Been our go to guys for lovely wine for years. A visit combines a great drive through beautiful agricultural landscape into a vineyard, comfy tasting room and a chance to sample and buy some really good wine. And you often get a chance to talk to the owners. And the chance to take very interesting bottles to your next food event. They also have some food events on their patio. So, great wine, drive in the county, and a tasting room that's not crowded so you have a chance to have an actual conversation about the more than ample selection of some great bottles, we love it read more

My first time visiting this wine cellar and I can't believe that I've been missing out on this hidden gem in the willamette valley! This cellar offers a welcoming atmosphere and a great selection of delicious wines! Additionally, the sunset against the grape vines was the cherry on top for my visit! Will be coming back again. read more

Pudding River Wine Cellars - Dessert and wine - Wineries Near Me - Salem, Oregon

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What a little gem! We were on our way to Bend and plucked this spot along the way for a stop in. It was perfect! The host was so gracious and welcoming - so was the big, friendly husky sleeping right out front. We sat on the patio on a beautiful September day. I enjoyed a flight of the stainless steel Chardonnay, Cuvée, estate Pinot noir, and the reserve Pinot noir. All delectable and unique in their own way! The host also brought us a complimentary glass of the 2016 Pinot Noir sparkling rose - an incredibly complex taste due to the fires the region experienced. Unlike any wine I've ever had. Tasting fee was waived because we bought a bottle of the estate Pinot noir and the sparking rose. Welcoming incredible spot! read more

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Absidarntively delightful was our wine tasting experience at Pudding River for the combination of lovely setting, fun and rustic tasting room, gracious warm hospitality and interesting wines. This was the last winery stop for four of us on a couple of days of activities that included wine tasting in this part of the valley. For all of us, Pudding River was the highlight winery of the trip. That was in no small part because of the gracious welcome we received from one of the owners, Karen, and the great job she did in talking about the wines and answering our questions. TASTING ROOM As of Memorial Day weekend this year, the tasting room was relocated from the upper floor of the old farm building to the lower level. A paved lot makes the drive in and level in access from parking to the tasting room easy. The upgrades to the tasting room are still a work in progress, a big drawback is there is no bathroom on that floor for now, but overall vibe is friendly and makes one want to linger and try the wines. Pride of ownership showed everywhere here for the boutique style winery and the small lot wines being produced. Karen, one of the husband wife owner team at Pudding River, was the tasting room hostess on the day we visited. She could teach a master class on top notch tasting room hospitality. Also worth a mention was the mellow, just right for wine drinking tunes being played - think the classics from Rod Stewart's songbook as example. In fact, here's some of the same background music to listen to as you read for those so inclined. :-) www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpfjFRSD2wo&feature=relmfu TASTING SET UP The tasting fee is only $5 and it is waived with purchase of only one bottle. The line up included nine or ten wines among several varietals including Riesling, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah poured free hand and using good quality glassware. Each couple was welcome to share a tasting flight. WINES Pudding River's web site has tasting notes for most of their wines. For such a small winery, we were surprised to see they made such a large number of different wines. The winemaker, Sean, is an engineer by education who started out his career in fermented beverages by making beer. Developing an interest in wine, he read through the texts as used at UC Davis' school of wine making studies and embarked on applying what he learned. We sampled: *2011 Riesling (citrus bright and only about 10% alcohol with just under 1% residual sugar for those who like Riesling finished dry with high acid), *2011 Pinot Gris *Chardonnay - stainless fermented as well as oak aged with partial malolactic fermentation, *Pinot Noir *Syrah - for those of us who get overdosed with Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley, it was fun to have a different red varietal to taste. Syrah grapes came from Walla Walla. Prices ranged from around $16 (Riesling) to around $40 (Reserve Pinot Noir). We purchased Riesling, Pinot Gris and Syrah and our total was around $61. read more

