Oregon Wine Guide
Easy. Convenient. Concise.
1. Imagine what visiting a given place will be like -- Make it easy to figure out by referring to your handy-dandy, ultra-helpful "Oregon Wine Country Guidebook" and see what calls to you. The maps, photos and descriptions will help clarify the unknown at-a-glance! Pick a limited area to focus on so you don't end up driving all over creation.
2. Plan your trip by choosing one select place that you just HAVE to go to, and revolve your trip around it. Pick a couple others nearby. Don't try to do too much. Give yourself time to sit and relax and enjoy!
3. Make note about the wines you love in the book's pages -- eventually, you WILL forget everything you liked at a certain place. You don't have to write about all the wines you try, just record the ones you really liked. This will also be a great resource to bring into a wine shop steward and help define your personal palate preferences.
4. Ask for navigation help in driving to your next place. It's the country after all, and roads may be unmarked, turns may come up unexpectedly, etc. Also, know that cell phone coverage can be quite spotty, but try calling the destination winery for help with directions.
5. Become a wine club member when you find a favorite! You'll get free tastings and discounts on wine. Your drinking companions often get to taste for free as well. Group your outing with members of other wineries and you can all share the perks.
6. Get someone else to drive. If you are lucky enough to have a friend renting a bus or limo, take advantage and jump in! It's extra fun to go with extra people and you are sure to have a memorable experience (well, mostly memorable, depending on amount of wine you drink -- pay attention)!
7. And speaking of friends, consider sharing a glass/tasting with a special someone. You can taste more wines that way. Remember you can spit or dump too. You want to try everything, right?!
8. Ask about tasting fee refunds with wine purchases. You may get to totally recoup your tasting fee! Ask beforehand, and pay attention to what you might actually want to bring home as you are tasting.
9. Beware the end-of-the-day tastings. you might not be able to trust your tastebuds once you've sampled too many. Take a break and get some munchies here and there too. Also, watch for over-enthusiastic VISA purchases! give yourself a max budget. This is a great time to buy wine (you already got to taste it and like it), but do it wisely.
10. Be sure you have plenty of extra gas and some munchies. Gas stations and restaurants make only rare appearances in the middle of nowhere. Oh -- and don't forget your bottle of Wine Out!
