Experience Inn the Ground, a hillside B&B in Oregon wine country offering luxury, stunning vineyard views, and farm-fresh breakfasts near Portland and Seattle.
Inn The Ground is an elegant B&B in the middle of great wine country, the Willamette Valley Wine AVA. The Inn is built into a hillside, allowing you to enjoy views of the rolling hills surrounding the valley and an incredible, farm-fresh breakfast. The Inn is a short distance from Portland, Oregon, and less than four hours from Seattle.
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Willamette Valley Wine AVA
Nestled between the Coastal Mountains to the west and the Cascade Mountains to the east, Willamette Valley Wine AVA is a prime location for growing pinot noir that delivers world-class wines. However, there are also other great wine varietals grown in this region. This is a highly diverse region with 11 sub-AVAs, where the northern parts of the valley are cooler and wetter than the southern parts. Thus, the pinots in the north tend to be lighter, and those grown in the southern area are slightly bolder.
There are primarily three different soil types that help structure the pinots. There is Jory, a volcanic soil derived from the basalt of the Columbia Basin, commonly found in the northern part of the valley. Marine sedimentary, also known as Willakenzie Soil, is from the time when the ocean covered this area. This soil is primarily composed of clay and sand, the oldest type of soil in the area. The third soil type found in the Willamette Valley is loess (Laurelwood), which is primarily located in the southern parts of the valley. This was deposited during the last glacial age as a result of the Missoula Floods.
These three soil types provide excellent drainage and produce outstanding Pinot Noir, complemented by a long, warm, and dry growing season, as well as mild winters.
The 11 AVAs of the Willamette Valley. Photo courtesy of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association
McMinnville Wine Tasting
Having left Seattle very early in the morning, the first order of business upon arriving in McMinnville was breakfast at the local favorite, the Crescent Cafe. After breakfast, the historic buildings along Third Street provide a picturesque backdrop. Many buildings in this area were constructed in the 1900s when agriculture was the foundation of a robust economy. One of our favorite buildings, and the oldest, is the Schilling Building, which was built in 1894 and now houses the La Rambla Restaurant and Bar. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Adjacent to the historic section, cross the street to see the City Park. Along with short walking trails and a creek that runs through the park, this large playground features numerous areas for kids to climb and explore. After this fun tour of the beautiful and historic downtown, it was time to start our wine tasting.
La Rambla restaurant is housed in the historic Schilling Building, one of the oldest buildings in McMinnville. Photo by Michael Fagin
Willamette Valley Vineyards
The founder of Willamette Valley Vineyards, Jim Bernau, is considered one of the pioneers in the Willamette Valley. When Jim started, he didn’t have the budget for an irrigation system, so he used a very long garden hose to water the vineyard. Since those modest beginnings, Jim has been instrumental in getting their stock traded on NASDAQ and uses those resources to expand and innovate with the best sustainable practices. Located just south of Salem, the award-winning winery has been named “One of America’s Great Pinot Noir Producers!” by the prestigious Wine Enthusiast.
During our visit there, we tasted many excellent wines. My favorite white is the Dry Riesling. I did not find it too dry, and the light melon flavors would make it a great wine to pair with one of my curry dishes. We also thoroughly enjoyed the Estate Pinot Noir, which is crafted from grapes sourced from all three of their vineyards. It had a lovely, medium-to-bold, fruit-forward taste with well-balanced acidity. The last two tastings were from the Rogue Valley AVA, located south of the Willamette Valley AVA. The Griffin Creek Merlot has some solid tannins and hints of cherry and pepper. My favorite red is the Griffin Creek Tempranillo. Full disclosure, I love a tempranillo, and this one did not disappoint.
One thing on the to-do list is visiting Domaine Willamette, the new sparkling wine operation in the nearby small community of Dayton, Oregon. They use the méthode traditional method on-site to make their sparkling wine.
