Recently, we visited Montinore, one of our favorite wineries! Have always enjoyed the wines and learning experiences. Christopher was exceptional - you could tell his passion for wine and he shared some great morsels about each wine and Montinore. Thank you for a fun and informative afternoon! FGMIMI read more

At our first visit last week, we realized Montiore should have been on our destination wine tasting list long ago! Approachable wines, affordable prices, tasting menu of multiple varietals, friendly and knowledgeable hostess, and beautiful tasting room. Our expectations far exceeded, we left big fans.The friendly set up and unpretentious, food-friendly wines make this a place with something for everyone except the most entrenched of wine snobs I'd guess. TASTING ROOM: Large and bright tasting room has a lovely interior with extra and cozy seating as you enter, in case you want to buy a glass or bottle and sit and sip. Lovely views from the tasting room. Level in accessible entry via paved ramp which leads from a couple of spots of accessible (aka ADA) parking. Other parking is down-slope of the tasting room with a flight of stairs up. Tasting room hours 11-5, seven days a week. TASTING SET UP: For only $5 you can taste from a preselected set of six wines on a fixed card, or choose any five wines from their extensive list. We much prefer the latter format and appreciated we could choose our own. (The tasting fee is refunded with purchase.) HOSPITALITY: On a scale of 1 to 5, Brittany (the tasting room hostess) gets 10 for congeniality and knowledge. She made the visit delightful all around. THE WINES: Montinore wines are organic and produced with biodynamic methods. Varietals available to taste include Pinot Noir (several), a blended red of estate grown Italian varietals and Pinot Noir (see below), Pinot Gris, Riesling (several), Muller-Thurgau, Gerwirtztraminer, a blended white called Borealis using the estate grown white varietals, Port of Pinot Noir and dessert wines. We particularly enjoyed and purchased the following... ...Almost Dry Riesling, a great acid balance and a very nice wine for summer or with spicy food. ...a delectable Port of estate grown Pinot Noir, which they send to the fabulous Clear Creek Distillery in Portland for fortification. (Delightful neighbor David Hill Winery does this with their great Port too. And we who drink Port are all better for the winery and Clear Creek partnerships!) ...a blended red of estate grown Lagrein, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) and Teroldego called Rosso di Marchesi after owner Rudy Marchesi (who came to Oregon via the Bronx and New Jersey). My Sicilian hertiage husband (who came to Oregon via Brooklyn and New Jersey) was eager to try the Rosso given he loves the northern Italian varietal Teroldego which is little planted in the U.S. Bottled as varietal, Teroldego is medium bodied, lower in tannins and intended to be consumed while young. (Think Zin meets cherry tart Pinot.) The addition of the Lagrein (another northern Italian varietal ) with more acid and tannins and Pinot Noir work well in this blend. Drinkable now andt will likely be better in a year or two. We bought some of this first time release and look forward to the next release tool. THIS N THAT: 1) VERJUS: We appreciate that Montinore is one of the handful of Oregon wineries to produce Verjus. This unfermented juice of unripe grapes and makes a wonderful cooking ingredient for salad dressings, sauces (in particular for fish) or in braises. Montinore's is particularly a good one and a good value at $20. (Verjus article here for those interested. http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2011/10/reinventing_verjus_for_the_nor.html ) My hubby is fond of using verjus for salad dressings as unlike vinegar it won't fight wine served with a salad course. 2) NAME: Although one might assume Mon ti NOR ay as pronunciation given the founder's last name is Marchesi, the folks at Ardiri Winery (another winner) told us it is Monte NOR. For Montana and Oregon. 3) MMMMMMMMM.....They sell a Pinot Noir and cocoa chocolate sauce. Recommended but you'll need to resist the urge to drink this from the bottle. read more

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$10 for a flight of 6 very good wines is amazing! Add to that the fact that they sell meats, cheeses and breads and have an outstanding view and wonderful staff and we knew we did very well by choosing to taste here! I always prefer reds but the Riesling they gave us to taste was very nice. I'm kicking myself for not writing down the pinots because the peppery one was fantastic!! The tasting room is lovely and we were allowed to bring in our own small tray of snacks too (not knowing we could buy there as well, which we did because we had a very large group). I had no idea where Forest Grove was (and I've lived here all my life) and so I was thrilled to discover this winery with my friends on a Birthday wine tasting day. Yay Forest Grove! read more

Montinore Estate - Montinore made a fan out of our entire group! - Wineries Near Me - Forest Grove, Oregon

