Considering a Trip to Oregon Wine Country? The Know Before You Go ...

OregonWine.org makes it Easy to Select Destinations & Routes for Wine Country Travel, Obtain Maps and Purchase Oregon Wines

    PORTLAND, Ore., April 1, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Prompted by the continued growth of Oregon wine country as a travel destination, the Oregon Wine Board has created an online portal to access all of the tools necessary to plan a memorable trip.  And it couldn't have come at a better time, as the weather warms and wineries and visitors look ahead to the summer touring season, which officially begins statewide Memorial Day Weekend.

    The Oregon Wine Explorer(TM), available at http://explorer.oregonwine.org, is an invaluable online destination that makes it easy to plan a trip to Oregon wine country by providing a virtual tour with turn-by-turn directions of the state's wine regions.  The Wine Finder Tool, which links with the Explorer, allows Oregon wine enthusiasts the ability to search and order Oregon wines to enjoy at home. 

    In addition, the Oregon Wine Board has partnered with eight regional wine organizations to create the new "Discover Oregon Wine Country" tool kit.  This comprehensive package includes an overview brochure of the state, plus regional maps with winery/vineyard listings, and provides visitors with everything needed to plan a discovery trip.  To view and order, visit http://oregonwinebrochure.org.

    With 393 wineries and 16 winegrowing regions in the state, there is a multitude of itineraries for every type of traveler. 

    A key focus this year is sustainable travel.  Praised for its environmentally-friendly efforts, Oregon is synonymous with green.  This extends to the state's agricultural areas and wine country, where winegrowers and vintners are farmers and environmental stewards of the land.  If you prefer environmentally-conscious travel, consider picking up a hybrid rental at Enterprise Rent-a-Car locations around the state and at all major Oregon airports and heading out to wine country to check out the many Oregon wineries and vineyards that have adopted green building practices, sustainable winemaking and agriculture and pursued certification.  To learn more check out the Green Getaways package in the Portland-metro area, a partnership with the Oregon Wine Board and Travel Portland, at http://www.travelportland.com.

SOURCE  Oregon Wine Board

    -0-                             04/01/2008