Helvetia Vineyards & Winery

Absolutely incredible experience! My family has done a lot of wine tasting throughout the years and this was by far one of our favorite experiences. The house is incredibly cozy and all the wines were deliciously paired with food. Our server Jo was also very sweet. We will absolutely be making this a tradition. Could not recommend more for a cozy, rustic and unique wine tasting experience!

We are novices to wine tours, so we took a leap of faith and picked one of the many wineries in the Willamette Valley - but it was so worth it. We were lucky enough to get the owner, John, leading our tour. Huge amount of history and deep dive into science of making wine which we thoroughly enjoyed! We were able to try wine straight out of the barrel and loved meeting their staff. We couldn’t recommend this experience more if you’re in town or even driving through. They do tours at noon and 3p with tastings open noon-5p. Can’t wait to come back on our next trip! Thanks John, Jo and Derek!

The wine was amazing, and we throughly enjoyed the tasting and tour! My wife and I had a blast. The staff and John (the owner) were very friendly, accommodating, and insightful. We learned a lot and can’t wait to go back. Looking forward to next time, and highly recommend!

Dog friendly. Great wines. Down a few dirt roads near farms. Easy parking and lots of seating. 1920 Sears catalog home, awesome. Everyone was so nice. 3 farm dogs come by to visit. Tasting fee is waived by purchasing a bottle. No one left empty handed. Highly recommend. They prefer a reservation but if you ask really nice on the phone before you get there they might have availability and say "Sure come on by".

Great info by the owner John about the region and why great area to grow vines here. Tour gave cycle of grapes and wine making process. Tastings were great and education on how to taste wine and get the palate in tune with the different notes in the wine. The atmosphere was fun for the finish of our tour and purchase of a bottle of their delicious product! Join the wine club! It was fun.

Loved coming here! It was a cozy and intimate vibe for our wine tasting, Derek was an amazing host and really made it special. We can't wait to go back again!

We had such lovely time. Jo and John greeted us as we came up the steps of their darling, historic winery. We had so much fun learning about Brix, their history and tasting their delicious wines. We look forward to booking a full winery tour next time.

We had a charming visit at Helvetia. The wine was delicious, the setting was relaxing and beautiful, the staff very friendly. It was down to earth and unpretentious, unlike many tastings. The resident puppy was a major bonus. I would go again if I'm ever in the area again.

Very rural and rustic farmhouse setting. We sat on the back porch and enjoyed the crisp fall air while tasting a flight of tasty red and white wines. Reasonable pricing, friendly leisurely service and cozy country charm. My only issue was while sitting on the porch, I was inspecting all the projects that needed attention as the farmhouse is probably past the renovation cost versus teardown and rebuild!

I fully enjoy myself --- and every wine -- each time I go tasting, which has been a handful of times over the last several years. Soon to be more often bc I just joined their wine club! (I am officially an adult!) They make great chardonnay and pinot and rosé and usually feature a guest winemaker. I'm always pleasantly surprised by things I normally don't prefer eg Riesling or merlot. It's all good! Tastings are casual and unpretentious affairs, dog- and kid-friendly! There's seating inside the house, tables outside for nice weather, and you can bring snacks and picnic. The price of the tasting is waived if you buy wine; their bottles run in the $20-30 range (with a discount for club members). Highly recommend a visit! It's close to Helvetia just up past the Tavern and Grossen peaches and the alpaca farm.

The Helvetia Vineyards home was apparently a Sear Roebuck Kit home, but I can't seem to find others like it online. Cool house though.

Very mom and pop winery. Wines were good however ambience was just okay. Very laid back and tasting pours were on the small side. Just okay. Probably would not return.

My husband and I love visiting local wineries and Helvetia Winery is only 11 miles from our house. We made a reservation and if it hadn't been for the reservation, we might've missed out on a really lovely tasting. The signage on the roads leading up to the winery is clearly displayed but on the building or the driveway, itself? Nothing I could spot. We turned around, drove a bit father up the road, turned back around, and took the (somewhat scary) chance that we were pulling into someone's driveway. Luckily we did! I cannot remember the gentleman's name who did the tasting, but he was extremely knowledgeable and so friendly. We had a great conversation while we tried several wines. I don't normally care much for white wines but we liked Helvetia's so much, we bought 2 bottles (a Pinot Gris and a Chardonnay) and a bottle of Pinot noir.