This place was fine - their wine was okay. The tasting room is a bit extra and doesn't really blend with the feeling of the property. They have a map and will show you where on the property the wines came from, which was unique. The service was top tier. We went around noon on Veteran's Day, and we were the only visitors at the time. It was kinda awkward for how large the space was. None of the wines were overwhelming or notably memorable - but all good quality for the Oregon wine country. It's worth visiting, might be your jam, but definitely not mine. read more

Montinore Estate - Wineries Near Me - Forest Grove, Oregon

My husband And I went to the Montinore Estate winery on a Sunday early afternoon. We found it on accident after having to pull over to attempt to make some phone calls. After plans going haywire we decided to explore and see if the winery had any open tables. They're only doing glasses and full bottles. We got a bottle of a chardonnay. We brought our own picnic lunch and enjoyed that with our wine at our own picnic table. The tables were covered with pop ups and spaced nicely apart. After enjoying some wine we got some bubbly and rose to go. The attendants were really nice and friendly during our stay there. read more

Montinore Estate - Private picnic table - Wineries Near Me - Forest Grove, Oregon

Was really bummed to drive out to the one in Forest Grove to learn the tasting room I'd closed. Yes our fault for not looking at the website but I never thought it would be closed. It's so beautiful. read more

We attended the Annual Grape Stomp at the Montinore Estate! Such a fun event, my husband and I got to taste some great wine, sip on a bottle of Vivace (sparkling wine) that we purchased, compete in the grape stomp, take a hay ride along the vineyards, and relax in nature enjoying some live music and cool food truck options! Surprised we left without signing up for a membership, but now contemplating! We will be back, especially since it's only 30 mins from Hillsboro!! read more

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Delicious wines (try the White + Grey and the sparkling - both delicious). Mediocre service. From the get-go, the server seemed perturbed to serve our group. At 4:06, we ordered a flight and the server looked at his watch and said it would have to be "rushed" since there were only 45 minutes left in the reservation. As someone who works at a winery, you can absolutely complete a flight for someone in 54 minutes. One of the wines was skipped on the flight without mention by the server. At the end of the reservation, the server said they were "not rushing us, but rushing us" to leave. There are so many great wineries in the valley happy to have customers... Montinore is beautiful and has fabulous wine... but perhaps not the most welcoming staff. I would try elsewhere if visiting wine country. read more

We live up the road from Montinore, and my in-laws were in town visiting this week from L.A. Sounds like a great setup for taking them out wine-tasting, and that's exactly what we did! Our first stop of the day was here at Montinore. The server was very helpful, and clearly was well versed on the history of the vineyard and which vines each bottle and blend came from. He was informative and it really seemed like he loved pouring wine for people. Side note: I don't know how wine servers do it---if I was behind a wine counter I would be taking swigs of it all day long. I suppose that's why I'm an IT geek and not a wine server. But I digress. The four of us (myself, Wife N, and my two in-laws) each have different tastes in wine. I prefer big, lush, explosive reds (think Lodi Zinfandel, Chilean Cabernet, Italian Primitivo and Tempranillo, etc.). My wife loves dry to off-dry whites (Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc) and also sweet dessert wines (Ice Riesling, etc.). Wife N's mom likes sweet desserty wines while dad likes just about anything. Montinore is the place four people with four different tastes in wine can go to get it all. Upon entry into the tasting room, you're presented with a "pick any five out of these twelve"-style menu. On the menu are a reasonably large variety of dry and off-dry whites, three different Pinot Noir's, and several sweeter wines, and the menus rotate seasonally. It was nice, as each of us was able to customize our own flight, and our server masterfully assisted us all without missing a beat. Personally, I think Montinore's wines are "good". Their Pinot Noirs are decent, but not the best I've had locally. I'm not a huge white fan, and I only take occasional sips of dessert wines (I can appreciate them---I just wouldn't pour a whole glass for myself). In-laws liked things well enough to pick up a bottle or two, and my wife loves their Pinot Gris and their "Frolic" (sweet dessert wine which I admit is pretty dang tasty). The grounds are absolutely beautiful. The tasting room has comfortable seating, fireplace, piano, etc. In all, it's a pleasant way to spend an hour or so. If you're heading up Sip 47 (the Hwy 47 wine route) it's worth stopping in--they're only 60 seconds off the highway. read more

Handsome vineyard estate with outdoor patio overlooking beautiful vistas. Tasting room perfect for hosting special occasions. Top recs: 2007 Graham's Block 7 Pinot and 2009 Reserve Gewurztraminer. Professional, knowledgeable staff offer an enjoyable experience. Tasting room GM Jill Augustin was a gracious hostess and offered an excellent overview of Montinore's wines. read more

