A Vino Adventure in the Pearl

Erath’s Urban Tasting Room can top off a great day in the neighborhood.

Portland is a short car ride away from Willamette Valley wineries; however, visiting an urban tasting room, like Erath Winery's, is an entirely unique experience.
By Jon Bell

This story is published in cooperation with Willamette Week and Erath Winery.

Portland may just be a short car ride away from renowned Willamette Valley wineries. But what if you could experience the same top-tier vino and ambiance a little closer to home – and a little closer to some of the coffee shops, parks and restaurants the city is known for?

If you're spending a day in Portland's Pearl district, visiting Erath Winery's Urban Tasting Room is a must.

Located at 1439 N.W. Marshall St, Erath Winery’s Urban Tasting Room is tucked into the western edge of one of Portland’s most bustling neighborhoods, the Pearl District. With all the makings of a perfect Pearl day — food, drinks, relaxation and parks – within a short walk, this memorable urban tasting room is ideal for a close-to-home wineventure.

A pearly plan

Here’s the jist: spend the day wandering around the Pearl district, treating yourself to your heart’s content. You’ll probably want to start the day with a hit of caffeine. Only a block west of Erath, you can find a steaming coffee at Sisters Coffee Company. The popular coffee shop is known for its flavorful roasts, breakfast sandwiches, and the hearty Hoodoo breakfast burrito.

If you’re only looking to get a fresh cup of joe at this spot, no problem. Brew–—or fancy tea—in hand you’ll head over to Lovejoy Bakers, at Northwest 9th and Lovejoy, which conjures up a decadent pastry assortment every morning.

Treats in hand, it’s time to touch some grass. You’ve got options. The Pearl is home to parks that are ideal for strolls or simply stopping off to watch the world go by. Fields Park is an open greenspace with a play area for kids and an off-leash spot for dogs. Nearby Tanner Springs is a unique natural oasis redolent of the oak prairie and wetlands of the past. For people-watching on a warm summer day, it’s hard to beat Jamison Square and its cascading fountain.

Next, you’re going to visit one of the Pearl’s many relaxing spa experiences. One of the more interesting options is Enso Float. During an 80-minute session, you’ll float calmly in a private saltwater tank, which has been shown to improve pain management, mindfulness and more.

Catch a flight

Erath Winery’s Urban Tasting Room can wrap up the day or set the tone for dinner. (Lisa Boomer)

Fully relaxed – and possibly refueled with a BLT from Jojo’s – popping into Erath Winery’s Urban Tasting Room can wrap up the day or set the tone for dinner. With its exposed timber, weathered red brick and splashes of color and natural light, the space brims with the Pearl’s blend of industrial past and contemporary character.

Intimate seating areas set the stage for in-depth exchanges on the subtleties of an expertly crafted Erath pinot noir or the winery’s celebratory sparkling pinot blanc. Taps flow with wines from Erath and sister wineries like Chateau Ste. Michelle and Eroica. It’s a place meant for those who love a cozy night and impeccable libations.

Erath's Urban Tasting room has impeccable vibes, paired with excellently crafted wines.

Wine is available by the glass or bottle, but booking one of Erath’s tasting experiences is the way to go. That’s because a complimentary feature of the experience, and arguably the best, is an opportunity to chat with Tasting Room Lead Zoe Brouwer. Armed with an arsenal of knowledge and deep expertise of all things wine, Brouwer guides guests along their journey. We’d argue this is non-negotiable. But we’ll let you decide that for yourself.

The winery offers three options for tastings: the Erath Library Flight, which highlights the 2012-2017 vintages; a daily flight of selections from across the Willamette Valley; and the Magique Collection, delightful, lofty wines selected and blended from Erath’s finest barrels.

“Every winemaker has that special, mind-blowing wine that made them think, ‘This is what it’s all for,’” Brouwe said. “The Magique line is us working toward recreating that moment for our customers as well as ourselves.”

If you have to choose one to sample first (because we’re sure you’ll be returning to Erath once all’s said and done), go with the Magique Collection. It naturally includes two of Erath’s signature pinot noirs – the berry-forward La Nuit Magique from 2016 and 2017. There’s also a refreshingly light chardonnay from 2021 that easily transports the taster to a warm summer picnic.

Wine is available by the glass or bottle, but booking one of Erath’s tasting experiences is the way to go.

The flight veers from the traditional in several fun and interesting ways with a delicate white pinot noir – made by pressing pinot grapes and immediately separating the juice from the skins – and the singular sparkling pinot blanc, whose bubbly hints of pineapple and orange turn any occasion into a celebration.

“When we got the greenlight to make our first sparkling, this was a no-brainer,” said Head Winemaker Leah Adint. “That fruit wants to be sparkling.”

Adint also got creative with one of the other wines on the Magique flight: a fantastic 2022 syrah sourced from the Rocks District of the Milton-Freewater AVA in Eastern Oregon. She made it bigger and juicier, as syrahs are, but incorporated some pinot noir accents to appeal to pinot-minded customers stopping into the Tasting Room.

“It’s not a light wine,” Adint remarks. “But it’s a lighter expression of it.”

Wine is available by the glass or bottle, but booking one of Erath’s tasting experiences is the way to go. (Lisa Boomer)

It’s also the last wine on the Erath Magique flight – the perfect swirl of berry and spice to cap off a visit to Erath’s Urban Tasting Room and a day in the Pearl. The best part? You’re not limited by distance and can visit Erath as frequently as your heart desires. And your heart will desire.

Post-Erath visit, you can head to Brix Tavern. Complete your night of inner-city leisure with truffle mac & cheese followed by crème brulée, while you plan your next trip to Erath’s winery.

To learn more about Earth’s Urban Tasting Room, and plan your visit, head to erath.com/winery/tastingroom.

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