La Bastide Bed & Breakfast + Dundee Eats

I can't say enough about how lovely our accommodations were in the Willamette Valley. La Bastide Bed & Breakfast was comfortable, relaxing, and a touch romantic; the perfect spot to end our Oregon adventures. The innkeepers Mark and Elizabeth built the house just recently in 2014; the name referring to a country home in Provence, France, with a nod to their personal style and the style of wines in Dundee. Our second floor room had soft new carpets underfoot, crisp white linens, tasteful artwork, breezy curtains, a walk in closet, a gas fireplace and a spacious bathroom. We had a charming view of the neighboring Hyland Estates. And if the photos are any indication - Elizabeth's elegant two-course breakfasts were also a highlight of our stay. 

La Bastide is located just off the main road in Dundee. It was an easy walk to dinner and it is within two miles of 25 tasting rooms and wineries. Currently they are operating 3 guest rooms and plan to have 7 up and running in the coming months. 

La Bastide Bed & Breakfast
21150 NE Niederberger Road
Dundee, Oregon 97115

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 We enjoyed thoughtfully prepared Northwest wine country cuisine and a romantic setting at Tina's for dinner on our first evening.

We started with classic cocktails. An Old Fashioned ($11) Makers Mark with muddled cherry, orange & a bitters-soaked sugar lump for him and an Añejo Marguerita ($11) classic, everything fresh squeezed with Cointreau & a salty rim for her. The House Salad ($8) with organic greens, shallot vinaigrette, parmesan & hazelnuts is substantial and the Pumpkin Soup ($8) divine. Entrees are hearty and gorgeously executed. The Duck Breast ($34) is seared and roasted with creamy fried polenta, braised greens and a green peppercorn sauce. The Lamb Rack ($44) features heirloom green beans, Yukon gold-horseradish rösti and a Riesling beurre blanc. For dessert a Chocolate Soufflé Cake ($10) with house made ice cream is a perfect end to a wonderful meal.

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And on our second evening after a full day of wine tasting (our last one just upstairs at Domaine Trouvere) it was the casual vibe and good eats at Red Hills Market that drew us in.

 We kept it simple, sharing a couple beers served in mason jars, a delicious Potato Soup ($5) and wood fired Margarita Pizza ($12). 

And that's a wrap! We're done with Oregon! I'm officially ending on a Margarita Pizza and beers in downtown Dundee. Thank you for following along as I got to re-live this adventure. If you are considering planning a trip to the incredible state that is Oregon - DO IT!!

Willamette Valley | Dundee Wineries

FINALLY, the Willamette Valley. The town of Dundee was our fourth stop on the great Pacific Northwest Oregon adventure. I had so many photos from Newport and the coast I wanted to share that it ended up taking a few more posts than I anticipated! But now we're in wine country and I want to relish in her beauty...

The rolling hills of Dayton and Dundee in early October unfold in a patchwork of summer greens and autumn golds. The grapes produce lush, silky Pinot Noirs and crisp, vibrant chardonnays. You'll find a few other varietals here and there, but Pinots and Chards rule Oregon Wine Country. Tasting rooms range from sleek and modern, to richly wooded and cozy, to refined and elegant. At nearly every vineyard our tasting felt personal and memorable, not to mention we tasted many excellent wines. 

Flying Alaska Air out of Portland allows you a case of checked wine at no extra charge. We filled a case each (12 bottles) and then some (Rogue Beer purchases included!) Cases were available at a few of the wineries (ask around, some were free), and our B&B had plenty of packing supplies on hand. It could not have been more convenient and hassle free to fly home with our loot. 

We arrived in from the coast around 2 pm on a Thursday and had time to visit three wineries in Dayton that afternoon. We would typically share a tasting flight and a lot of the tastings are waived when you purchases a couple bottles. Additionally, our B&B had quite a few vouchers for free or 2 for 1 tastings.

Domaine Drouhin / 6750 Breyman Orchards Road, Dayton / 11 am to 4 pm daily / $10 for 3-wine tasting / photos of me on the deck are here. 

Domaine Serene / 6555 N.E. Hilltop Lane, Dayton / 11 am to 4 pm Mon-Thurs, 11 am to 5 pm Fri-Sun / $20 tasting flight. 