View of their estate vineyard just south of Salem, OR. Photo courtesy of Willamette Valley Vineyards
R. Stuart & Co. Winery
One of the best parts of the day is parking the car and walking through the downtown district of McMinnville to the many wine tasting rooms. A favorite stop is R. Stuart & Co. Winery. Rob Stuart, the owner and Executive Winemaker, developed his love of wine while visiting his uncle in England as a teenager. In particular, he fell in love with a 1961 Bollinger Brut. Returning to New York, Rob received a degree in biochemistry at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. After college, he worked in biochemistry but eventually pursued his true passion for making wine. He enrolled in the Viticulture and Enology courses at U.C. Davis. In the 1980s, Rob worked at various wineries in the Pacific Northwest, including the iconic pinot noir winery, Erath Winery. After honing his skills for many years, Rob started his own winery in 2001. The rest is a rich history, focusing on Pinot Noir, of course.
For our tastings, we enjoyed the light lemony notes of the 2023 Love, Oregon Chardonnay, which is sourced from two vineyards in the valley. This wine would pair well with just about any seafood. Our favorite red was the Daffodil Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, characterized by its deep red color, solid tannin structure, and a distinct taste of tart red cherries. Judy and Phil Mickelson planted the Daffodil Hill Vineyard in 1997 and produced such excellent wines that Rob purchased it with its seven distinct pinot noir clones in 2018.
We needed to sample Rob’s pride and joy, the sparkling NV Rosé d’Or Brut. Because of that taste of Bollinger back in 1971, Rob always dreamed of creating an excellent sparkling wine. That dream caused him to become one of the first producers of méthode champenoise sparkling wines in the Willamette Valley. This refreshing Rosé is primarily a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, featuring a rich, complex structure and a beautiful, rosy color. The taste has hints of honey and citrus. It was delicious!
The tasting room at R. Stuart is a relaxing place to enjoy their wines. Photo courtesy of R. Stuart & Co. Winery
Pinot Vista Vineyards
Several businesses are located in the historic three-story brick McMinnville Mercantile Building. We found the Pinot Vista Vineyards tasting room on the ground floor. Upon arriving, we were charmed by the cozy, bright, and relaxing atmosphere. They have several musical instruments on the wall to remind folks that they offer live music events along with their excellent wines. The comfy wine bar has become a sanctuary for many locals.
My favorite wine here is the Pinot Vista Estate Grown Pinot Noir, a full-bodied pinot sourced from their estate in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, near Salem, Oregon. This pinot, with its juicy notes of coconut and vanilla, would be excellent with a charcuterie board of rich cheeses and cured meats. We also sampled some wines from the warmer Rogue Valley AVA. My wife’s favorite was the cab franc while I liked the Tempranillo. The winemaker for these wines is Linda Donovan from the Rouge Valley. Another local winemaker, Steve Anderson, does a great job with the estate pinot noir and their whites. Pinot Vista Vineyards is a family affair, with owner Rich Washburn working alongside his sons, Cody, as vineyard manager, and Tanner, as sales executive.
A delightful tasting room with the family involved in the vineyard. Photo courtesy of Cody Washburn of Pinot Vista Vineyards
Dining in McMinnville
This lovely town has many dining options, but Grounded Table (formerly Humble Spirit) stands out! Much of their produce and meat comes from their local farm, the Tabula Rasa Farms, so everything is sustainably grown and freshness is guaranteed. Even if it is not from their farm, their promise is always: “High-quality ingredients, grass-fed and pastured meats, raised responsibly by farmers in Oregon and fishermen in the Pacific Northwest.” We started with the Asparagus & Egg, a delightful salad of shaved asparagus marinated in citrus and tarragon, topped with a gribiche sauce.
For the main course, I had Braised Clams with chorizo (from their farm), cooked in sherry butter and herbs, and served on a thin layer of toast. It was just delicious! Elizabeth had the hanger steak, which was tender and flavorful. This was just an exceptional dinner. Next time, we will check out their new establishment, The Pub, which is next door. The menu at The Pub focuses on BBQ, with meats sourced from their farm and smoked in-house.
Braised clams with chorizo and the fresh chorizo from their farm. Photo by Michael Fagin
Inn The Ground: A B&B in Oregon Wine Country
Inn The Ground is an elegant and luxurious bed and breakfast only 10 minutes from downtown McMinnville, yet it feels like a different world. The nine guest rooms at Inn the Ground Bed & Breakfast are built into the hillside, each with a unique perspective on the panoramic view of the valley below. The rooms are spacious and beautiful, with a comfortable patio where we enjoyed views of the surrounding farmland and ponds.