Montinore is really one of the best around. As a wine club member I went on my annual tour of the winery. The history of the land and the area is really quite interesting. You can get all kinds of great information from the tasting room staff, who is always friendly and hospitable. The tour really brings you into another layer of the winery, though. Helps you honestly feel like part of the family. The wines are great. They have something for everyone I think. The sparkling is very good. Love their different Pinot varieties, and they have some awesome Italian grapes as well for flair. I recommend a visit! read more

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We came here to celebrate my friend's birthday and were given such a royal treatment! The staff was very attentive and did a great job pacing the wines and coming by frequently to make sure we had what we needed. The wines were all delicious and the space was gorgeous on a beautiful fall day. And only 30 minutes from Portland, it's a spot I could (and will) return to over and over again. What a wonderful day, thank you to the Montinore Estate team! read more

Came to do a tasting, walked in, wasn't greeted, stood at the counter, looked at the tasting menu, decided what we wanted and were completely ignored... two women walked in, they were greeted, given tasting menus and the employee proceeded to chat with them... we left right after that. The worst service I have ever received at a tasting room. Highly disappointed with the way this happened. read more

The Tasting Room is pretty nice and Basic. For $5 you get a tasting flight of different wines. I choose the m monthly special. I bought a bottle of the Grahams block which is fantastic. The room has a view of the vineyard and the girl who worked with us was great. But.... Just a note to the owners. You have an employee with long fake red/purple hair who was a total biyotch. So my date and I aren't wine experts and I didn't know what a flight was, sue me. Your winery is right off the highway and near the top of the "sip 47" AND it's freaking Oregon, not France or California. You should expect that not everyone that walks into your tasting room is an expert, and you respect that. My money is green, just like anyone else's. This woman gave us the menus and walked away. 5 minutes later she came back and asked us what we wanted. I told her I didn't really understand what we are to do. She said in a snooty little tone "well let me explain it to you again", then she explained exactly the same way as she did before, which was not helpful or informative. She didn't stick around to let us ask questions about the wine. I was glad, actually. Because the younger lady with brunette hair helped us and was very sweet and explained everything and answered our "silly" questions like "what's Vintage mean? Still, I won't be back. We found better wine and much better service further south on 47. read more

I was cracking a joke to my significant other that the Willamette Valley is the poor man's Sonoma (which admittedly, I've never had the pleasure of actually visiting, so I have no room to talk) as we rolled up to the surprisingly inviting and elegant Montinore Estate and I knew that I was going to have to eat my words. I agree with Kevin S. in that there are a couple of things about this place that might indicate a strong level of appeal for the novice: Not all of the wines I tried were amazing and many of them quite young and of the same vintage, so not a lot of variety for me to use in comparing the progression of different years. However, I was impressed with Montinore's implementation of biodynamics and sustainable growing and business practices. In addition, the gentleman who helped us, Marc, was very knowledgeable and fun to chat with and stayed with us well past close discussing the food industry and the world of wine. I find most Gewürztraminers repulsively sweet and the one I tried was so complex and pleasing in its floral aroma and balanced finish and not sickly sweet like Alsatian ones that I've tried) that I bought a bottle and can't wait to go back for another! read more

My wife and I became fans of Montinore wines since we first found them upon moving to Oregon 15 years ago. We are definitely not wine connoisseurs (read snobs). I don't describe my wine-tasting experience in terms like, "This wine starts with a hint of Bosc pear and green apples on the pallet and finishes with strong flavors of oak, vanilla and burned rubber...". We did however spend a loooooong time (years) in Germany drinking gallons of some of the best white wines in Europe and can tell a decent white from one that isn't. Montinore makes some very palatable white (and some very good red) wines. The folks in the tasting room have always been friendly and accommodating. Once, when we drove up and found the tasting room closed, the admin staff saw us arrive and opened just for us. Compared to the snooty, cool receptions we've endured at other local wineries, this is something I don't think would happen anywhere else in the area. We love their Mueller-Thurgau, the gewurztrauminer, and their Frolic is a wonderful sweet wine. The Estate Reserve Pinots (like the Graham's Block) are good too. If you are looking for a winery where the staff looks down its nose at you while describing how their wine would be the perfect pairing with the meat entree for a state dinner, you can take your pick of other Oregon wineries. If you are however looking for good wines, reasonable prices and a friendly staff, Montinore Estate is the right place for you. read more

Date of visit 9/4/11 The good? 2008 Frolic - Gewurtztraminer Sweet Reserve The bad? I'm sorry to say that my tasting experience was soiled by the employee who kept picking up the adorable dog. Yes, the dog is adorable. I wanted to hold it too... BUT (yes, all caps) BUT picking up a puppy, playing with it, then pouring the next wine in ANYONE'S flight without as much as a wash, rinse or moist towelette to sanitize your hands with was just too much for me. read more

Their reds are okay and their whites are better. The wine I like the most is the pinot noir rose.

