
7

"Perched in the hills of West Haven‑Sylvan at the end of SW Swede Hill Drive, Amaterra is a 12‑acre winery, vineyard, restaurant and tasting room housed in an opulent, multi‑story 45,000‑square‑foot building that’s now open to the public. I was struck by how the estate’s grapes feed both the cellar and the kitchen—Amaterra produces about 10,000 cases each vintage in a gravity‑flow winery and plans a garden among the vines to supply herbs—while a patio and veranda offer sweeping views and a decidedly Portland‑vineyard feel just 10–15 minutes from downtown. Chef Jami Flatt’s menu leans Pacific Northwest—roasted beet and citrus salad with toasted hazelnut chermoula, Pacific dover sole with crab‑and‑spinach gratin and sunchokes, cedar‑roasted salmon with creamy farro and blistered fennel—and he aims for a signature Swede Hill meatball: Swedish meatballs served nightly with white‑wine‑leek cream, red currant jam and crispy Oregon sunchokes that reflect the seasons and involve his family. The program remains winery‑forward—two labels (Amaterra and Matt Vuylsteke’s 51Weeks), thoughtful pairings (smoked pork osso bucco with crispy sweet potatoes paired to Amaterra’s 2017 Swede Hill pinot noir; New York steak frites with green peppercorn‑cognac cream matched to 51Weeks’ 2016 Super Cascadian), and a cocktail menu led by Robbie Wilson (Hemingway daiquiris, Grey Goose martinis)—all within a venue positioned as accessible and community‑oriented, with a one‑time private‑club fee of $25 when you make your first dinner or tasting‑room reservation." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden