Great value, communication, service, and accommodations. Our day of wine tasting in the valley was terrific, thanks largely in part to Cellar Door. They were super easy to schedule all the details of the tour with and accommodated pretty much all of our requests. The lunch they provided was delicious and Jill was an easy-going, knowledgeable driver/guide. Cannot recommend them enough if you're looking to spend the day seeing and tasting all the valley has to offer. read more

What a great experience! We contracted with Cellar Door Wine Tours for a tour of wineries in Willamette Valley. Helen was our guide and she was so engaging and knowledgeable. The wineries she chose all had a different flair and had unique stories. As we are not knowledgeable about Pinot Noir, Helen was a wealth of information. Not only did we learn about Pinot Noir but she also gave me some baking tips. She had prepared our lunch and the cookies she made were fantastic! (She has a background in the restaurant business.) Our tour was in July and, of course, the wine would not be shipped by Cellar Door or the winery until October. Both shipments arrived promptly in October as promised! We highly recommend Cellar Door Wine Tours. Oh, and our wines seem even more delicious at home. read more

Helen was incredibly helpful, professional, on-time, and really knows her wines and the local scene. I am so thankful for Helen taking care of the six of us - two dinner rides and a full day of wine tasting. read more

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My husband and I booked Cellar Door Wine Tours for 2 days customized days. The 1st day, we toured 4 wineries of our choice, ones we were familiar with, and the 2nd day, we toured 4 smaller boutique wineries that Helen suggested. Both days were absolutely great, giving us a big variety of tasting experiences. Jill was our driver and guide both days. She was very knowledgeable about the area, the different wineries, and the kind of wines that we were tasting. They truly customized our days asking about our wine preferences and food choices--no cookie cutter tour here!!! We would highly recommend using Cellar Door Wine Tours in the Willamette Valley!!! read more

It was our first trip to Oregon, and visiting the vineyards of Willamette Valley was a top priority. My husband and I are wine enthusiasts but this was our first opportunity to actually visit wineries so we knew we needed help with planning, not to mention driving. After researching on TripAdvisor and other sites, we decided on Cellar Door Wine Tours because they specialize in small groups, photography is included, and they provide dinner transportation. Visit their website, and you'll see that the focus is on providing a personalized experience for their clients. We're very pleased with our decision and we had a great time on our two days of touring. I submitted an information request via the Cellar Door Wine Tours website and Helen called me to discuss our expectations and preferences. I told her a couple of favorites we wanted to visit but otherwise left the planning to them. We didn't have the time or inclination to spend hours researching wineries, so we left it to the experts! Mark was our driver and guide both days. He was friendly and companionable without being overbearing. His knowledge of the region and the wineries was apparent and enhanced our experience. Mark picked us up both days. He had a flexible itinerary in mind for each day, which he adapted seamlessly based on the pace that my husband and I set. We lingered at some wineries and were quicker at others, but we never felt rushed or as though we needed to slow down. We visited several wineries that we had never heard of and certainly wouldn't have found on our own. One wasn't even open for tastings at that time of year, but Mark made arrangements for the owner to open for our visit. Meeting and learning from the owners of these smaller wineries was the most memorable aspect of our two days of wine touring. Lunch was provided each day and the food was good. Mark also set out cheese and salumi for us, along with providing ample bottled water. We commented on how much we enjoyed the salumi, and Mark even took us to Red Hills Market so we could purchase some to bring home. We took advantage of Cellar Door's dinner transportation on our second night. Mark delivered us safely to dinner and brought us back to our accommodations afterwards. We purchased about three cases of wine during our tour, and Mark helped transfer it to the trunk of our rental car. He also provided recommendations about packing and shipping it. The photography service was a big selling point for us, and we weren't disappointed. In addition to receiving a CD of photos, Mark also provided a photo DVD set to music. It sounds a little cheesy, but the DVD has already proven to be an effective way to show photos to friends and family without having to pass around a laptop or tablet. The quality of the photos is excellent; Mark definitely has an artist's eye and got some wonderful shots of the vineyards in addition to candid photos of my husband and me. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Cellar Door Wine Tours to anyone looking for a safe, fun way to explore the wineries of Willamette Valley. Helen and Mark will make sure you have a great time! read more