Tucked away on a dirt road, Helvetia Winery is a quaint, charming little spot to enjoy wine tastings or even just buy a bottle. The inside of the space is like a cozy home, the people working were nice but seemed to have somewhat of an off vibe. They said they were extremely busy for wine tastings but there were only 3 groups of people outside from what we could see. A bottle of red was $35 to drink on the patio. It was decent wine but nothing I would come back for. Didn't get a headache from the wine later so that's a huge bonus! They have live music and fresh salmon people were buying, lots of fun to be had here! I would maybe give it another chance if I didn't feel so unwelcome my first time here. Loved seeing pet owners bring their dogs and have them lounge in the shaded tree areas. A cool spot but a few tweaks would make it awesome.

Amazing winery. Everyone here is so nice and knowledgeable. Your can do a tasting ($15 or waived with wine bottle purchase), wine tour, or just enjoy a glass/bottle. You can choose to sit inside or outside. The patio has a beautiful view of the vineyard. They also have really cute dogs that love to chill and say hello. Great experience every time. They also have a bunch of fun events like music Wednesday's and wine and paint nights. Check out their calendar on their website to see what they have coming up.

Super cute winery with an absolutely lovely staff (extra shoutout to Jo!). They were so kind and just wanted is to sit and enjoy a lovely day. We wound up having to hurry out because we lost track of time and they continued to be so courteous and gave us our money's worth with the tastings! Will be back with plenty of time to enjoy this place again.

I had a wonderful wine tasting experience today! John greeted me at the door along with Buddy the dog! Cassie was a wonderful wine expert and the wines were fabulous. Especially loved the salmon and chocolate with the last 2 pinot noirs. Gorgeous peaceful surroundings with farm land and sequoia trees. Definitely put this winery on your list to visit when in the Portland/Beaverton area!

Helvetia winery offers a wonderful experience with an outdoor or cozy indoor seating area perfect for relaxing. Amanda was amazing, making you feel right at home. It's an ideal spot for wine lovers. Highly recommended!"

Wow! What a homey loving vibe! My mom and I had the best time sipping on a delicious bottle of wine under a shady tree. My son had an amazing time playing with one of the pups. We got so teary eyed because we felt so welcomed there. It definitely felt like family.

This was a cute place! The wine was pretty good. We bought a couple bottles of one of the reds and it paired great with the steak we had for dinner. Decent atmosphere and service.

I absolutely adore John and his story behind the wines, winery, vineyards and estate. The grounds are open and inviting with picnic tables, gathering areas, and an event tent just begging to have events under and around it again! The smoked salmon pairing with the Pinot Noir 2017 was amaze!! Ron R. & I purchased both the 2017 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay! I am excited to see how their 2020 Sangiovese and Pinot Noir bottle and taste in the future because the flavors in the barrel were super yum! We will definitely be returning to this estate, winery, John and of course Pippen soon!

Really amazing experience! We stopped for a tour and tasting, the whole experience was really peaceful and private. John and Tina were so sweet and friendly. John was very knowledgeable about winemaking and passionate about wines, making the experience not only interesting but also super informative. Buddy the dog greeted us and was with us the entire time, he was so cute!! Highly recommend and would love to come back some day.

Stumbled upon this place during our weekend trip to Portland and 10/10 recommended. The service was outstanding, the host was super friendly and welcoming. The space itself is so peaceful, quiet and relaxing. Would def visit again.