Stoller Family Estate / 16161 NE McDougall Road, Dayton / 11 am to 5 pm daily / $15 tasting flight - waived with 2 bottle purchase. 

The views from and of Stoller (the three above + photos with the tire swing) were incredible. Of our first three wineries, this one was my favorite! The wines were also more affordable here.

The next day was a non-stop, fulfilling, amazing, fun, relaxing time! We visited Lange first beginning at noon, then headed up to Erath. We looped back down to Hyland Estates, which neighbors our B+B. We left the car and continued on foot into town where we paid visits to Argyle Tasting Room, Dobbes Family Estate and Dromaine Trouvere.

Lange Estate Winery / 18380 NE Buena Vista Drive, Dundee / 11 am to 5 pm / tasting flight of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir, including coveted single vineyard reserve Pinot Noirs.

Erath Winery / 9409 NE Worden Hill Road, Dundee / 11 am to 5 pm / $10 - $15 flights / favorite views of the day / photos at Erath include the steep, rolling patchwork hills, the grape glamour shots, me among the vines and Bob on the patio.

Hyland Estates / 20980 NE Niederberger Rd, Dundee / 10 am to 5 pm / some of the earliest Pinot Noir plantings in the Willamette Valley / $15 for a 5-wine tasting that features Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, and multiple Pinot Noirs, waived with 3 bottle purchase.

Argyle / 691 Highway 99W, Dundee / 11 am to 5 pm / $15 for 3-wine tasting flights - get the all sparkling flight - bubbly is their specialty. / The photos below were taken at Argyle's brand new facility - quite the opulent tasting room.

Dobbes Family Estate / 240 SE 5th Street, Dundee / 11 am - 6 pm / $10 for 5-wine tasting / plan them or the one below as your last stop due to the 6 pm closing time!

Domaine Trouvère / 155 SW 7th St, Dundee / the tasting room (part of the Lange Family) is located above Red Hills Market / / $10 for 5-wine tasting, waived with $100 purchase / updated to note this tasting room is now closed / Red Hills Market is still open 8 am - 8 pm daily and is a terrific bet for a meal + provisions.

It is SO HARD to choose but I will say that Hyland Estates was one of my overall favorites. It was here where we sampled the most varieties and there were a lot of exceptional wines in the flight - which ended up being more like an 8 wine flight. Our host Brady was great and the tasting room is gorgeous with an expansive marble bar. 

We woke up on Saturday and I was ready to do it all over again, but I was also looking forward to spending some of our last hours back in Portland. I had about five more wineries on the list that came highly recommended (Archery Summit, Barrel Fence Cellars, Sokol Blosser, White Rose Estate.) In the end we chose just one before we left. Winderlea was tucked perfectly into the hillside about a two minute drive from our B&B. And the views were some of the best! We left with a bottle of their Rosé Pinot Noir and headed North for Portland.

 La Bastide Bed & Breakfast and what we ate in Dundee coming next!

Oregon Road Trip

From October 2nd through October 11th we road-tripped around Northwest Oregon; spending two nights each in Portland, Astoria, Newport and Dundee, plus a final night back in Portland before we flew out on Sunday morning. The Pacific Northwest is an incredible destination abounding with adventures. Portland is an unconventional yet hip city with a terrific food scene and microbreweries galore. The rugged Columbia River Gorge is an outdoor enthusiasts playground with breathtaking vistas, waterfalls and hikes. The Oregon Coast is strewn with stunning, sprawling beaches and lined with lush, emerald forests. The rolling hills of Dundee in the Willamette Valley offer picturesque vineyards, incredible wine, and outstanding wineries with pristine tasting rooms.

In the midst of all this is farmland. We were surprised by the amount of farms with hundreds of grazing cows and horses we passed through driving down Interstate 101. The geography of this state knows no bounds - especially when you take into consideration there is a barren desert landscape just further west of the Columbia River Valley than where we ventured.

The direct flights on Alaska Air were a breeze - worth noting that we decided on this trip because we had flight vouchers after being stranded in the Seattle Airport last March. We were pleasantly surprised with easy flights: on time take off, early arrivals, nice planes, friendly staff, and best of all a free case of checked wine each. From BOS to PDX - Alaska Air is a win. 

