Over Memorial Weekend I visited Anderson Family Vineyard. It was great to see Cliff and Allison and their family again. Cliff is a great scholar of all things grape and wine, and is a great teacher, too. Allison is so warm and friendly and also very knowledgeable. Their vineyard is on a very steep, rocky hill, spread out over three of the major compass directions. Their winery and barrel house, atop the hill, are perfect, classic Oregon architecture, fitting in perfectly with the trees and vines. The Chardonnay tends to the crisp French style, with nice balance between fruit and minerals. The Pinot noir usually sports a great Oregon Pinot nose of red or black fruits and a hint of earth, and is rich and full on the palate. They converted some Chard to Pinot gris, by grafting--a fascinating process that isn't as harsh on the plant as it looks--and have added that grape to their repertoire.

They sell fruit to the likes of Bergstrom, Lemelson, JK Carriere, GC Cellars, Boedecker Cellars, and August Cellars, but I for one am very glad that they also make wines under their own label. If you visit the winery, they offer very nice discounts from their retail prices.

Come Thanksgiving and the twice-annual winetasting pilgrimage, you should go to AFV and taste their wines! Oh, and the view is to die for. Go west of Newburg on Hwy 240; turn left onto Red Hills, then right onto Herring Lane.

Anderson Family Vineyard

20120 NE Herring LaneNewberg, Oregon 97132

(503) 554-5541
Tasting:By Appointment and Memorial Day and Thanksgiving weekends