I honestly don't know what I can say about Helvetia Winery that hasn't been said here. John Platt is a gracious host and will tell you anything you want to know about the winery, the wines you're drinking, the source of his grapes, the Sears kit house, the boulder out back that lends the soil its terroir, the neighboring tree and lavender farm, the new winery down the road, the overflow crowds from Grossen peach farm, etc. He's hired knowledgeable staff from Junction City, puts gifted artists on his labels and creates an environment that's incredibly comfortable. My cousin lived in Hillsboro for a decade, but didn't visit with his wife until last weekend. Now he hasn't shut up about it and basically forced me to go. I honestly had no idea pinot gris was supposed to taste that good, but I'm still learning my way around the Tualatin Valley. We already have a day trip planned for the holidays: Coffee and pastry at Helvetia Farm Store, trees at the tree and lavender farm, Pinot Noir by the fire at Helvetia Winery, then a meal at McMenamins Rock Creek. I'd call this place a hidden gem, but it's been around most of the time I've been alive. I'm starting to think it's more of a well-kept local secret, and I can see why the locals keep it to themselves. It's a lovely place to taste under the Doug Firs and just enjoy the quiet and encroaching marine layer. Not every Tualatin Valley winery is like this, but I'm glad John's place is.

My husband and I enjoyed our experience at Helvetia. The nice indoor and outdoor seating was quaint and beautiful scenery. We loved our experience as we did a wine tasting of 5 wines. We both tried a glass of the ones we liked most and took a bottle of each home. The workers were very kind and ready to give background about the wines and the vineyard itself. I would recommend Helvetia and hope to return.

Visited this location a couple months ago on a rainy day and absolutely loved it. Unassuming little spot that has great wines and everyone we interacted with was fantastic, accommodating and personable. My in-laws were visiting us from out of town and I'm very glad we chose to try Helvetia with them. They have been wine club members at some big CA vineyard/wineries in the past and were so pleased with what an intimate experience with some great wines Helvetia was able to offer in comparison. Definitely a local gem you must try! Thanks for the experience! We're looking forward to coming back with our toddler this summer. - John & Claire

Helvetia is a great local winery! I haven't been to the winery itself, but have interacted with the staff of Helvetia at multiple events around Hillsboro and have always come away with some great wines and a great experience talking to the representatives. They're at the Orenco Station farmers market in Hillsboro on Sundays - that's where I've been getting my wine from them. I love that they have a pretty big selection of wine varieties and vintages so it's taking a while to try them all. I really enjoy their Chardonnay - it's not very oaky. I have also been enjoying their rose wines a lot - they've got a more dry rose of pinot noir as well as a sweeter one that's a blend. You really can't go wrong with any of the wines here! Prices range from $17-40 a bottle. Definitely go check out this winery!

Great Winery a Gem a find! Carolyn was a great hostess and John the owner greeted us. Purchased two bottles and the wine tasting was great and informative. Please visit this great winery.

Helvetia is a small winery up a dirt road in the rather gorgeous Tualatin Valley. Until last night, I was not much of a wine consumer (I'll have my gin, thank you very much). But then I sampled Helvetia's '06 Pinot Noir. I don't know the parlance of wine tasting talk, so I can't adequately describe this Pinot Noir, but I thought it was wonderful and bought a bottle. The owners are John Platt and former congresswoman Elizabeth Furse. They have pictures on the wall of them posing with the beloved former First Couple, Bill and Hillary Clinton. John was there on Saturday evening and he is a warm and welcoming fellow. BTW, how I found out about Helvetia was because there was a party here for a friend graduating from Lewis and Clark College. Dig the freshly-shorn alpacas on the farm just down the road from Helvetia!

It was a Sunday funday, and I was out with friends and their daughter. We had just finished eating locally and were actually headed to a lavender farm since it was close by and we wanted to get out and wander. The sun was peaking in and out and it was a little cool out but decent. We made it by the farm but it was closed. There was a sign saying that the winery was open and so we gave it a try. There were a few cars and a rustic house and barn. A woman was on the steps waiting, asking if we were a part of Living Social. I guess you can get a tour of the whole place if you sign up through them. We were just passing through and we were welcomed all the same. My buddy and I decided to do the tasting. We tried three whites and four reds (three of those were Pinots, 09, 10, 11) I am not a white wine drinker at all. I enjoy deep, earthy, dirty wines, so the fruity white wines don't do it for me. These were decent but I wasn't thrilled till I got to the reds. The 2009 was the smoothest and richest of the group and I ended up with a bottle. They have a wine club you can join which saves you money and gets you additional perks. I just bought a bottle because with so many other wineries to try out, and the fact that at the moment I don't have a functioning vehicle, makes it tough to return. It was still a pleasant experience. I would go back to take a tour. Enjoy.