We booked a tour with Cellar Door for Presidents Day weekend and had a wonderful time. We visited three wineries. All unique and all fabulous wine. Helen had sent over lots of information before the tour so that we could pick wineries that suited our to tastes. The day we went for our tour it snowed! It was beautiful but one of the wineries closed because of it. Helen was on top of it. She texted the winery owner early that morning to confirm the closure and when she arrived to pick us up she already had another place in mind for us to go. Her recommendations were spot on. We loved our tour and all the wineries. The last place we went to allowed us to bring in our own food for lunch while we tasted wine which was so nice. Helen was professional and so communicative. We will definitely use Cellar Door again the next time we're in Oregon! read more

Cellar Door Wine Tours - Wine Tasting at J. Christopher! - Wine Tours Near Me

I worked with Mark and Helen to plan a girls wine tasting trip this past weekend in Willamette Valley, could not recommend them highly enough! Mark was so thorough, he thought of every detail we would need for the day. There were 12 of us and everything went perfectly, he was so accommodating with our group. The wineries they picked were perfect, they really know how to find amazing wine. The thing that really impressed me was the extra level of care - we forgot to pick up groceries the night prior and he was more than willing to make an extra stop at the store and help us carry groceries into the house at the end of our tour. If you are planning a wine tasting trip, it would be a mistake to choose anyone other than Mark and Helen. They did a wonderful job! read more

We booked a tour with Cellar Door Wine Tours and from the beginning to the end we had an excellent experience. Helen communicated quickly and gave us different options and choices. Unfortunately we were there in September when the wildfires were raging. A few of the original wineries on our list were closed due to smoke, so Helen found us different ones to go to. She picked very well and we had a really fun day. I would highly recommend Cellar Door and will give them a call when we make it back. We have wineries to visit and views to see that are unburdened by smoke. read more

After speaking with Helen, my expectations were high. It turns out they weren't high enough. She really knows her way around and we tasted at places I had never heard of and were about the best I've ever had. Willamette Valley has changed a lot and she took us to the best places now...not the best places from 10-20 years ago. We couldn't help but feel we were getting special treatment because Helen brought us. Wan t a driver?...Get anyone. Want to taste and learn about great wine--seek out Cellar Door Wine Tours! read more

We used this service May 2016. It was our first time in Willamette Valley, but not our first time wine tasting. We only made the rookie mistake once of trying to taste and drive, so now we look for personal drivers everywhere we go. It was just my husband and me on the tour, so Mark picked us up at our VRBO in McMinnville (which is a darling little town) in their smaller Audi car. His family has lots of experience in farming in this region - and we're nerdy enough to love hearing about other lifestyles and regional backgrounds. I like to choose my own adventures, but Mark was also willing to give us advice if we didn't want the hassle of planning. We'll use them again when back in Oregon! And PS - yes it's pricey to do a private tour but a) it's way cheaper & safer than a DUI and b) you don't have to spend all day with super annoying people. read more

I highly recommend Cellar Door Wine Tours! Owned by a husband and wife named Mark and Helen, they're both wonderful and knowledgeable about the Willamette Valley wine region. Wanting to do something memorable for my Mom and Sister's birthday, I booked a one day tour which included pick up and drop off to our hotel, a cheese and meat tray, lunch, a bottle of wine and 6 Wine Art cards created by Mark, who is also a pencil artist. In addition, the tour included photos which is GENIUS since it's so easy to forget to capture special moments, especially while drinking vino! Helen and I reviewed the itinerary and her suggestions for wineries to visit. We also discussed lunch options which included gluten free options. On the day of the tour, Mark, picked us up in Mcminneville, where we where were staying. Mark was professional and timely and provided us with an effortless day. He was lovely to be around, but remained in the background, allowing us to have our day and it was perfect! We enjoyed the entire tour. read more

My wife and I booked a private tour with Mark for our fifth anniversary. It was terrific from start to finish. We had toured some in the Willamette Valley before, but never with a guide. There were a few spots on our must-visit list that Mark was more than happy to accommodate--he even did the bookings for several "by appointment only" tastings. We emailed and talked several times getting the details nailed down, and Mark was able to fill in our itinerary with suggestions based on the type of wines we were looking for. Mark was super-knowledgeable about the region. Not only has he done a bunch of tours, but some of his family runs a vineyard and winery, so he understands the industry from a lot of different angles. He helped create an amazing tour that covered all the bases -- big name (Penner Ash), personal attention (Soter), boutique (Lenne) where the winemaker opened early for us and poured our tasting, biodynamic (Beaux Freres), and just damn good (Patricia Green). Mark was very attentive, and was always helping us pack up the wine we bought, holding doors, and generally making us feel like a million bucks! He even took a bunch of (quite excellent) pictures throughout the day and sent us copies. We also took advantage of the dinner driving service to a restaurant in Newberg, which is an amazing added value. The picnic lunch was fabulous. Truly an amazing experience, cannot recommend enough. Thanks Mark! read more