This vineyard is a model for biodynamic farming, which I very much support. The tasting room has a wide variety of seating options, especially during the summer, with additional outside seating. The tasting room staff is very knowledgable, and I think they are all involved in the winemaking process. This winery offers many more varieties of wines than the typical Willamette Valley winery. It was enjoyable tasting some of the more nontypical wines. read more

Decent vineyards, but their wines are bargain priced and targetted more at the beginning wine drinker. Personally, I'd recommend the muller, reisling, and geurtizmener (note I can't spell, but you get the point). Their are bulk discounts available for half case and full case purchases. Definitely worth a trip if you're in the neighborhood at elk cove. read more

Favorite Wine Tasting Place in Hillsboro! A MUST GO TO, in my opinion. First and foremost, the vineyard is beautiful. A short drive to the wine house and there's always ample parking. The wine house has outdoor and indoor seating - also has balcony seating overlooking half of the vineyard. My most memorable experience here was all thanks to great company and the wine server, Forest, of that day. He was awesome. He was very informative of all the wines we tasted. He served them in descending years, giving us information about the taste and the factors that affected the taste. It was the most fun wine tasting experience I've had. He even let us try a wine that was low in stock - aurora borealis, mixture of 4 great tasting white wines which became even better, now that they're all mixed. I believe, the menu says 7 tastings for 10 dollars. Pretty sweet deal! If you go, I really hope Forest is working that day! read more

I came here with a few friends to wine taste. Their wines are very affordable by the bottle and it is a fun, laid-back place to wine taste. It has comfy seats and a fireplace to cozy up with your glass. My top picks were the Merlot, Almost-Dry Reisling, and Muller. read more

Made a stop (while on a roadtrip) here based on a recommendation from a friend. So glad we stopped!! Christopher was very pleasant and knowledgeable. You can't beat $10 for a 6 flight tasting! And the wines were amazing! We left with a few bottles. We had such a great time visiting Montinore. Thanks!! read more

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This is hands down my favorite local wine and winery. Organic, clean crafted, bio-dynamic farmed and delicious! Prices are reasonable and the staff is A+ with information, stories, and always willing to take extra time to answer all the questions. Only con is they are not dog friendly. Maybe they will be when the patio opens for nice weather? Other than that, I highly recommend. read more

Last time I posted and lowered the stars I gave Montinore, I heard from Eddie and he offered to allow us to switch wines out. I said fine then...and the manager actually gave us a small discount on our next purchase. Not necessary but nice. Eddie wrote to ask did you want to cancel this order? My husband said yes and I spoke to manager the day we got our discount....and reiterated we didn't want to cancel our club--just the current order. She assured us it was fine. Today we go. It's dead. We are the only people there. We ask for our shipment. We are informed that we are not members. The woman at the bar leaves and checks with Eddie who says we cancelled. We then explain. Then we ask for Ruby. As usual. None available. Now, I buy Ruby by the case. They have it....it just isn't bottled. Come back next month. I told my husband. ...we don't go through this at the other wineries we are club members at. She says "Maybe a club membership isn't for you." Oh. I have used my membership there to introduce dozens of people to Montinore wines through tastings and we get Ruby every year. But yeah, At more than 50 years of age, I have no idea if I want a wine membership or if it is for me. Wow. Off to another winery to buy a case or two for Christmas ... I feel as if everything we say or do there is treated with disdain. ..today my husband looked out the window at a frog we had listened to on the way in and we were corrected that the frogs were at the other window. Clearly the customer is always wrong at Montinore. Well....no more. I think that miscommunications that happen once are one thing...but this seems to be the consistent message: "You are wrong, we are right, you maybe don't belong in a wine club..." So I guess we don't belong in theirs. Willamette, Kramer, and David Hill were happy to see us, and they seem to think we belong. From the empty room we stood in, to the full rooms at the other wineries, I'd say others are starting to think the same.... Their wines are good, but nothing is good enough to be treated as if you don't belong and aren't wanted. read more

Christopher was AMAZING! We stopped in on the way to Indian beach (actually a small detour) that was WONDERFULLY worth it! Stop by, you wont be sorry! Wonderful establishment, wonderful wines, and wonderful people! Thanks Montinore Estate! read more

