It’s not necessary to make a day trip to the Willamette Valley in order to visit top-quality wineries. Several worthwhile outfits have facilities within Portland’s city limits, and many of them have tasting rooms open to the public. We tried three on our recent visit and made some surprising discoveries. Fine Oregon wine goes far beyond Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris nowadays.

Teutonic Wine Company

“Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk” provided a disco beat as we entered this garage-like space, most of which is occupied with winemaking equipment. But there is room enough for a small, attractive tasting room, where the personable Derek, one of four full-time employees at Teutonic, poured some of the most fascinating wines we tried in Portland. Owner and winemaker Barnaby Tuttle trained in the Moselle Valley, a fact made plain when we tasted his fragrant and focused 2016 Crow Valley Vineyard Riesling. I also quite liked the fruity and exotically spicy Gewürztraminer, the ethereal Alsea Blanc (a blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier) and the perfumed Traubenwerkzeug Pinot Noir. Tuttle has earned the respect of his former teachers in Germany — Teutonic is currently hosting an intern from the Moselle Valley.

Teutonic Wine Company
3303 SE 20th Avenue. Tel. (503) 235-5053