A BLONDE VINTAGE

One of the joys of a visit to the Willamette Valley is the ability to drive from winery to winery with relative ease. And now, several Oregon cities can claim their own urban versions of wine country, with multiple tasting rooms and working wineries concentrated in downtown areas, many within an easy walk from one another. Eugene, Oregon is one of those cities, with their own self-guided Market Wine Tour providing easy, walkable access to several of the areas best wineries. Inspired by the idea of enjoying a urban wine tour staycation, the hubs and I booked a stay at the newest boutique hotel in Eugene, Oregon to grace the downtown skyline, The Gordon. It was the perfect choice as we sipped and strolled our way through urban wine country, before taking the elevator home to our gorgeous boutique hotel room- all without leaving downtown Eugene! So, without further ado here’s how you can do it too! Urban Wine Tour and Boutique Hotels in Eugene, Oregon

Urban Wine Tour and Boutique Hotels in Eugene, Oregon

THE MARKET URBAN WINE TOUR

We knew we wanted to visit three different urban wineries during our stay at the The Gordon, so before we checked in we headed downtown a bit early to take a self-guided Market Wine Tour! A few of our very favorite wineries have urban tastings rooms, in fact there are four different wineries on the tour to enjoy a tasting, glass or bottle. Our first stop was at J. Scott Cellars on 5th where we sat in the window of the roll up door and enjoyed a tasting flight (four various selections which included Merlot, Cab Franc, Syrah, and Cab Sauv), a glass of their Petite Verdot and some delicious small bites from their culinary team. We loved their newly released Harvest Salad and trio of seasonally inspired crostini, which paired perfectly with the tasting flight of reds we chose. J. Scott Cellars on 5th was easily the best way to kick off our urban wine tour and boutique hotel staycation, in fact, we even were treated by a cameo appearance of owner and winemaker Jonathan Oberlander himself!

From there we headed over to Bennett Winery, a boutique tasting room featuring artisanal Pinot Noirs. Each Pinot Noirs Bennett produces are made exclusively with Estate-grown grapes which are custom crushed, and made in limited quantities. You could certainly taste the quality in each of their wines. During our sit down tasting we enjoyed a flight showcasing four very different Pinot Noirs, including their 2012 Lucky 7’s, 2015 Estate, 2014 Reserve and 2018 Reserve and owner Gene Bennett personally educated us on each varietal. It was an amazing educational experience and fun to taste these high end Pinot Noirs with the owner himself.

Our last stop, and night cap, was at Pfeiffer Winery. Established in 1983, Pfeiffer Winery’s estate is one of the oldest and most distinguished vineyard sites in the southern Willamette Valley. Their tasting room in downtown Eugene, Oregon features all of their high quality, exclusive wines including Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Muscat and Merlot. For our tasting we enjoyed their Pinot Gris, Grey Cat, Blue Line Barrel Select Pinot Noir, and Blue Dot Pinot Noir. We both agreed our favorite was the Blue Dot Pinot Noir, which was not surprising as (fun fact!) it was the same wine which was served at President Obama’s pre-inauguration dinner (different vintage of course!). Delicious and the perfect way to end our evening.

DINNER AT SUSHI STATION

One thing I was definitely looking forward to during our stay was walking to dinner at Sushi Station, which is right next door to Bennett Winery. The hubs and I have both been craving sushi for weeks, and this seemed like the perfect spot to indulge…and indulge we did! From the moment we sat down, we knew we were in good hands. Each dish we enjoyed was exceptional, from the tempura shrimp, miso soup with fresh clams, to the nilgiri, sashimi and dessert! My favorite dish was Ahi Tuna Tower and fresh salmon sashimi! We made reservations for 5:00 pm, and were happy we did as the restaurant was packed! The concierge at The Gordon will also gladly help you with this.

BOUTIQUE HOTELS IN EUGENE, OREGON

If you’re planning a trip to the Eugene area, in my opinion there are only two unique boutique hotels in Eugene, Oregon to choose from. The first being, The Gordon and the second being The Inn at the 5th. Both are centrally located at the iconic 5th Street Public Market in downtown Eugene and are walking distance from restaurants, shopping, wine tasting and more!

The Gordon couples posh accommodations with a robust modern art collection spread throughout the foyers, suites and public spaces, pieces which were created by local artists and even hotel employees. From the moment you walk into this stylish art-centric hotel, you’ll enjoy a warm and immersive art experience, completed with the Lobby Art Bar, where you can feel free to unleash your inner-artist with a creation of your own.

From the moment we pulled up and enter the lobby, we were warmly greeted by both Valet and Front Desk staff. The hubs and I were provided with a choice of beer and wine at check-in before we headed up to our one-bedroom suite on the 6th floor. And what a sweet suite it was! The gorgeous corner suite was complete with a separate bedroom, small kitchenette, dining table, fireplace, soaker tub, dual vanity, and separate powder room. There was certainly no shortage of room amenities that made our stay as comfortable and luxurious as could be! In fact, as soon as we walked into our room, I opened our balcony door and settled right in with my glass of sparkling wine to enjoy the view of the south hills of Eugene. Now this was a relaxing staycation for sure.

Last year we enjoyed another luxurious staycation weekend at The Inn at the 5th, which provides more of a elegant, luxurious escape, complete with an on-site spa. The Inn at the 5th knows that the difference is in the details, so I could not help but appreciate the little touches in the hotel room that made it stand above the rest. From the sophisticated bathroom with walk-in shower and Aveda bath amenities to the fireplace, Pendleton blankets and custom Italian linens, each amenity is chosen with the guest in mind. You can read more about our stay at The Inn at the 5th here!

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

BOUTIQUE SHOPPING AT THE 5TH STREET PUBLIC MARKET

Eugene’s premier shopping location, the 5th Street Public Market offers a collection of local and regional shops, and specialty boutiques. You’ll definitely want to make sure to swing in and spend some time exploring this historical marketplace.

REJUVENATE AT THE ONSITE SPA

Our staycation at The Gordon was capped off with a massage (make sure to book pre-arrival) at Gervais, the spa located adjacently from the hotel at the 5th Street Public Market. It easily is my favorite spa in town, in fact I regularly come every month to get pedicures, facials and massages. I love their massage therapists and estheticians, and definitely think they have the nicest spa in town. If you book any treatment here, you will not regret it!

HIKE SKINNER’S BUTTE

Located walking distance from The Gordon is Skinner Butte. A gorgeous local landmark park, honoring city founder Eugene Skinner. The best time to go is in the morning when you can enjoy unparalleled views of the city.

I’m so happy we decided to book a stay at The Gordon, the newest boutique hotel in Eugene, Oregon for our urban wine tour weekend. It was such a good way to explore our own cities walkable access to several of the areas best wineries.

 

XO,

M

 

Thank you to Inn at the 5th for the complimentary staycation. 
All opinions are honest and my own and I truly appreciate your support that makes this blog possible! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases as well as other affiliate links found in this post. Please see my Disclosure for more information. Urban Wine Tour and Boutique Hotels in Eugene Urban Wine Tour and Boutique Hotels in Eugene

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