The spacious B&B offers a patio and views of the rolling hills. Photo courtesy of The Ground
All guests get a farm-to-table breakfast with eggs cooked to order. Along with the delicious farm-fresh sausage served with the eggs, there was a buffet of fresh fruit and pastries. No one went hungry!
The property features eight miles of trails to explore, including the Shangri-La area, which boasts four ponds and a waterfall. Along with the beautiful scenery, the ponds provide the crops with much-needed hydration. For a more intense workout, consider the Grounded Body, which features a full gym, tennis court, and pickleball court.
The Shangri-la area is a great place to hike on their property. Make sure to enjoy the four ponds located here. Photo courtesy of The Ground
Fresh Food
Brenda Smola-Foti is the visionary who bought this property in 2008 and wanted to rehabilitate the overgrazed land. Two significant parts of Brenda’s business come under the umbrella company, The Ground. The first part is lodging, with three choices. There is the B&B Inn The Ground, highlighted above, The Farmhouse, a two-bedroom vacation rental, and Yamhill House, a three-bedroom craftsman farm retreat.
The second part of the business is fresh food, and the cornerstone of that is Tabula Rasa Farms. Tabula rasa is a Latin phrase that translates to “clean slate.” Brenda Smola-Foti grew up on a cattle farm in Oklahoma and had a career in marketing. Settling in Oregon and returning to her farming roots signified a new beginning for Brenda. Brenda and her husband, Frank Foti, are the owners whose vision prioritizes regenerative farming practices, sustainable water usage, grass-fed beef, and free-range poultry. The property now encompasses some 400 acres; you can see it all on one of their farm tours listed here.
Source Farms was founded in the Willamette Valley when Tabula Rasa and Kookoolan Farms collaborated to create a model that enables people to eat well, do right by the animals and the environment, and develop an agricultural method built to last. Several other farms throughout the valley have partnered with Source Farms to provide food to the public, either online or at select local farmers’ markets. These farms are also the source for Grounded Table (formerly The Humble Spirit) and The Pub in McMinnville. Since they are located in the heart of wine country, they have recently established a small vineyard for chardonnay and pinot noir on their property.
Tabula Rasa Farms has ethically grown farm animals. These pigs need to stay in pens during the cold winter and have access to the inside barn. However, they can roam around on the fields as well. Photo courtesy of The Ground
Other Things to Do in Carlton
Carlton is primarily a viticulture community of slightly over 2300 people and has a great laid-back vibe – an excellent place to enjoy wine tasting. It has been coined as a “Great Little Town.” The Carlton Winemakers Studio is located in the center of town, just 10 minutes from Inn The Ground. This is a state-of-the-art, shared winemaking studio where twelve independent winemakers craft their wine. Along with the top-notch equipment, the opportunities for collaboration and mentorship, another benefit is the beautiful tasting room and grounds. Winemakers just starting find this a great way to begin their wine journey. Many former studio users have gone on to establish their facilities.
The Winemakers Studio is home to many fun events on the outdoor patio. We were lucky to catch an excellent wine tasting presentation by winemaker Jerry Murray of Project M Wines. We tasted eight different wines from eight different years or vintages from Project M Wines. My favorite was the 2022 Kairos “Dirge” Pinot Noir. A dirge is a mournful song, but I found this pinot to be a cheerful cherry nose and some solid structure. Jerry briefly discussed the technical differences for each year, but what was more fascinating was his unique perspective on winemaking and the philosophical differences that were integrated for each vintage.
The highly regarded Ken Wright Cellars is one of many other tasting rooms in Carlton that will be on our list for our next visit!
Winemaker Jerry Murray of Project M at Carlton Winemakers Studio, after a fireside chat. Michael Fagin photo credit.
Sadly, it was time to return to the Inn, pack up, and head home. Driving back through McMinnville, we were shocked to see what appeared to be a 747 airplane on the roof of a building. Some quick smartphone research told us we were looking at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum. This would be an excellent stop for the kids—they have over 150 historic aircraft and spacecraft exhibits, along with the Wings & Waves Waterpark.
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Just one more thing to add to our list for when we return to the Willamette Valley Wine Country! Be sure to check out Wander With Wonder for more of our favorite wines in the Willamette Valley and other things to do when you visit Oregon.
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