Tiny Travels: Whatever your relationship status, wine country has the perfect place to celebrate

Valentine’s Day—it’s really just a chance to spend time with those you love. Whatever your romantic status, a day trip to the heart of Oregon wine country has all the right settings for romance, bromance, or a Galentine’s Day outing.

Romance in Bloom

Set within the foothills of the Coastal Range but still 10 minutes from McMinnville, Coeur de Terre Vineyard has everything you might want for quality time à deux. You’ll take a gorgeous winding country road to get there before arriving at a place tailor-made for romance. The vineyards here are meticulously coaxed through a lifetime of organic farming—not a bad message to send to a paramour or a great friend. Take the five-wine flight or go a little deeper with a reserved, in-depth winery tasting.

Put a Ring on It

If you’re ready to show your true commitment, Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyard might be the perfect backdrop to profess your love. Yes, there are great, award-winning wines produced at a biodynamic vineyard, in a rural (read: secluded) setting just south of McMinnville. But you can make the moment better by signing up for the wine club, which gives you access to the winery’s hiking program: three trails of 2 to 3.25 miles each winding through the 532-acre estate. Offer your love a glimpse of what’s to come with the Love at First Sight Package—a Valentine’s Day special with two bottles of wine, Riedel Oregon Pinot noir glasses and a half dozen fresh mini-donuts from Crave Donuts. 

So Happy Together

Strolling and long-term relationships have so much in common. McMinnville’s classic downtown Third Street (named 2nd best Main Street in the nation) is the place to be for the happily coupled. Try an outdoor tasting at R. Stuart Winery & Co. of Big Fire, R. Stuart reserve wines, or specialty wines, but our favorite for romance might be the Love, Oregon line, with one of the most romantic labels in the industry. Then, stroll along—to shop, to eat, to see and be seen, and hold hands all day long.

A Shared View

Bring it all together and enjoy the view at Youngberg Hill, situated high at the edge of the Coastal Range but still within the McMinnville AVA and just minutes from downtown. Some call it the best view from any vineyard in the Willamette Valley. The vineyard looks east towards Mt. Hood and the Cascades from a family-run tasting room and inn, one popular for weddings and special events. If you’re planning to stay at the inn for the weekend the Tiny Travelers have two words for you: two-person shower.

Choose Your Own Label

Maybe you don’t want to put a label on your relationship, or maybe you just haven’t found the right label yet. That’s cool. You can send your love any kind of message at all by picking just the right wine at a place in-town. A wide selection of local wines make up a display at Harvest Fresh Grocery & Deli in downtown McMinnville, or seek out something specific and special at Woodard Wines, also downtown. 

Emily Grosvenor is the voice behind Tiny Travels and Editor of Oregon Home magazine, as well as the lady behind #mcminnvilledentist.

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