Tasting rooms are generally open daily, year-round, but call ahead when traveling off-season. Wine-tasting is often free; sometimes a small charge ($1-3) is charged for a souvenir wine glass, or to taste a special vintage. Many wineries provide an explanatory sheet describing the wines being tasted, so you can read about each wine as you sample it. Call or check the wineries' websites for appealing special events, from barrel tastings to banquets to music and theater festivals. Most wineries offer 5% discounts on half cases, 10% on a full case; cases can be mixed. Many have appealing gift shops, too. Take time to talk to the people who pouring the wine; they love to share their knowledge of wine. Bring a picnic or sample the menus at winery restaurants. For more information Wine touring and tasting is done for pleasure, so don't take it too seriously. Even the Wall Street Journal rates wine on a scale ranging from "yecch to delicious." Numerous books, magazines, newsletters and Internet Web sites are devoted to wines, providing extensive information on the techniques of wine-making and tasting, ratings of thousands of wines, and recommendations for best value wines. We like: Wine Spectator Beverage Testing Institute Inc Robin Garr's Wine Lovers' Page Wines Across America

An hour's drive from Portland along the Wine Road (Highway 99W) leads you to the 120 wineries of the Willamette Valley. The northernmost of Oregon's wine-growing regions, many claim that the combination of soil and climate rivals that of Burgundy, France. More information from the Oregon Wine Advisory Board and from the Yamhill County Wineries Association. Wineries: Here are a few Yamhill County wineries, driving from north to south: Just north of Newberg on 99W is Rex Hill Vineyards originally a fruit farm and nut-drying plant, now rebuilt as a handsome winery. The tasting room is enhanced with the owners' extensive collection of Northwest art and antiques. The Argyle Winery on Route 99W in Dundee has a tasting room in a restored Victorian farmhouse, with the winery in a former hazelnut processing plant. Best known for their methode champenoise sparkling wines, they also produce Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, dry Riesling, and Pinot Gris wines. From Highway 99W in Dundee, turn west on Ninth Street, which becomes Worden Hill Road. About 2.5 miles from town is Erath Vineyards, with a stunning location overlooking the surrounding Dundee Hills. Pioneering winemaker Dick Erath first planted Pinot Noir vines here in 1969. Yamhill Valley Vineyards, is located close to Highway 18, five miles south of McMinnville, and offers handsome views of the Coast Range foothills from their picnic deck. This winery focuses on Pinot Noir, Gris, and Blanc wines, and is experimenting with the use of Oregon oak for their barrel aging. The nearby Oregon Wine Tasting Room on Highway 18 stocks approximately 100 different wines from 50 to 60 different Oregon wineries. Inns: A working orchard, Springbrook Hazelnut Farm, is conveniently located in Newberg, just off 99W. Friendly owners Ellen and Chuck McClure offer four affordably priced guest rooms in their creatively restored Craftsman-style main house, plus two well-equipped cottages. More inns… High in the Red Hills near Dayton and Dundee is the Wine Country Farm. Joan Davenport welcomes guests to her 1910 farmhouse set on 13 hilltop acres. We sampled the inn's own wines in the tasting room, then visited the barn to feed carrots to Joan's beautiful Arabian horses. Common areas are cheerful and homey, the seven guest rooms are simply furnished. We slept like babies on a really comfortable king-sized bed until the morning sun streaming in the windows reminded us that it was time to get up for one of Joan's amazing breakfasts of scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, maple syrup, and a orange-banana juice blend. You can hike or ride the inn trails, then unwind in the hot tub. More inns… For a bird's eye view of wine country, follow the road from McMinnville uphill to Youngberg Hill Vineyard B&B (888-657-8668), overlooking rolling hills planted in Pinot Noir, with the Willamette Valley below. The comfortable guest rooms have queen- or king-size beds, good reading lights, ample storage space, comfortable seating, and lovely views; the two new suites are ideal for special occasions. More inns… Restaurants: Favorites include the Red Hills Provincial Dining Room (503-538-8224) in Dundee; the Joel Palmer House (503-864-2995) in Dayton; Nick's Italian Café (503-434-4471) in McMinnville. Find a B&B | Specials | Recipes | Message Boards | Gift Certificates | Store | Book Online