Thistle Winery

OMG! We got hooked into Thistle after reading a review in Sunset mag. Tried a case and we became lifelong fans! Will not say which wine as I want it all! :). Laura and Jon do it very well. Just hope they keep it manageable and not get as Napa vineyards got.
Chris from Joshua Tree Ca.

There are lots of wineries in the Willamette Valley that produce good Pinot Noir. Thistle is one of them. There are fewer wineries producing good Pinot Blanc. Thistle is one of them. In fact, for my palate their Pinot Blanc is one of the two best in the entire valley and at $ 18/​bottle is a great buy. We bought several bottles on our stop in to taste the Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris at Thistle. But the wine in the bottle is only one of several reasons to put Thistle on your «to visit» list for Williamette Valley wineries.
Another reason is that truly owner run grape growing and wine making efforts like this one are becoming more rare in the Willamette Valley all the time as big business wineries, both CA and Euro based, move in to take over land and turn wine making into corporate production efforts. Eroding is the ability to actually talk to the folks who have made the decisions every step of the way, from what to plant and where and when to harvest it and how to age the wine and when to bottle it.
It is so much fun to be able to have these discussions and you can when you taste at Thistle as owners Jon and Laura Jennison play every role in the winery and make every decision. So when you ask Jon about the decisions involved in turning out such out such wonderful Pinot Blanc, he can wax poetic on how itcame to be the wine it is. And Laura can tell you about the great press the Pinot Blanc received that you didn’t even know about until you walked in the wine tasting room door.
Another reason to go is the lovely setting for the unpretentious wine tasting room.
Another reason to go is to meet the sweet greeter, Reilly, a friendly and gorgeous just about a year old Golden Retriever who was a rescue dog.
Another reason is no tasting fee. At least on the day we visited.
The weekend before Thanksgiving visit to Thistle was our first. It won’t be our last. It was one of the best discoveries of a couple of days of Willamette Valley wine tasting. Go discover for yourself what makes this a special place.
THIS N THAT:
1) PARKING: In gravel lot.
2) ACCESSIBILITY: New building is universally accessible. One spot of paved ADA accessible parking near the door. Paved walkway to the door. Level in door and throughout. Accessible threshold out to deck. Accessible loo too.
3) HOURS: Open weekends and special event days. Call ahead if in doubt.
4) FIRST VINTAGE: 2003

What a treat to find Thistle winery open to the public. We were delighted to try their wines, which they make from their own grapes. The wines were all very good. We got there just before a group of 27 people, and I must say the service was still excellent, even though it is small place, and it was quite packed. The view is spectacular, and while it is hard to find, it is definitely looking for directions to find Thistle.

Thistle… Thistle…where do I start?
Thistle was our second stop on a fabulous girls’ day spent in the Dundee/​Newberg area of the Willamette Valley. After just having read about Thistle in Portland Monthly Magazine, I emailed the owner/​winemaker, Jon, in the days prior to our visit and asked him if there was any chance I could make an appointment for a tasting.
Even though the tasting room was not open on that day, Jon agreed to meet my friend and I for a private tasting. Did you catch that? A private tasting? How awesome is that?
As we drove up to Thistle, we were stunned by the amazing views, the privacy of the location, and the beautiful design of the new tasting room. Scenic is an understatement. Jon opened up the deck for us, and treated us to a fabulous Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and three Pinot Noirs – all while answering a myriad of questions my friend and I peppered him with about Thistle and his journey into winemaking.
The wine… amazing. The view… breathtaking…The personal service… welcoming.
We will be back. Thanks Jon for taking time out of your day, and a great experience.
Purchased: 2009 Pinot Noir.

So, I am derelict in my duties as a reviewer. I don’t recall the pourer’s name, but she was delightful and took us on a great wine trip! We tried the general wines, falling in love with a Pinot Blanc even though I don’t generally like white wines… wait, I’m putting the cart before the horse…
You have to know where you’re going to find Thistle. It’s off the beaten path by several miles. As intimidating as that sounds, it’s only magnified by the long gravel road you must traverse, including an 18% grade. Bring your courage and your thirst, because a site guarded by such a series of barriers generally leads to enlightenment, or at least good jokes! When you finally crest that 18% ridge, you find a shallow dip and another short rise up to the beautiful jewel box tasting room. I don’t mean jewel box in terms of appearance, though the appearance is good. I mean that this is a modest tasting room, though delightful and with a beautiful view. The deck is almost big enough for 10 people, but the truth is that it was perfect for my mom and me (yes, I took my mother wine tasting…). You *might* get six seated comfortably, but no more.
Ok, on to the wines…
So, I’ve been a huge fanboy since I tried the 2003 in November 2006. John makes Burgundian Pinots Noir, quite different in style to many of the Oregon Pinots. This is as big a wine as Pinot Noir will permit. Unfortunately, library wines aren’t generally available anymore, so instead we delighted in more contemporary wines. The Pinot Blanc was an absolute revelation. I’d love to give you more than superlatives, but I didn’t take notes at the time and it’s two weeks later. However, I’m not a white wine person, so the fact that I love this wine should indicate something (I just hope it’s a mature palatte…). We tried the Chardonay (meh…but I don’t like whites, remember?!). The Pinots were fantastic, with good reflections of the grape at the time. I think I have just found that every three years the climate suits me. I will also tell you that John doesn’t mess with his grapes. He doesn’t try to «fix» natures mistakes, preferring to treat each vintage as a sculptor meets his stone. This means that the wines are an accurate reflection of the seasons, so each to his/​her own preference.
What is unquestionable is that John clearly loves his vines, his wines. He cultivates them and then lets them shine as Nature demands. His tasting room is a reflection of this ethic. It’s small, but sits with a beautiful vantage of John’s fields, cascading down that steep hill into the valley beyond. While the footprint is small, the affect is bold and pleasing to the senses. The staff is knowledgeable and engaging. The wines? Keep in mind that my journey to Thistle was a pilgrimage or sorts. I’ve loved the wines for years. I even share a special bond with a beautiful woman who was there at inception and shares my delight.
So, in the end, I’m hardly a disinterested third-​party, but I think I retain enough objectivity to say that this is a winery you should visit, a tasting room you should visit. It’s not WillaKenzie, a Willamette Valley, or Anne Aimee. It is not an edifice to it’s success and grandeur. What it is is a fantastic temple to the grape and the land. If you should miss this winery, you’ve missed the essence of Oregon wine.