Willamette Valley Vineyards opens tasting room in downtown Bend this week

Published 11:30 am Wednesday, December 6, 2023

By Story and photo by JANAY WRIGHT • The Bulletin

: The restaurant features a pairings menu prepared by Executive Chef DJ MacIntyre.

Willamette Valley Vineyards, a leading producer of Oregon Pinot Noir, opens its Bend tasting room and restaurant to the public Wednesday.

The eatery will feature a seasonal menu and wine by the glass as well as flights. Executive Chef DJ MacIntyre will also prepare meals to pair with wines.

According to General Manager Cara Lynn Doering, a few of the standout starters are kalbi pork medallions ($18) smoked five-spice duck breast salad ($22) and foraged mushroom bisque ($15).

The bisque is made with trumpet mushrooms foraged locally, she said.

“We’re excited to share all of our wine and all of our knowledge and all of our stories and make it a home away from home for people,” said Doering, who relocated to Bend from the company’s primary estate in Turner, just south of Salem.

The tasting room and restaurant concept is the company’s fourth location of its kind, with others located in Happy Valley, Lake Oswego and Vancouver, Washington, according to Shawn Bradshaw, a project manager.

A limited number of tables will be available for walk-ins, but the Bend location is recommending that the public make reservations.

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