Blakeslee Vineyard Estate

Nice very friendly crew of ladies who work here but other than that this will be a one and done for us. Checked it off the list and on to the next one. My wife and I prefer the more picturesque venues (penner ash, Ponzi, Hawks view, white rose, etc)
If you like the feel of wine tasting and actually being in someone’s kitchen then this is your jam.
Good wines though.

Our good friends Larry & Sherry took us to Blakeslee’s one afternoon at the end
of summer. We had a wonderful afternoon of wine tasting and enjoying appetizers and the beautiful grounds and scenery of Blakeslee’s Estate Vineyard. We met the vineyard owners, Sheila and Bill Blakeslee’s, who welcomed us as if we were their life long friends. The wines were fabulous, particularly the white Pinot Noir. We were so impressed we immediately joined the Blakeslee Estate Vineyard wine club.
Yesterday we visited Blakeslee’s again for a «Halloween» get together. Another fabulous time with good friends and good wine in a beautiful setting (even if we were greeted with monsoon like rain) As usual, Sheila and Bill greeted and treated us like life long friends.
I highly recommend Blakeslee’s wines and vineyard.

The thing I liked most about Blakeslee Vineyard was the 2012 Reserve Pinot Noir (Very good). Many other things rubbed me the wrong way.
If you see the Infinity Pool in pictures, don’t worry you’ll see it when you get there… from behind a fence & 15 members. The entire pool area and what looks like the main tasting room is for members only (btw why does a winery have an infinity pool. slightly pretentious).
What looks like a remodeled 2 car garage pushed back from the pool area, is where regulars taste and drink. Its kind of crazy how blatant the difference between member & non member is here. You may get lucky and have the owner talk to you and do something nice (like some have mentioned). But it seems unfair to those who don’t get special treatment. This feeling of exclusion was my first problem.
Second was the crowd, I wasn’t expecting so many people 30 minutes to closing time.
Last would be the servers. While knowledgeable and polite, they lacked a sort of charm & personality that I value in a winery. Most were young, not bad looking, college students (i assume). Which isn’t bad, but I can sort of tell when someone is wanting to finishing pouring and leave work, as opposed to the owner or owners wife staying late to pour because home is 10 feet away.
Come and check it out, your experience may be better than mine. I on the other hand have no desire to return to this particular vineyard. Its not anything personal, just not what I look for in a wine trip.
PS, i also bought a 50 dollar bottle of wine and was not comped for my 15 dollar wine tasting. This not the best policy and frustrated me after i reflected on my bill.
Blakeslee’s response to this is below, read both & make your own decision.

I went to this winery for a pre birthday celebration with my husband. We met the owner who shared their story with us and was very friendly. The other servers were also very pleasant. They have some amazing views from their infinity pool area which is only for members but we were allowed because it was my birthday. yay!
We got a bottle of their Pinot noir. It was a beautiful Oregon Pinot noir with some smoky taste to it. We also got their cheese plate which I think lacked compared to some other wineries I’ve been to. Not very impressed with the presentation and the cheeses. I don’t expect a basic slice of cheddar in a winery cheese plate. We got a bottle of wine but were charged a dollar for a tiny bottle of water. not cool! I’ve been to many wineries in the area with better offerings.
I would go back for the wine and the views but I hope the views from non member areas as the same to justify that.

This was my first time to visit Blakeslee and I am so glad that I had the privilege of tasting their wine. I enjoy wine more than just about anything and this is the first time in my life that I have enjoyed every single taste!
This is a beautiful winery, the landscaping and ambiance are a 10!
The wine is very reasonable, the owner Shelia and her staff are friendly and made our day perfect!
You can bring a picnic, sit outside and enjoy the view. I can’t think of a better way to spend the day!

I’ve been here so many times and I can’t believe I haven’t written a review yet! In the spirit of full disclosure, we are members of the wine club but I’ll tell you why.
1) AMAZING wine! This is the good stuff my friends and it’s pretty reasonably priced.
2) The winery– It’s beautiful! I go there to just relax and it does the trick every time. The view of Mt. Hood is stunning and it’s incredibly peaceful. There are multiple areas to relax from the fire pit, to the indoor tasting room and next to the infinity pool-​my personal favorite. There’s nothing like sharing a bottle of wine next to the pool in the summer. Just don’t forget your sunscreen :)
3) Wine Club-It’s the best one around. The price is great and the discount makes it very worth it. They throw wonderful wine club events often and Sheila’s wine cork top is something not to be missed. Jordan and Brandon are so personable and never mind that we bring our 2 year old with us at times. Throw in free tastings that we can brings friends too and it’s a great deal.
In short, don’t miss this winery! The people, the wine and the view are what make this place stand out in a slew of wineries in the area.

My wife and I are fortunate to spend the summer in Oregon and avoid the Arizona heat and monsoons. Upon our return to the northwest, one of our first stops is a visit to Blakeslee Vineyard. What a treat! Bill and Sheila welcome us as if we are long lost friends and their staff, Brandon and Jordon, also go out of their way to make us feel welcome. The view from their patio is spectacular and the garden and flowers combine to make it a very enjoyable and pleasant way to spend the afternoon. Of course, the reason we became members is the quality of their Pinot Noir, which is among the best we’ve had. Blakeslee Vineyard provide very fine wine and make you feel as if you are the most important person in the world.

This is an exquisite winery to visit. Today, I took 10 people to several wineries and Blakeslee’s was their favorite, by far. Not only did their yummy wine surpass the others we visited but one of the owners, Sheila Blakeslee, took time from her busy schedule to greet us graciously and to tell us their story. This personal touch really makes a huge impact on visitors. Their grounds are really beautiful, and we were lucky enough to sample wine near their infinity pool. My guests were prepared to spend the rest of the day but unfortunately, we had a schedule to keep to! Next time I do this, I’m simply going to take guests directly to Blakeslee’s and spend much more time soaking up their hospitality and their delicious wine!

I went to this winery for the first time one year ago and was convinced to join the wine club for their fantastic events. I was told about the popular «polar plunge» and the dinner parties. After joining,

So we stopped in here after arriving in the Willamette Valley on a Friday afternoon. The sun was out and a wedding was just finishing up. They do weddings and parties on site as well as wine tasting of course. Blakeslee has two separate areas — an indoor tasting room and then a porch with glass doors (attached to the owners’ house!) that open up. This porch is bordered by a beautiful patio and pool. The wedding was happening out there and it’s my understanding they do tastings on that porch in the summer with the patio/​pool reserved for members. Another patio nearby has a pizza oven — definitely a reason to come back and buy a bottle in the summer! The tasting room manager was wonderful, obviously enjoys working there and knows a lot about the winemaking process and the vineyards. We also met the owner when we wandered back to the porch — Even though she must have been tired and was headed out for the evening, she took the time to chat with us a while and told us her story. We broke open a bottle we bought with some cheese and salami as soon as we checked in at our inn. The other bottle we bought we will attempt to cellar about 5 years — if we can wait!

Bill & Sheila Blakeslee and staff really get it. Where else can you go where most total strangers are invited into the the owners home and can relax like family members? Another bonus is access to the fire pit patio. Great for Portland outdoor winter wine tastings.

My wife and I were introduced to this place about 5 months ago. Every time we visit we are more impressed with the staff’s hospitality and welcoming atmosphere they create. Not only is this place gorgeous but their wine is spectacular! It was a ‘no brainer’ choice when we signed up for their wine club. We look forward to each pick-​up party and will be telling more of our friends about this place!