PORTLAND, Ore. — The Willamette Valley’s 150 Days of Wine in the Willamette Valley promotion continues throughout the summer, featuring a new event, Red, White & True Oregon Wines. Participating wineries and tasting rooms up and down the valley will open their doors for special wine events and activities over the weekend of July 3–5, 2009.

As part of 150 Days of Wine in the Willamette Valley and Oregon 150 Celebration, “A 4th for the 4th” events will benefit Ecotrust’s Farm to School initiative. True to their farming and family roots, participating wineries will donate a fourth of event fees from the 4th of July weekend to support Ecotrust’s efforts to educate children about Oregon agriculture and bring more Oregon grown products into the school lunchroom.

Red, White & True Oregon Wines kicks off summer in the wine country and offers a unique opportunity to enjoy Willamette Valley wines. Enjoy classic American summer activities such as picnics, live Bluegrass music, bocce ball, croquet and even a vintage car show… all for a good cause. Bring the family for a day in the vineyards, sample new releases or simply enjoy a picnic lunch with your favorite glass of red, white or rose wine. Be patriotic — support locally crafted wines AND healthy food and kids in local Oregon schools. For a complete list of participating wineries, visit www.willamettewines.com.

“Partnering with Ecotrust is a great way for the WVWA to give back to the community while supporting a program that promotes healthy food and kids in local schools,” said Sue Horstmann, Executive Director of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association. “It also endorses the message of Oregon 150 and reflects our respect for the farming community.”

“Oregon’s wineries clearly understand the importance of keeping agriculture healthy and vibrant. Food literate children who can recognize a carrot top growing from the soil represent the future of Oregon agriculture,” said Deborah Kane, vice president of Food & Farms at Ecotrust. “We’re thrilled that the Willamette Valley Wineries Association shares our deep commitment to strengthening Oregon agriculture and creating life-long healthy eaters in the process.”

Summer Wine Events in the Willamette Valley
The 150 Days of Wine promotion kicked off Valentine’s Day Weekend in celebration of Oregon’s 150th birthday and continues with wine events in the region through the summer. For updated information regarding wine events, please visit www.willamettewines.com. In addition to Red, White & True Oregon Wines, other summer events include:

• June 13 – October 10, 2009 — Vinology — Oregon Wine Lovers Series

Hosted by North Willamette Vintners, this educational series exploring the art of wine and winemaking is designed for wine enthusiasts at all levels. Learn everything you want and should know about wine tasting, explore sustainable viticulture practices, discover the art of barrel making, watch the sparkling winemaking process from beginning to end, or enjoy Sake 101. Vinology classes are held one Saturday a month through October at different wineries in North Willamette Valley. Visit www.northwillamettevintners.org for class schedule and to purchase tickets.

• July 18, 2009 — Discover the Wines of McMinnville AVA. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A unique opportunity to taste the wines, meet the growers and vintners and discover what makes McMinnville AVA’s wines so special. Activities start at Yamhill Valley Vineyards with informative seminars and comparative tastings. The afternoon features individual events at participating wineries and vineyards including barrel tastings, vineyard tours and library tastings. For more information, including event schedule and to purchase tickets, visit www.mcminnvilleava.org.

• September 4 – 7, 2009 — Chehalem Mountains Winegrowers: Labor Day Weekend, “Savor!” Explore, Tour & Taste.

Celebrate the Mountains! The Chehalem Mountains Winegrowers wrap up the 150 Days of Wineevents with a Labor Day Weekend “Savor!” Explore, Tour & Taste. The series of events starts on Friday, September 4 with “Savor!” a wine tasting festival at the top of Parrett Mountain above Sherwood and Newberg and features over 30 well-known and boutique wineries from Chehalem Mountains and Ribbon Ridge with gourmet picnic fare, live music and dancing. Special winery open houses will take place throughout the weekend with locations rarely open to the public. Further details and a special touring map will be posted at www.chehalemmountains.org.

About Oregon 150
On March 13. 2007, Governor Ted Kulongoski launched preparations for the 150th anniversary of Oregon’s admittance into the Union. The celebration kicked off February 14, 2009, and lasts through the fall of 2009. The mission of Oregon 150 is to inspire people across the state to remember, experience and celebrate Oregon and, together, create a robust and sustainable future. The sesquicentennial will involve Oregonians from all walks of life — all ages, income levels, and ethnic backgrounds, new and longtime residents, rural and urban. For more information: www.oregon150.org.

About Ecotrust’s Food & Farms Program
Ecotrust’s mission is to inspire fresh thinking that creates social equity, economic opportunity, and environmental well-being. The Food and Farms program at Ecotrust endeavors to make sustainability the underlying value of the mainstream food system; the norm, not the exception. In close collaboration with a diverse coalition of project partners, Ecotrust works on a wide-range of initiatives to promote “farm to school” programs that enable schools to feature locally sourced products in their cafeterias, incorporate nutrition-based curriculum in all academic disciplines, and provide students with experiential agriculture and food-based learning opportunities, from farm visits to gardening, cooking, composting, and recycling. Our approach is multifaceted and includes: combating obesity, hunger, and global climate change; supporting Pacific Northwest farmers and food processors, both big and small; and enhancing regional economic development and community food security. We work at the local, state, and regional levels. https://ecotrust.org/farmtoschool/

About Willamette Valley Wineries Association
The WVWA is a non-profit industry association dedicated to achieving recognition for the Willamette Valley as a premier Pinot Noir producing region. Currently, the WVWA has 181 members representing wineries and tasting rooms throughout the Willamette Valley region — from Portland to Eugene. Memorial Weekend in Wine Country (May 23-25, 2009) and Wine Country Thanksgiving (November 27-29, 2009) are the two oldest wine touring events in Oregon and are sponsored by the WVWA. The WVWA also publishes an annual guide to wineries with a touring map and listing of all member wineries and tasting rooms. There are also ideas for Where to Stay, Where to Eat and Other Attractions in the Willamette Valley. For more information or to request a wine touring map, please visit www.willamettewines.com or call 503-646-2985.