Where to begin... My girlfriend and I headed to the Willamette Valley for the first time this summer for a surprise engagement trip and were blown away by the friendliness and hospitality we received at every juncture - Helen and Mark at Cellar Door were truly amazing. After booking the tour well in advance, Helen reached out to me for an introductory call to find out our reason for coming, familiarity with the wines and valley, etc. If I had any hesitation in planning the special pop-the-question moment and day around a wine tour, it was quickly abated. Helen gave me loads of suggestions and had some really great input on logistics of where to propose and how to structure the day around it. The pictures she took of the moment were incredible and already are very sentimental to us! I could go on and on, but Cellar Door was professional, accomodating, friendly, and I would absolutely book with them again (and plan on doing so when we return!). Thank you Helen and Mark for going the extra mile to make our day! read more

Helen and Mark took us on a top notch wine tour that I would recommend for anyone. Both Helen and Mark have incredible knowledge of the wineries, the area and the wine! Many times you hire a driver to keep you safe. Spending the day with Helen and mark was like vacationing with friends. They are personable and extremely helpful. Our trip began with a few e-mails back and forth from Helen asking a little bit about us and our desires. From there she made suggestions for areas and wineries he thought we would enjoy. We stopped at several wonderful wineries; all with top notch wine. Our desires were boutique type wines and Helen exceeded our expectations with her suggestions. As part of the tour Mark took pictures and sent them, after to the tour a few weeks, to us. Not having to carry a camera and worry about taking pictures was a nice added bonus. Helen even helped me plan a surprise B-day event at one of the tasting rooms! Cellar Door Wine Tours can be customized to meet your needs. I would, and have recommended, Helen and Mark to anyone traveling in the Portland area. read more

A tour company's worst nightmare is the inability to create a perfect experience for their customers...and ours almost completely crumbled last Friday. We own a wine tour company out of Eugene...and our biggest fear happened while on a tour in Dundee with our guests. We broke down; catastrophic engine failure on our previously perfect van. I only had a moment's hesitation before calling Helen and being able to work towards a solution together. Ann came to the rescue and picked up our customers while I figured out the vehicle specifics. Nothing short of angels, these people are. We are blessed to know them and to be able to recognize and depend on them when we needed them most. Industry people are amazing; especially those that have your back. Thank you SO much, Cellar Door Wine Tours! We love you...and would do the same for you! read more

This was our first trip to Oregon and we decided to spend the majority of our time in wine country. The only thing we wanted to schedule was a professional wine tour. We did research for weeks and finally decided on Cellar Door. Best decision we ever made! Mark and Helen connected with us first over email and we talked through what we were looking for, any wineries we were interested in, etc. We settled on a rough schedule for the day that we were very pleased with. On the day of the tour, Mark picked us up promptly from our hotel (The Allison) at 10:15am. Mark was very knowledgable about the area and wanted to give us a taste of every wine region within the Valley. My wife and I are quick tasters so we were able to visit seven wineries, a few we had planned and a few were one offs that Mark recommended along the way based on our likings on the trip so far. Throughout the trip, Mark was always available for questions but never too much in our business. He took pictures at every stop so we didn't need to worry about lugging around the camera. All in all, an amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone looking for a professional wine tour experience. read more

We had an outstanding tour with Cellar Door Wine tours. One of the owners conducted our tour. We not only learned much about Wine, but also much about the history of the Valley. The wineries we went to were outstanding! Wines were great and the views were phenomenal! There are SO many wineries in Willamette Valley, that you will truly miss the best ones without a knowledgeable guide. read more

We had a great experience wine tasting in Willamette valley with Helen. Mark and Helen did a phenomenal job arranging a day tailored to our tastes and interests. I really appreciated that they were willing to pick us up downtown Portland. The lunch we had was perfect and Helen even put together a cheese plate for us later in the afternoon. To top off the day, Helen stopped on the way back to our hotel so we could grab take out pizza. I would highly recommend Cellar Door Wine Tours to anyone- there is literally nothing Helen could have done more to make our day special. read more

Anne, you are delightful! What an enjoyable day with service beyond expectations. Cellar Door will be included on my list of must include for this area. Well done. Elaine T read more

