Bridgeview Vineyards and Winery

Now that you’re here in the Illinois River Valley, consider a jaunt along the 7-mile Holland Loop to visit two of the area’s wineries. Keep in mind that these tasting rooms are still fairly simple compared with others but don’t let that stop you from experiencing the delights of this out-of-the-way countryside winery. To take the winery tour, you’ll turn right on Holland Loop Road off of Hwy 46, not far from where it joins 199 and before the Oregon Caves Visitor Center. On the Loop Road, drive 2 miles to Bridgeview Vineyards and Winery. Follow the gravel road to the tasting room which is set on a deck overlooking a well-manicured vineyard and a lake stocked with trout, where many a Canadian goose or swan takes up residence, too. Bridgeview is a family-run business, like most of the wineries in the area, and the staff will greet you warmly. Robert and Lelo Kerivan first arrived here in 1979, closely followed by their son, winemaker, René Eichmann, in 1980. The winery you see today was completed in 1986. Reflective of the family’s German heritage, its 75 acres are densely planted in the European style of vine spacing to grow Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Müller Thurgau, and Early Muscat. In 1998, Bridgeview added a 100-acre vineyard in the Applegate Valley to plant Merlot and other Bordeaux varietals. Meticulous attention to pruning ensures that each vine produces fewer grapes with correspondingly greater varietal character. (4210 Holland Loop Road; call for tasting hours: 541-592-4688 or 877-273-4843; www.bridgeviewwine.com.)