Last Friday night, The Renaissance Man and I both got off work late…it was a loooonnnggg week.

By the time we had dinner, it was already after 7pm, but I really wanted to go into Newberg and explore First Friday! Despite wanting to stay home and hunker down, I managed to successfully convince The Renaissance Man to join me. When we arrived downtown, we popped in and out of a few shops and then wandered into Valley Wine Merchants.

We’ve read about the Valley Wine Merchants in the Oregon Wine Press, and were excited to see what it was all about. The glowing light coming through the paned windows drew us off the street and inside the tasting room.

The space is perfect! The walls are lined with wine bottles and the old wood floors are patched with metal. The space feels rustic, with a touch of modern-industrial chic. As a roadway lighting designer by day, I instantly fell in love with the fixtures, and The Renaissance Man was blown away by the huge slabs of wood used for the tasting bar.

I was equally excited to see a friendly label sitting on the shelf! Jackalope Wine Cellars is owned by a great guy who I use to work with! Cory (the owner of Jackalope Wine Cellars)  and I are both engineers by trade, and it’s so cool to see him living out his dream making wine! Of course I bought myself a bottle. We’ve yet to try out Cory’s Rosé, but when we do, I’ll be sure to do a write up!

What’s neat about the Wine Valley Merchants is that they do wine by the glass on certain days of the week or for special events like First Friday. I have a hard time ever drinking more than a glass of wine, so being able to do this type of tasting was perfect. I enjoyed a glass of the 2013 Wirtz Garden – Edelzwicker from Big Table Farm, and The Renaissance Man enjoyed his glass of the 2012 Cameron Arley’s Leap Pinot Noir. No one had to compromise!

Valley Wine Merchants also provides small bites to enjoy with the wine. Next time we visit we’ll make sure to allow more time and to try out a combination of cheeses and meats.

Here is the beautiful bottle from Big Table Farm. What’s neat is that Clare Carver, the wine makers’ partner, is a painter and wine label designer. She designs the labels for Big Table Farm every year and you can find her beautiful artwork here.

Isn’t the tasting room beautiful? In this picture I’m looking back towards the door from the bar. The old character of this building is so charming.

Valley Wine Merchants showcases the best wines in the Willamette Valley along with wines from Champagne, Burgundy, Napa, Sonoma, and beyond. They carry over two-hundred pinot noirs! We’ll be back on a nice summer day to enjoy the new patio space behind the building!

I also have to say that The Renaissance Man and I both really enjoyed talking with owner Andrew Turner! He is so friendly and knowledgeable about his wine, and he’s passionate about doing something a little different in wine country. He’s working with all sorts of winemakers to promote their stories and we could have sat at the bar all night listening.

Cheers!