries and help make reservations and arrange appointments. After a conversation about the visitor’s taste in wines, they can supply directions and even call ahead, to send them to the appropriate winery.

The center’s inviting setting features wood work by Sheridan craftsman Rich Mathis of Wood is Wonderful. A dedicated re-user and recycler, he transformed wood from a Jim Beam distillery in Kentucky into furniture and accents for the center.
Murray said Mathis played an integral part in the center’s atmosphere.

The green theme is carried out through the flooring, which is made from recycled cork. The center also serves as a depository for people to drop off their used corks, which will be cleaned and used in another form.

One particularly impressive fixture is a 19-foot-long wooden table designed to seat 20 people for formal tastings. The massive piece incorporates backless bench seating and was custom made for the space out of reclaimed poplar.

An interpretive element sets the center apart from traditional retail outlets. Detailed displays explain the geological events and soils of the regions and how they nurture the vines and shape the wines. They even feature actual soil samples.

Enlargements of American Viticultural Area maps provide a comprehensive perspective of key growing areas, such as super AVA Willamette Valley and the smaller McMinnville and Dundee Hills AVAs, along with the extent and specific locations of vineyard development within them.

The center aims to point out the long-term potential of the Willamette Valley’s wine future. Of the super-AVAs’ 3.3 million acres, more than 100,000 have been identified as well-suited for winegrapes but still unplanted.

All of the attributes that brought Oregon’s wine pioneers here in the late ’60s and early ’70s are conveyed within the center’s 2,800 square feet of floor space. To the left of the front entrance, there is a 9-by-5-foot area upon which is projected ever-changing wine country images, including photographs by award-winning photographer/author Jánis Miglavs.

The center showcases the local industry’s ecologically sensitive practices, including L.I.V.E. and Salmon-Safe, as well as the values and benefits of organics and Biodynamics.

Though primarily concentrating on the Willamette Valley, staff members are prepared to provide information on other Oregon winegrowing regions as well.

Selected wines are available to taste from Willamette Valley Vineyards’ current portfolio, and those of other producers. Tasting options are divided into three categories, beginning with a complimentary tasting of three Willamette Valley offerings.

The second category features three reserve wines for a $5 fee, refunded with a purchase of $50 or more. The third offers a comparative flight of four to six wines from Willamette Valley and other area wineries for a $10 fee, refunded with a purchase of $100 or more.

The center does not sell wine from other producers, but refers customers on to pay a visit and make a purchase on their own. As a nod to Yamhill County, visitors with proof of local residency get a 5 percent discount.

Bernau describes the center as “a gateway with a mission.” It is open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The phone number is 503-883-9012. The website may be found at www.willamettevalleyvineyards.com.