What to Wear Wine Tasting in Oregon

Hello Friends!  This post is brought to you by Maija and Kira, two girls born and raised in Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine country. In fact, we were both raised in Carlton, on the vineyard where the Laurel Ridge winery and tasting room are today. Fun fact!

We often hear that wine tasting can be intimidating for newcomers and we totally get it! Wine has so many rules! We are going to break down our recommendations, but before we help you dress for your wine tasting adventure, let’s get on the same page when talking about Oregon weather.

The foundation for any Oregonian’s relationship with the weather is basically, ‘the forecasters are never right, we can’t plan for the weather!’ As it turns out, Willamette Valley weather is incredibly difficult for even the best meteorologists to predict. No matter the time of year, we adapt by planning for everything.

This is totally doable. Just think about layers that can be both added and removed, i.e. a tee, cardigan, and coat, plus a hood/hat/scarf. Something that allows you to cool off if it’s too humid after a rain, or something to keep you dry if it suddenly begins to rain in the middle of what was a gorgeous, sunny afternoon (yes, it happens). That way whether you find yourself atop a blustery vineyard in the Dundee Hills or catching some rays on the patio of an estate near Carlton, you’ll be totally prepared!

Here are our top rules for what not to wear wine tasting:

1. Don’t wear anything white. You may think this is obvious but let us tell you, we can’t count the number of times we’ve seen a red wine catastrophe. You may think you are calm, cool and collected sipping your wine, but you’re never certain how you’ll make quick work of your own custom tye-die when your favorite white blouse gets splashed.
2. Stilettos are a wine pairing moment that we don’t love to try. This is wine country, ladies. In Oregon, that means you are probably visiting a farm. The last thing we want is to see you with your happy wine country buzz, tripping over gravel and vineyard vegetation while trying to get your perfect social media shots. This is just one daytime adventure that we recommend a pair of chunky heels, wedges, or flats.
3. Flouncy skirts and dresses don’t always…pair. Know that it does have a tendency to be breezy in wine country, regardless of the time of year. Because of this, you may be faced with the challenge of keeping your dress down while attempting to balance that delicious glass of Pinot Noir. This one’s really just a suggestion… if you end up accidentally flashing an entire patio of wine tasters, you will probably receive a rousing “cheers!”

We hope you find these seasoned tips helpful and, just remember, this is Oregon – it’s okay to dress the part! We Oregonians rarely find an occasion to be anything but completely cozy and comfortable and, believe us, you won’t be judged for showing up wine tasting in a hoodie and sneakers. If you’re feeling “extra” and show up in a gorgeous, flowy maxi dress and a cute fedora there’s room for that, too. If you feel good, you’ll look good, and that’s a great way to start your day tasting some amazing wine. Cheers!