The Eyrie Vineyards
Winery · Mcminnville ·
Pioneering winery, first to plant Pinot Noir in Willamette Valley
Pioneering winery, first to plant Pinot Noir in Willamette Valley
"David Lett, the founder of the Eyrie Vineyards, was the very first person to plant pinot noir in the Willamette Valley in 1965; the Eyrie’s first vintage followed in 1970. Today, David’s son, Jason Lett, is the winery’s owner and winemaker. Pinot noir and chardonnay are still staples at the Eyrie Vineyards, but the winery also makes pinot meunier, trousseau, pinot gris, and pinot blanc, as well as offbeat limited bottlings like a sparkling blend of pinot blanc, pinot noir, and chasselas doré. Though the Eyrie’s wines are grown and made in the Dundee Hills, the tasting room is located in downtown McMinnville, making it an easy stop on the way to local shopping and restaurants, or for those staying in town. Tastings are available by appointment only, Thursday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m." - Katherine Chew Hamilton
"The winery’s tasting room in downtown McMinnville is a wonderful place to start your journey through Willamette — expect to enjoy a lot of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris (which Jason’s father, David Lett, is credited with pioneering growth of in the region) as well as Pinot Meunier, Trousseau, and Chardonnay." - Oset Babür-Winter
"Beautifully made and worth stocking up on while you can, Eyrie Vineyards' Spark is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chasselas, and Pinot Blanc that I first tasted at a wine event and loved—the current release retails around $25–$30, is limited in production, and you'll have to wait for the next vintage when it's ready." - Alex Frane
"Try wines from Eyrie Vineyards, which was started in 1965 by Diana and David Lett." - Sophie Friedman
"Speaking as a winemaker and proprietor, Jason Lett of Eyrie Vineyards wrote to Congress that the United States’ highly regulated domestic wine market depends on healthy distribution networks selling a wide range of wines state by state, and that curtailing distributors’ ability to sell a broad portfolio would cripple their business, harm the hospitality industry’s financial health, and limit consumer choice." - Alex Frane