Willamette Valley is for Lovers on Valentine's Weekend

When it comes to wine, at least for this guy, there's nothing sexier than those earthy Oregon Pinot Noirs. They seduce the hell right out of me. I know I'm not alone and so that's what makes February 12th and 13th (the weekend before Valentine's Day) a perfect time to succumb to those urges and head on down to Willamette Valley. It’s not just the wine that comes out of Oregon that’s sexy, it’s the Willamette Valley itself. There’s something ethereal about the Willamette Valley this time of year: the mist hangs along the valleys slopes and vineyards, the dark green of the Valley’s flora, the varying aromatics of world class Pinot Noir and the real love that is being shared in the glass and over tasting room counters up and down the Willamette Valley. Ironically, I won’t be there because I’ll be celebrating love at a friend’s wedding, but you, those without some other plans who need a little more Pinot in your life, get down to Willamette Valley.

There are several events to highlight the most amorous weekend on the calendar. In keeping with the theme, there are several Pinot Noir and Chocolate tastings, and as we all know chocolate is one of the world's most ancient aphrodisiacs. There will be chocolate pairings at Johan Vineyards, Youngberg Hill, and Torii Mor, to name a few. Additionally, there are a plethora of Valentine dinners all up and down the valley, including at Cana's Feast, Cubanisimo, and Ankeny Vineyard, among many others. To top off the festivities, after gorging yourself on chocolates, Pinot and delicious meals, you can take advantage of Library sales at J.K Carriere and bring some of that sensual stuff home. After all, you should be “getting it on” like this all the time, not just this weekend.

To cap off the romance-a-thon that is this weekend of romance, Pinot, and food, you might just need to "get a room" at The Allison or The Inn at Red Hills. If Cupid has struck you between the eyes with such a force that you're considering some sort of weird romantic move like bathing in Pinot, don't do that. If you must, don't waste the good stuff; buy a couple cases of Pinot from California and fill that tub to the rim, save the good stuff from Oregon for drinking. With weekends like this, November of this year may just see us greeting babies with Willamette-themed names. Archer or Cara, anyone? (Archery Summit and Aman Cara)