Very relaxing with very good wine. Saw our first Bobcat in the area wandering the hill next to the grape vines. Very good discussion on the local vinyards and wines with the owner.

What a delight this spot was. I've tried wine in a lot of places, and sometimes pretty unassuming spots can be gems - or not. Coming up to the old century old Sears and Roebuck house, I wasn't sure which way it would go. Never fear, the staff and owner here are an absolute delight, and the dogs are friendly and check in with you regularly. We opted for the standard flight and were regaled with all sorts of fun facts about the wine, the owners, the history, etc. The chardonnay was a delight, aged in neutral oak, and retained a fruit-forward character. The riesling was not my jam, but was good nonetheless. Two rosé wines followed that, both reasonably good, and then three pinot noir to cap it off. The 2018 (excellent), followed by the 2017 (a bit weird - lots of tobacco and dill), and then the 2020 (still coming into its own, but heavy cranberry flavors - quite good). The staff made the visit, but the wine was very good - and the setting was beautiful. Definitely give this one a try - and it sounds like they do diverse events there at the winery that are worth checking out! Dog-friendly A++!

A group of girlfriends and I went here last week for a tour and tasting and left with that and a whole education about the wine making process. John, the owner, was so down to earth and informative, without being stuffy. We had great, casual conversation in addition to drinking (and purchasing) great wine! The location is wonderful - a short drive off hwy 26. An old farmhouse is setup with tables both inside and out. Dog and kid friendly - both well behaved, of course :) I highly suggest you check them out!

So we came for the Roloff farm and then decided to check out some wineries. We had zero phone service so upon leaving the farm we saw a sign for the winery and followed. It was a little house with sweet dogs to greet us. We hadn't called ahead but that was no worry for them. Our amazing server said we may have to wait a bit for him due to the party that had booked ahead but we didn't notice him being "gone". The wines were awesome and we have been to many wineries in many areas and it was fun to learn something new! We had a great time and enjoyed the outside atmosphere. As non natives we planned to come to Portland once ever, but that might change. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon!

We're from the east coast and this was our first time visiting a vineyard in Oregon. It was the best experience we've had in a winery! Ask for Amanda, she was both incredibly pleasant and very knowledgeable about the wine. Make sure to say hello to the two dogs, Abu and Pippin.

We visited Helvetia Winery and received a full tour by Derrick, a wonderful tour guide of the operation and wine selections. We were thrilled with the surprisingly bright chardonnay and a great 2017 Pinot noir. Their dog Buddy also met us when we parked and walked us toward the house. A wonderful experience, and we'll be back for more events.

Loved this winery! Super spacious and dog friendly. Covid protocols in place without feeling uncomfortable. The people were lovely, we felt very welcome to hang around and enjoy our bottle of wine. A variety of reds and whites to taste, 5 for $15. Will definitely be back.

I was a wine club member at Helvetia for more than three years. I loved the wine, the people, the dogs - everything! I've told people to go to Helvetia for years. In fact, I loved Helvetia so much that I booked a tasting for my bachelorette party. Unfortunately, when I was a few hours away from the winery, I got a flat tire. I called the winery to see if we would be able to receive a refund, and was told that we would be able to, so I canceled the tasting. Lo and behold, Helvetia refused to refund the tasting, which was $120. They offered to reschedule it, but as I said on the phone when I called to cancel, that wouldn't be possible since it was my bachelorette party. I went back and forth with the owner over email over and over again about a refund, but he still refused. The situation honestly makes me laugh, considering that if they had just provided a refund they'd ultimately end up with more business from me.

A lovely find about 30 mins drive just right outside of Portland. Had the tasting flight which gave wife and I a good idea. Ended up with a glass of Helvetia 2017 Pinot Noir and a bottle. We missed the smoked salmon which was a bummer, was not available today. However, enioyed the laid back atmosphere, hospitality, and info on the wines and surrounding area. Talked to John the owner, and his goal is to have visitors enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, relax, and get-a-way. Well it worked and will definitely come and visit again.

I've never tried scuppernong, but it is certainly possible that your wine tasted like it since the pour was too small to actually make a proper judgement. I've been to many wine tastings, so I know what a sample size should be, this wasn't even close to a proper sample. Also, we did buy a bottle, we usually try to from wineries we visit, the tasting fee was not refunded. I have modified my rating due to the response to my original review. I would have expected a substantive response, not insults.