Mark and Helen curated a perfect girl's day for us. From pick up to drop off everything was amazing. I spoke with Helen on the phone and provided a little background as to what we were looking for--based only on that feedback she picked 4 perfect and lovely properties that served equally lovely wine. The highlight of the day was definitely the lunch/wine pairing at Fair Sing. If you are looking for an enjoyable day on Oregon's Willamette let Cellar Door show you the way! Thank you again--can't wait for next year :) read more

I went to Oregon specifically to enjoy Willamette Pinot Noirs and I was not disappointed by the wine or our wonderful guide Helen. I chose Cellar Door Wine Tours based on Yelp reviews, The high reviews are spot on! I feel that Helen was very knowledgeable and very accommodating. We were a party of six people, two couples from Oregon and us, from AZ. Even the people who live right in the area were impressed with the tour and the wineries. This is beautiful country! The day was perfect for our trip and the views were just breathtaking! I highly recommend this company for your wine touring adventures. It is so nice to have someone coordinate everything for you and your only job is to sip and enjoy! Thanks Helen! We will definitely see you next time we head up to Oregon! read more

Unbelievable day in Willamette Valley with Helen. She was incredibly friendly and knows the region very well which made for a fun and informative experience. She took us to some amazing wineries and you can tell that her and her husband are respected based on the greetings Helen received at each winery. I would highly recommend booking a day in Willamette Valley with Helen and Mark. It's a great family business that they are passionate about and it makes for a great day of wine tasting in beautiful Willamette Valley. read more

Such an amazing trip!!! The only way to do wine country in Willamette is with Cellar Door Wine Tours. They provided us with an off-schedule tasting, due to a private party, which made for a great start to the day. Helen is quite knowledgeable and was able to give us a rundown of the entire scene, culture, and wine growing within the valley, which really helped to shape the day when we tasted and when we spoke to the wine makers. This experience made us want to do wine country again. Lunch and late day snack was provided along with professional style photos. Our group had a phenomenal time!!! read more

We spent the day with Mark yesterday and it was a fantastic experience. He tailored our tour to our specific needs and we had a wonderful time. Mark was courteous and engaging and passed along a ton of local knowledge that was instrumental in our wine selections throughout the course of the day. We'd highly recommend Cellar Door and look forward to booking with them the next time we're in town. read more

My wife and I had the pleasure of taking a tour with Mark. After speaking with Helen a few weeks prior, we visited six wineries that fit our preferences. Every winery we visited was one we wouldn't be able to find on our own, and the entire trip was a lot of fun. Lunch was included, as well as photography service. Mark was an awesome host. Very knowledgeable, nice, and patient. I highly recommend this tour if you want an enjoyable experience in beautiful Oregon wine country. Especially if you're a small group looking for a customized experience. We had an amazing time, and left with happy memories and tremendous wine. read more

Helen was terrific! She knows so much about the people, history, wine, grapes, vineyards, winemaking - and shares her knowledge in such a thoughtful and interesting way. We have done a fair amount of wine tasting, but having her as a guide made it a great and fun learning experience too. We'll call on her again when we return. Thank you for a wonderful day! read more

This tour company is fantastic. Helen did an awesome job selecting wineries that my husband and I loved. Attention to detail was fabulous. They even let me know about a special wine makers dinner so I could get tickets. I will definitely use them in the future. read more

Cellar door wine tours runs a top notch tour company. They really have a passion for showing people a really great time on each and every tour. Their roots are here in Oregon, and they really do know their way around even the most obscure, yet delicious vineyards like no other wine tour company. Recommend them 100% read more

What a great day! Cellar Door made our trip to Oregon wine country spectacular and memorable. In the early planning we discussed our wine styles to determine which wineries we would visit. We set up an itinerary via email and made adjustments several times, Cellar Door really makes your tour personal by tailoring your tour to you. Our driver Mark was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. He was never in a rush nor did we feel pressure to pick up the pace, it was a relaxing journey through wine country. Mark took care of our purchases so they are ready to be shipped, one less hassle for me. In addition, they provide dinner service. After wine tasting we were dropped off for dinner and when we were finished Mark picked us up to take us home. The door to door service, the planning, the professionalism, and the personal treatment makes Cellar Door a great option for those special occasions or those that do not want a bus tour to the big and impersonal wineries. read more