[Pictured]

International Rose Test Garden | "City of Roses"

sipping on a sour beer @ Cascade Barrel House | SE Portland

Baerlic Brewing Co tasting flight | SE Portland

bone marrow @ Little Bird Bistro | Downtown Portland 

Columbia River Gorge | Crown Point Vista - Scenic Byway
Astoria - Megler Bridge (connects OR to WA) | Astoria
Bob at Shipwreck Beach | Fort Stevens State Park 
Ecola State Park | Crescent Beach
with Haystack Rock | Cannon Beach
Mo's famous Clam Chowder | Newport Bayfront
Nye Beach dunes | Newport
starfish @ Cobble Beach | Yaquina Head
Pacific Ocean post swim | Nye Beach 
view from Winderlea Wine Co | Dundee Hills
Apple Dutch Baby for breakfast | La Bastide B&B
among the grape vines | Willamette Valley

Each morning after we arrived in a new city we'd head out for a run. I'm sure none were over three miles but it always felt good to start out exploring with exercise and no particular place to be. In Portland we looped through the Willamette Riverfront Parks, over pretty pedestrian friendly bridges and along the spacious downtown streets. In Astoria we made our way down the Columbia Riverfront, stopping at every pier along the way for views of the majestic Humpback Whales (!) who decided to grace the town with their presence that day. In Newport we ran on Nye Beach, the wide sandy flats making it easy, the strong winds not so much. We needed to work up a sweat anyways because we were determined to jump in the Pacific Ocean. (It was 54* water, but we did it!) In Dundee there were hills and farms; we ran by goats, horses and llamas, past crab tree orchards, autumn hued vines and thick, towering evergreens.

Over 7 days we drove about 11 hours which allowed plenty of time to spend relaxing and exploring. It worked out really well. All of our hotels were excellent - seamless stays with zero issues, I would happily recommend each one! Below are a few details, if you are interested. 

The starting point above is Hotel Modera in Portland. Upon checkout we took the TriMet to secure our rental car from the airport and drove east to see Multnomah Falls and hike Oneonta Gorge. Then, we drove over The Bridge of the Gods into Washington State and cruised west, crossing back into Oregon further north and over to Astoria. The little hook at the top was a detour back into Washington the next day to see Cape Disappointment. From Astoria it was due south on 101 to Newport, with a few stops along the way at Cannon Beach and Devil's Punchbowl. After Newport we backtracked north and cut over on Route 18 to the Willamette Valley and 99W took us into Dayton and Dundee. On our last day we stopped for lunch in McMinnville - a quaint college town just south of Dundee. The red ending point is Portland Airport.

[Hotels]

Portland | Hotel Modera | 515 Southwest Clay Street | modern boutique hotel with chic, eye pleasing décor. beautiful courtyard with a live wall and cozy firepits. convenient downtown location, steps from Gov Tom McCall Waterfront Park and Pioneer Courthouse Square. Easy access to public transportation - across from the TriMet and close to bus stops. *We booked through Tablet when they were having a 20% off sale*

Astoria | Cannary Pier Hotel | No. 10 Basin St | luxurious and unique. every room is positioned for absolutely stunning views of the Columbia River and the Astoria-Megler Bridge. The spacious rooms are well appointed to include a small waterfront balcony, a window seat, a fireplace and a clawfoot tub. They also provide in room binoculars and Pendleton wool blankets! Good continental breakfast. Wine and cheese happy hour.

 

Newport | Hallmark Resort | 744 SW Elizabeth St | oceanfront views and easy (stair) access to Nye Beach. There are a lot of hotels to choose from on the beach in Newport - I got a sense this one falls in the middle of the spectrum with standard appointed rooms. They had a lovely salt water pool, hot tub and sauna which we took advantage of after we swam in the frigid pacific! 

 

Dundee | LaBastide Bed & Breakfast | 21150 NE Niederberger Road | newly built home with modern furnishings. Cozy, quiet, friendly, family run B&B. Walkable to downtown bistros and tasting rooms. Convenient drive to Dundee Hills wineries. Amazing breakfasts!!

I hope you enjoyed the collective overview of our time in PNW Oregon. I look forward to sharing so much more about each of our four home base destinations and all the explorations in between!