Craft beer and classic libations may seem like they are all the rage nowadays, with restaurants and bars rebranding themselves to jump on the craze, but there is one type of alcohol that still exceeds expectations, all without the need of unnecessary hype. This tried-and-true champion is wine. Wine isn’t considered as being that popular in the United States, since people believe the likes of beer and whiskey to far outweigh the popularity of wine, but whoever believes this would be wrong to think so.
Reports show that Americans consumed nearly 950 million gallons of wine in 2016, making for an average of 2.94 gallons of wine per person. With almost 7,000 wineries spanning across the United States, there are a great deal of options for Americans to get out and enjoy their wine, all while being able to see where it’s being harvested.
When people tend to think of American wine companies, they often think of California. They aren’t wrong in doing so, but they’re looking over a vast, important American producer of wine: Oregon.
Oregon has a lot to offer as a tour destination, whether for it’s universities, Portland, OR, and its fantastic natural landscapes, and the wineries add for a wonderful touch that allow visitors, and residents, to experience their wine firsthand. Wine companies span the length of Oregon, offering a variety of wines to taste, consider, and purchase.
If you’re looking for a unique experience, Oregon offers a wonderful number of tours, all of which will allow you to test out the best natural wines that both the state and country have to offer. Almost all wine companies and wineries will often offer tours, allowing you to see the grounds and come in contact with the process, seeing just how your wine was grown and produced. Similarly, they will offer tastings that will usually come in flights, giving you the option to test out specific types of wines, all of which pair in exquisite ways. Red wines, white wines, pinot noir, red zinfadels, malbecs — the varieties available are endless, and each has their own profile that is stunning.
This should come as fantastic news for millennials, as they seem to love their wine — millennials are said to be reported as 42% of the U.S. population drinking wine each year. With 17% of millennials stating that they are willing to spend over $20 on a bottle of wine, it clearly shows that they care for quality, and these wine companies have an endless amount of quality to offer.
If you’re looking for a special way to experience the natural areas of Oregon, don’t just head for the mountains, seek out wine companies and wineries. You’ll be surprised by just how beautiful they are, and you’ll be blown away by how great everything tastes.