We made the drive toward the southern part of the Willamette Valley to visit Illahe. (ILL-a-he) We were staying in Newburg and took the opportunity to get up early and drive south through the Eola-Amity Hills and then down to Salem. In Salem we made a stop along the Willamette River at Minto-Brown Island Park for a little morning hiking and to see the river. We headed back across the river and along Rt. 22 to Rickreall and then south and west to Illahe Vineyards. This area is Southwest of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. The area has a proposal in to become a new AVA which would be the Mt. Pisgah/Polk County AVA. Illahe is one of nine vineyards that would be located in this new AVA.
After a bit of tasting with Vineyard Owner Lowell Ford and tasting room manager Kathy, Lowell took us out front to the patio that overlooks the vineyard.