Mark was fantastic! Can't ask for a better wine tour. He selected wineries from every AVA so we got a great spread of wines and he took us to some wineries with killer views. We will definitely be using Mark again and will recommend his service read more

I have been meaning to write this review for awhile. All I can say is that it was an amazing experience from start to finish! Not only did Mark pick us up and drop us back off in Portland (about an hour drive from the valley each way), but he worked with us to customize our day from winery stops to the perfect lunch. He was very informative and made the tour interesting and very fun! I would definitely recommend Cell Door Wine Tours to anyone looking for a true wine tour experience. I hope to visit again soon and will definitely be calling him to set up something else! read more

I highly recommend Cellar Door Wine Tours! I booked a tour with Cellar Door Wine Tours a few weeks out from the desired date. I quickly received responses from Helen regarding the details and asking what I expecting out of the day. Having not spent much time in Oregon wine country I didn't have any specific wineries in mind. I mentioned one member of the group was not a big fan of reds so wineries that had at least a few whites were preferred. Helen was easily able to come up with a great tentative itinerary that included 6 wineries. Day of, we were picked up promptly. We took our time at the first 4 wineries on the list that Helen had come up with and enjoyed all of them. Even with the weather being beautiful, the wineries that we visited were quaint and not packed. Helen was very fun and knowledgeable on the area's wines and history, which made it more enjoyable. The provided lunch was fantastic and very filling. The black forest cookie I got for dessert was amazing (horde it from group members if you get it!). Helen's lunch tip for preoccupying the single yellow jacket hovering around our food by providing it with turkey was spot on ... I had no idea. Our 5th and final winery was off the initial itinerary and based on time and our preferences so far. Again, was a great suggestion. At the end of the day, we were dropped back off without issue. We were exhausted but had a blast. I will be using Cellar Door Wine Tours again next time other family members come in! read more

The entire experience with Cellar Door was great from beginning to end. Helen helped me set up a tour that was super fun and perfect for my boyfriend's birthday. At the last minute, we had to change the date and Helen was completely accommodating. Our tour guide, Trish, was knowledgeable, fun and on time. I would highly recommend Cellar door wine tours read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our time with both Helen and Mark. The hospitality they provided far exceeded our expectations. We worked with both of them several weeks in advance to plan the details of our trip. Everything went flawlessly. They provided transportation roundtrip from Portland and we took advantage of the dinner service and wine tour as well. At each step, everything went perfectly and with excellent communication. We appreciated the courtesy, knowledge, and hospitality immensely. If you are looking for a tour and more of Oregon wine country you will not find better than Cellar Door. I am hoping we can plan a future trip and to contact Mark and Helen again. read more

Mark and Helen were awesome from the beginning planning stages to the very end of our day. Mark listened to what we wanted and designed the perfect Willamette experience. We visited three very special and unique wineries, and had a fabulous lunch at the Dundee Bistro. He made the day extra fun with his great sense of humor, knowledge, and relationship with the wineries. I would highly recommend Cellar Door Wine Tours, and plan on using them again! read more

Anne is the perfect guide for a fun and relaxing day touring Willamette Valley! Helen and Mark set up tasting appointments right up our alley. We visited unique wineries and had private tastings with the vinters themselves. What a great day! Can't wait for round 2 tomorrow! read more

Excellent wine tour. Mark is a great guy. We would highly recommend his tour and plan to do it again when we go back. Mark is a true gentleman. read more

What a wonderful day we had celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary. Helen picked us up from our B&B promptly at the agreed upon time and had a day of wineries, lunch and an afternoon snack all prepared for us. We didn't know much about Pinots before we started but by the end of the day, we felt like experts. Helen did a fantastic job of describing different aspects of the wine making process without being pretentious or making our silly questions seem silly. We also felt like we got to know Helen on a personal level and truly enjoyed chatting with her throughout the day. It felt like we had made a new friend! Every winery was unique and we felt like VIP guests as we were able to meet many of the wine makers due to Cellar Doors great relationships with each and every winery. Helen chose such lovely spots and we were able to taste outside much of the day and enjoy the views of the Willamette valley. The timing was perfect and we never felt rushed even with reservations at a couple of the locations. We had a tasty lunch consisting of a salad and sandwich that we chose ahead of time. Towards the end of the day we enjoyed a plate of different meats, cheeses, nuts and fruit. Perfect to pad our wine filled stomachs. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn about the region and the wine while enjoying every tasting without the worry of driving. Cellar Door Wine Tours thinks of everything so you don't have to! read more