Don't wear high heels. It didn't occur to me that I may have to walk through a gravel driveway, traction mats with holes in them on the stairs and then go on a tour of the actual grape fields. At least I probably had the best traction of anyone as my heels dug firmly into the wet soil, locking my position solidly in place whereas others could have slipped on the wet sloping ground. Hooray for heels at this point. After wiping wet earth off my filthy shoes, we started our visit with a generous pour of a beautiful and delicious rosé with the gracious co-owner/hostess. The rosé was outstanding. We sampled two varieties of delicious smoked salmon on crackers with the delicious wines. The owners educated us about the barrels they used and how the wines were made and the nuances of the differences in what to look for in how the wines tasted and why. It was more interesting than many of my wine tasting excursions for that reason. The rosé was so lovely that I ended up taking a bottle home with me. It's gone now...

Friendly people and great wines. What more can I say? Come for a taste and leave with an education, and a bottle or two.

My sister and I decided to try this small winery en route from Portland to the coast. They were so helpful in giving us an appointment and an opportunity to taste their wines. The rural location is lovely and inviting; Jessie, who did our tasting was delightful -- personable, informed and fun to chat with. We sat on the back patio with our tasting and enjoyed the summer afternoon. We each bought a bottle of their lovely Sangiovese to take with us and extend our enjoyment.

Loved my experience here and the wines are amazing! Beautiful tasting room and wonderful service. So happy this was my first Oregon tasting experience!

This place is seriously the coolest. I opted to create a local wine advent for my family for Christmas and due to the pandemic I couldn't taste, so I just drove to local places, told them my family's tastes, and bought what they suggested. They recommended the brand new, 2019 Pinot Noir, and true to their words this wine tasted so delicious and not too young at all. I will definitely be back to stock up on some more bottles.

John the owner was a great host. We spent an hour talking to him and stayed past closing time. Enjoyed the Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Hope to return on our next visit to the area

I had never been wine tasting before, and wasn't sure what to expect from the experience. My family purchased a Groupon for a wine tasting and tour of Helvetia Winery without knowing anything about it. When we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised to find a very cozy, rustic atmosphere that perfectly compliments the family focused, small-scale production of this winery. The tasting room is on the lower level of a beautiful old house (built in the early 1900's), nestled among the striking greenery in the forest on the north end of the west hills. The family and their sweet dogs greeted us right away, and we were immediately made to feel welcome and at home. I thought the wine was fantastic, though as a first-time taster, I don't know how qualified I am to make that judgement. For me, though, the service, care, and attention to detail is what really made this a memorable experience. John is extremely knowledgeable and so kind. He made us feel comfortable and we learned all about the wine making process, and even about the history of the area! He and the rest of the family truly made us feel valued. We will definitely be back, not just for a few more bottles of wine - but for a visit with the family and their sweet pup Pippin, as well!

A charming winery with a very homespun feel. The tour guide/ owner John is highly personable and knows the business inside out and shares many insights and anecdotes.

just discovered this diamond in a rough winery. It is up the road from the Helvetia tavern and just a bit further from the now-famous Roloff Farms in Helvetia, Oregon. The wines are wonderful, but what puts this place over the top is the proprieter, John and his pristine setting. DO NOT come here if you are going for the larger than life corporate version of a wine tasting room... this is a modest farm house from the turn of the last century that has been converted into a tasting room. It is a gravel parking lot, so high heels are not recommended. But DO come ready to have a great experience. John knows so much about the history of this farm house, and the geological history of Helvetia's soil, but he is also one of the most worldly people I've ever met. A quick scan of the walls shows that he has quite the political past, and he has rubbed elbows with many heads of state...don't let that put you off if you are not the political type, because he is just a fascinating guy to chat with nonetheless. I walked out with a bottle of each of his wines, which I found to be reasonably priced ($13-25/bottle) and he has a wine club with 4 shipments a year...but here's the kicker. Don't ask me how, but they somehow have an inside scoop on indigenous Native American salmon.... we are talking delicious fresh (not farmed) salmon there on a regular basis for you to purchase and bring home at a reasonable price...it was less than $10/lb for FRESH SALMON (better than Copper River, IMO) ....That alone garners 5 stars to a winery.

