Jake Price has been operating Jake Price Stables in Yamhill County, Oregon for 35 years. Jake is a true outdoorsman; he’s been riding and training Tennessee Walkers for more than 30 years and has both cowboy and show backgrounds. He even once trained the world-renowned film and television actress Zsa Zsa Gabour! Now, he and his wife Shirley are using their wealth of knowledge on the region to bring you Equestrian Wine Tours: guided wine tasting on horseback designed to give guests the best possible experience of the Willamette wine region.

So, on to the tours. Because Jake, Shirley, and the staff at their farm in Carlton have come to know and love the area they live and work in over the past 35 years, they are able to offer a number of different tour options. They strive to design each and every tour so that it will have its own unique character. Often at the end of a tour Jake’s wife Shirley will bake fresh bread for their guests, and set it out with salami, caprice salad, chocolate strawberries, and real crafted silverware. Other times, they’ll pack up the feast and have it along the way at a scenic picnic in one of the orchards. They have a mom-and-pop attitude that adds charm and character to tours that are breathtakingly scenic.

Regardless of which tour option you choose, it will begin at Wine Country Farm, a cute and cozy bed and breakfast. Sightseers will have the option to take the tour on horseback or by horse-drawn carriage. Everything is provided and horses are equipped with comfortable saddles and other horse tack to make your outing a pleasant one (just be sure to wear comfortable horseback riding apparel). A typical tour lasts about 2 hours, but they can be arranged to last up to 8 hours, if you’re up for the challenge.

After setting out from Wine Country Farm, you will visit several wineries of the region known for producing some of the best Pinot Noirs in the world. Among so much more, you will get to visit their tasting rooms, meet winemakers and ask questions, and even taste from the barrel. I’ll now say a bit about each of the wineries that Jake Price’s tours focus in on. These are some of the most renowned vineyards of the 300-plus that populate the valley.

The Winter’s Hill Vineyard is nestled on a 150-acre farm in Dundee Hills, which sit at an elevation of 800 feet and provide some spectacular views of the Willamette Valley. The Winter’s Hill Pinot Noir has slowly and steadily gained in popularity since they produced their first bottles in 1998.

There’s also the White Rose Estate, where “Old vines, low yield, and a willingness to stretch the envelope” have made their Pinot one of the premier American varieties.  Another renowned Pinot producer you’ll visit is Stoller Vineyards, known for the genuine hospitality of Bill Stoller and his family, who have been producing Pinot Noir on the once-turkey-farm since 2001. In 2006 Stoller became the first LEED certified winemaking facility in the US, attaining the rare Gold level certification.

You can also expect to visit Vista Hills Winery, which boasts some of the best views of the Willamette Valley as it sits atop its perch high up in the Dundee Hills. At both Vista Hills and the nearby family-run Sokol Blosser Winery – where they’ve been growing vines since 1971 – you can expect to taste both Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris that are truly some of the most delicious in the world.

Finally, many Equestrian Wine Tours will visit Durant Vineyards, a spot that is notable for both its wine and for its history, having opened one of the first olive oil mills in the region. They also have a really great shop at this vineyard where you can browse memorabilia, herbs, and culinary goods to bring home as souvenirs from your tour.

Equestrian Wine Tours bring the senses alive by seamlessly combining some of the best wine tasting in the world with an active experience of the verdant wilderness and natural beauty that the Willamette Valley prides itself on. It’s a true hidden gem; a valley of countless world-class vineyards that any wine-connoisseur will want to visit.