Montinore Estate - Wineries Near Me - Forest Grove, Oregon

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Ok, I have been back to this place many times. Every time we get a group together to go wine tasting, we find ourselves back at this winery. Great people, fun environment. we always end up purchasing before we leave. Most everything is good, especially the Frolic and Ruby. This is definitely a place to try if you have never been here before. read more

We've been members at Montinore for a few years now and it never disappoints. Virtually every vintage and varietal we've tried has been outstanding. We live very near by many of the Willamette Valley wineries, and are frequently here both with friends visiting or just as a couple. The staff is always friendly and gracious, and the wine excellent. You simply cannot get a more enjoyable white for the money than the Borialis (about $14 non-member price), and the 2012 Parson's Ridge is an outstanding pinot. If you're in the area, this is a must stop. read more

Came to Portland with my girlfriend for a wedding and found this place. It was awesome and Patrick was the best. The wines were great and the stories behind them even better. So glad we came out here! read more

I was there for a Meetup event, for the free Shakespeare in the Park. I had a free voucher for a tasting there, so I went there early to do that. The winery does have a very beautiful estate. The wine tasting room itself is well lit, spacious and has outdoor seating as well. The wines were not my favorite, and the lady who helped me didn't seem overly friendly. She didn't really explain the wines, and I really tend to like more detail. Didn't get that. I'm more of a Southern Oregon wine person, I admit that, so the wines weren't really to my liking. I did like the Pinot, but the prices seemed high for what I was tasting. I did have a great experience overall there because of the event. I appreciated the voucher for the tasting and the opportunity to see their winery and taste all of their wines. I feel though that there are better wines out there, at least that suit my taste. read more

Unfortunately, I was not impressed either by their wines or their staff. There were 2 ladies, one was new and basically kept referring everything to the other. You would think she would be trained with at least the basics of the composition of each wine and their locations. You get 5 tastings for $5 - you get to choose from a pretty decent list. We tried both of their more expensive single vineyard pinot noirs. One was very well balanced with a great oak finish. The other was just all over the place. We also tried their not-so-sweet white and ended with their brandy wine. PROS: the tasting room is huge and beautifully located to overlook their vineyard. I was with my baby, so there was plenty for her to look at and lots of seating area. CONS: $5 tasting fee, refundable only if you buy a CASE of wine. seriously?! read more

I love love this place!! I want to spend all day everyday here hah! The staff is wonderful! I've had a few email exchanges with Ari, a very nice guy and Christopher hosted our wine tasting. He was so knowledgeable about the wine we were very impressed. We told him exactly what we wanted to try and he delivered. The wine here is also tasty and I love the variety. The view and atmosphere and is very peaceful and beautiful! I don't give 5 stars very often but the two times I've been here I've been impressed! Don't telll anyone else about this place I don't want it to ever get too busy for me ;-) read more

Great winery - we love their red wines. Their Pinot Noir Reserve from both 2013 and 2014 are outstanding. Also recommend the Graham's Block 7. This is a good winery for tasting - very pretty grounds and excellent service. We've had the pleasure of meeting the owners, who are very down to earth and kind people. read more

Beautiful estate with seating inside and outside. It was a quality experience because of the wines, the helpful staff and the location. I'll be back for sure! read more

Been here several times now, each visit gets better and better. The wines are great (especially the Borealis) and the staff has always been friendly and informative. read more

Good customer services and cozy place! Love their Ruby wine and we bought 1 dozen of them lol

Great winery. Really enjoyed talking to Jim in the tasting room. My wife and I liked every one of their wines. Beautiful view! Will be back. read more

This is the best winery I have been to in Oregon. We paid $10 and ended up getting more than the tasting menu. The lady working was so informative and you can tell she loves what she does! One of the best parts of wine tasting is talking to the people who pour your wine. this did not disappoint. They have a white pinot which makes my heart so happy. The view is also great. If i were a real adult with a real income I would join the wine club instantly. Go here, it will not disappoint! I will come back and back read more

Have visited them regularly ever since we moved to Oregon 11 years ago. Their Pinot is solid, and the dessert wines are great without being overly sweet. The staff has been wonderful in my experience. We used to visit once a month on Sunday's when my little sister was the musical talent there, it was just a very pleasant place for tasting. But try the chocolate sauce over ice cream, and you'll be back every year for more... read more

The woman pouring our tasting was wonderful. Such a sweetheart, very informative and clearly jazzed about the wine and wanted to share with us. Will for sure be coming back! read more