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I feel giddy everytime I get to write the first review for a business. In particular, one I like. Pudding River Winery has had it's doors open for about 5 years. It is a quaint, family owned winery east of Salem. It is well worth the trip. The drive is fascinating, and you can even kill two birds with one stone if you also make a stop at the Willamette Valley Fruit Co. for a slice of their famous pie. Not that you have to, but they are practically neighbors. They open at 12. That being said, we showed up shortly after 11 am and they graciously welcomed us anyway. So, this is a story of a corporate American turned winemaker. How many of us get to immerse ourselves in our real passion, and do a good job of it too? You will enjoy meeting Sean, his wife, Stacy, and their gleeful dog, Dakota, who just wants to play tug o' war with you and her tennis ball. A very charming setting, they live in the 1904 Victorian at the front of the property. But the real magic begins in a large white building behind a big red barn. And right now, you must be able to climb stairs to get up to the second floor of the barn which is their tasting room. Sean proudly announced this will soon change and they will be ADA compliant. A first floor tasting room is on its way to being completed. Mr. B is the wine taster of our family. And picky (aren't we all?). His pronouncement that these are "very good wines", and his subsequent purchases, were his way of saying, you really should try this. He ended up buying 3 bottles. An '09 Reisling ($14) and two '09 Walla Walla appellation Syrahs ($30 each) are coming home with us. Thank you Sean for a great experience and the pleasant memories. read more

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Awesome atmosphere and good wine. Loved the drive out to get there. Yet, not far from Salem.

We ended up here at the last minute, and had our three dogs with us. We were pleasantly surprised to realize how dog friendly it was. On top of that the wines were really lovely. If you get a chance to try the Sparkling Pinot Noir 2019 it's really interesting and complex in light of the wildfires that year, I highly recommend. Tasted the 2015 Pinot Noir and really enjoyed it also. Service was good and afterward we wandered down to Pudding River with the dogs whis was lovely. Big, wide, open space on the River. read more

Loved this small winery run by Sean and his wife who started it 19 years ago. We thought the wine was fantastic and ordered two cases. We found it because it was the closest winery to the Oregon Garden which by the way is beautiful with everything in bloom. read more

When I go wine tasting, it's not just about the wine. It's also about atmosphere and the graciousness of the host. My recent outing at Pudding River Wine Cellars was exactly what I needed on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Set in the countryside, the tasting room is in a red barn. You even get to sit in "bunhugger" bar stools. How quaint! I had never been there before, but I'm glad I sought them out. They're a bit off the beaten path...most wineries are, though. John, the vintner's father-in-law was a great conversationalist and all of the wine was consistently good. One stand out for me was the 2012 Chardonnay (that's the middle one if you try all three together as John suggests). It was buttery with the right amount of oakiness, just how I like a good chard. The 2011 Syrah was exceptional--so much so that I bought a bottle. Speaking of Syrah, here's a little tidbit that I'll bet a few of you didn't know--wineries can legally add up to 10% Syrah in Pinot Noirs (here in Oregon anyway) and not disclose that. The Syrah gives the wine a little more body and obviously more color. Pudding River does not embellish their Pinots--you buy Pinot Noir, you get all Pinot Noir. I like honest wine-making. So, as Arnold would say, "Oll be bock". read more

My wife and I have been members of the wine club here for over 10 years--the reason?--Excellent wine and extraordinary service/conversation. We were originally attracted to the White wines here. A good Chardonnay and Riesling can be hard to find in a valley full of Pinot, but his are extraordinary. And while you sit and sip, Sean will tell you about the process, the history and more. Now, after several years tasting throughout the valley, we have also come to appreciate the fine Reds here too. The Pinot, Syrah, and Malbec are also very fine and reasonably priced. We definitely recommend! Also, if Sean is not pouring, Moe may be there pouring and she is wonderful. Not sure what happened with a previous reviewer, but Moe is great! She has a great appreciation for fine wines and can tell you all about the wines here. read more

Wine was only ok. Bought a few bottles and they got our order wrong. One of the wines I absolutely did not like was given to me instead of the one I did. Too bad. read more

Great wine, especially if you are a Pinot Noir fan! Sean is an excellent host and we LOVE his dog, Dakota. Next time we visit, we are definitely coming back! read more

We found this winery quite by accident and it has been a favorite of ours since. The atmosphere and personnel that work in the tasting room are knowledgeable, fun and answer questions regardless of how silly they may seem. We also recommended them to the Royal Rosarians and several of their wines are sold in their annual wine sales read more

The service was terrible!! Her attitude was mean and rude!! Friendly was not in demeanor! The wine is good but the pourer gives a bad taste in my mouth! I would not recommend! read more