Absolutely amazing, the owner is extremely kind and very knowledgable. My girlfriend and i came here during our quest for many wineries during our anniversary vacation and this is not disappointing at all. Absolutely fantastic place, atmosphere as well as scenery. 10/10 recommend and will definitely be coming back.

Very very nice people. Knowledgeable and friendly. Only complaint would of been that they could of worked on their display. John even mentioned a few times "come back tomorrow we will have the place cleaned up by then." The tour was informative but the van they drove us in was a bit messy. There was also some run down vehicles out front. We were unsure we were at the right place. This was the first time i had experienced barrel tasting, that was interesting and pretty fun to learn about. They also allowed us to sample local smoked chinook salmon and steelhead which was amazing. Due to limited supply though they can only sell you one can at a time, wish i could of purchased more. All and all it was a great learning experience, very nice and friendly service, wine was decent, salmon excellent, presentation needed work.

Bought the tour and tastings on Groupon. Learned a lot about the area, the soil, the climate and the fermentation process at Helvetia. John is a great tour host. Wish the Salmon and crackers servings advertised in the tour were more substantial.

I took a winery tour, and it was a great experience. John was very friendly and knowledgeable. I learned a lot about from the land to winemaking. I didn't care much about their whites but liked their Pinot a lot. The price of wine is very reasonable. I highly recommend it and would love to come back here with friends and family again. FYI to ladies, do not come this place wearing high heels!

GREAT wines, atmosphere, dogs and people;) plus smoked salmon and chocolates are worth going for alone, also.

I went on a winery tour last weekend, given by the winemaker, John, and it was an amazing experience! Sometimes on wine tours, I get the sense that the tour guide is just going through the motions, but not with John. I saw how passionate he was about his wines, how he wanted to share every little detail of the process with us, and I could tell that he was just like a kid having fun on a playground. His enthusiasm rubbed off 10 fold and it made for an unforgettable tour. As far as the actual tasting, while the white wines were okay, in my opinion, the pinot noirs were amazing. For the pinot noirs, John had 4 different vintages (from 2009 to 2014) for us to taste, which were paired with Columbia River chinook salmon, and they were sensational. The differences in the pinot noirs, between warmer and cooler years and between younger or aged vintages, were lovely. Additionally, the complexity of the pinot noirs were surprising. Even my wife, who traditionally is not a pinot noir fan, told me that we needed to buy a bottle or two! We got a deal on Living Social to go on this tour, and since I didn't know what I was getting into, I initially thought it would probably be worth about what we paid, but after the tour, the tasting, and talking with John in depth, I would have been satisfied paying double or triple the suggested retail price listed on Living Social. Helvetia Winery is a hidden gem outside of Hillsboro, but I think it's a first class operation, a great example of how good wines from the Tualatin Valley can be, and it's only a matter of time until they're going to be forced to decide between exclusivity and expansion.

I went with my sister on Valentine's weekend for her birthday and we had a wonderful time! The winery is beautiful set in a rustic house and parking was super easy. Place was very easy to find and the people there were very friendly and knowledgeable. When we got there early they weren't finish setting up for our tour yet so we waited in the front. They gave us complementary glasses of their delicious chardonnay while we waited. They had some local handmade Native American art pieces for sale and also chocolate from a local chocolatier. We even got to sample a few pieces. Shortly after they finished setting up we were given a history of winemaking and the process a winemaker has to go through and inspect the condition of the land, barrel type and suitable weather for optimal grapes. We toured all over the property seeing the house where they keep their harvester, fermentation room and the grape fields. We even got to try samples of aged wine from different years. After the tour we got to the best part the wine tasting. Each wine was delicious and unique to the year it was made it was paired with smoked salmon made from local native americans. All in all it was a wonderful 2 hours spent at the winery and we took home a few tasty bottles and a large amount of winemaking information. I would love to bring my friends and family here for the wonderful experience.

This place is a hidden gem, and Caelyn who works there is incredible and made our visit so much fun! We can't wait to go back.