Winery Tours
Southern Gateway to Willamette Valley Wine Country
Cottage Grove is a great place to start your Willamette Valley Wine Country excursion. Get off the freeway and stop by one of our many eateries, or grab a snack for the road. We even have two wineries within a short distance of town to get you started.
After you've visited Saginaw and Iris Vineyards, you can take Main Street right through historic downtown and out to the beautiful Loraine Valley west of Cottage Grove. There, you will find many more wineries and farms with fresh produce along Territorial Road. Opportunities abound.
Viticultural Area
The ATF established the Willamette Valley AVA (viticultural area) in the Federal Register in 1984. It stretches from the Columbia River in the north to just south of Eugene in the south, where the Willamette Valley ends; and from the Oregon Coast Range in the west to the Cascade Mountains in the east. At 5,200 square miles (13,500 km), it is the largest AVA in the state, and contains most of the state’s wineries. The boundaries of the Willamette Valley AVA were established in 1984, and since then six new, smaller AVAs have been created within the northern portion of Willamette Valley AVA. The Willamette Valley has a cool, moist climate, and is recognized worldwide for its Pinot Noir. Although this distinction is not officially recognized, many wine connoisseurs further divide the Willamette Valley into northern and southern regions, the dividing line being the approximate latitude of Salem (approximately 45° north latitude). ~ South Willamette Wineries Association
