Crush on Oregon is organized by Oregon Wine Board and is in its second year. In 2019 there were forty wineries from all over Oregon, and we had a chance to taste the Orange wine from the South, Syrah from the East, Pinot Noir from the Noth ( Willamette Valley) and many more.

So what makes this event unique and what are the reasons to go there?

The first reason is convenience. We get to taste wines from forty wineries all in one place instead of driving around. Even if you're can visit five wineries per day, it might take over a week to get around.

The second reason it's a great value. If you divide the cost of a ticket by the number of wineries, it costs under $2 per winery. The typical cost of wine tasting in Oregon is $15-25, and some charge even more.

The third reason is an opportunity to taste the wine before you buy in the local store. You might have seen wines from one of the participating wineries in Crush on Oregon in a liquor store and here's your chance to taste before you buy.

The fourth reason is an opportunity to speak to winemakers. How often do you get a chance to talk with baker and farmer you get your milk and fruits from and learn about their creative process? Oregon winemakers are known for being accessible and willing to share about winemaking process even when you're ready to move on.

The fifth reason is the wine itself. Oregon produces world-class wine and very little of it in comparison with other wine regions, even the American ones. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you might think that Oregon makes tons of wine. Consider yourself lucky because entire Oregon wine production is around 1.5% of all American wine produced, and the rest of humanity has very little chance to taste Oregon wine. Despite its small scale production, Oregon wines earned the name for themselves among wine lovers around the globe, and you can find a few bottles on the top 100 list every year.

Still in doubt? The rest forty reasons are the wineries pouring the wine!

We've been to a few similar events in Portland in 2019. Each one had its own theme.

Gorge Wine - Portland Grand Tasting was focused on wines from twenty wineries of the Columbia River Gorge area of Oregon and Washington states.

Pour Oregon had close to fifty small production wineries from all over the state.

Crush on Oregon had a right mix of wineries from most viticultural areas of the state with new starts and veterans of the industry, large and boutique producers.

Willamette Valley was represented by well-known labels with a long track record producing quality Pinot Noir in Willamette such as Domaine Drouhin, Argyle, Willamette Valley, Sotter, Sokol Blosser, Roco, Ponzi and more.
Brandborg, Troon and Irvine & Roberts Vineyards represented Umpqua, Applegate and Rogue Valleys respectively from Southern Oregon.

Delmas is the shining example of Eastern Oregon wines from Walla Walla Valley.

Alongside well-established and well-known labels were boutique, less recognized and younger wineries that impressed us with their wines.

Domaine Roy conquered us with a floral nose and berry forward palate of its 2015 Incline Pinot Noir from Yamhill-Carlton AVA of Willamette Valley.

2018 Monk's Gate Rosé with candy and pear character is a perfect companion for a hot summer afternoon.

Off-dry and peachy 2017 Pinot Gris by Keeler Estate and 2018 Amycas - an aromatic white blend by Brooks is another two great summer wines.

Few other wines that stood out to us were. 2017 Syrah by Delmas for it's complex earthy, gamey and yet fruity profile. Elegant 2015 Laurene Pinot Noir by Domaine Drouhin for its finesse. Troon's 2017 Whole Grape Ferment Riesling for its take on orange wine. Brandborg's 2017 Fleur de Lis White Pinot Noir for its white flower scent and apricot notes on the palate. 2015 Lange Pinot Noir for an excellent value because of its balance between quality and price.

There were over 150 wines, and, as hard as we tried, we could only taste around 40 of them in a few hours. We can keep going and talk about wine from Crush on Oregon but wouldn't you rather taste some wine for yourself?

P.S. As always, you can count on objective and non-sponsored reviews. We don't get paid to promote any particular winery or wine.