There’s a sort of Disney princess feeling that occurs when you wake up to birds chirping on your bedroom balcony. It doesn’t hurt the cause that this balcony overlooks 20 acres of draping vineyards from 600-feet in elevation over Oregon’s coastal McMinnville appellation. Although the woodland creatures stay safely on their side of the wall of windows that encase the guest suites at the Youngberg Hill Vineyard & Inn, it almost feels like they will swoop in and make your bed for you, sweep the room and pick up your clothes as you whistle a cheerful tune from the fireplace sitting room, wine glass in hand.
The wine in that glass comes to guests courtesy of the inn’s adjacent winery, Youngberg Hill, the family-run estate-grown producer named after the hill in which it sits upon. Growing organically since 2003, the estate has also been practicing dry and biodynamic farming since 2011, earning third party sustainable certifications for LIVE and Salmon Safe the year before.
A true family operation, the Bailey daughters — Natasha, Jordan and Aspen — can be found running the hallways of the eight-suite bed and breakfast, with mom Nicolette and dad Wayne trailing close behind. With Wayne Bailey at the helm of the winemaking and business management, the inn is run under the close watch of Nicolette, the passionate matriarch who keeps this enchanting world turning. A consciously curated team also staffs the inn, from the welcoming innkeeper to the diligent chef.
Although this particular Disney princess stayed in a yet-to-be-renovated room, majority of the guest rooms have been updated to provide contemporary, West Coast-chic furnishings, with wine country charm. The palatial rooms showcase the aforementioned vineyard views, with queen- or king-sized beds and a fireplace book-ended by the bedroom and the Jacuzzi-outfitted restroom (also equipped with rain shower heads). Leftover Youngberg Hill barrels are put to use as room décor: an entire barrel stripped of its staves is used as a full-wall bed backboard, while portions of barrel tops and staves are fashioned into window-facing side tables throughout the room to place your wine glass while vineyard-gazing.
All rooms include private in-suite baths, cozy sitting rooms and way too many comforts to ever leave, like plush cotton robes and a Keurig coffee machine. The main floor hosts a library, lounging salon and large dining room, where a two-course gourmet breakfast is served each morning at 9 a.m. House-made cashew muffins, salmon hash, homemade granola and Cornish baked eggs — better known by the Baileys as “eggs in the cloud” — have been plated and relished in the spacious dining room.
And of course, the wine is found conveniently in the tasting room, which opens at 10 a.m. seven days a week — just in time for breakfast to settle in. For inn guests only, a private tasting is held daily in the tasting room at 4 p.m., typically hosted by winemaker Wayne Bailey. If open that day, sample the block-designate wines that tell a story of the land and family: the Pinot Noir from the Natasha block reveals marine sedimentary soil laced into the spiced red fruits; the Pinot from the Jordan block that sits on volcanic rock typically shows woodsy, dark stone fruit characteristics and the wine from the Aspen block, the youngest on the property and in the family, hosts the white varieties like the 2016 Pinot Gris, which will be released in a few months.
With wine in mind, Youngberg Hill is conveniently located in the center of the Willamette Valley, boasting to have 100 wineries and tasting rooms within a 20 minute drive, including Coeur de Terre Vineyard and Maysara Winery just a short drive to southwest and tasting rooms for The Eyrie Vineyards, Ransom Wine & Spirits and Brittan Vineyards in downtown Mac.
Make sure to check the winery’s event calendar during your visit: Youngberg Hill is a major advocate for local music and guests are able to enjoy the vineyard and inn’s good taste during a visit. With the main campus for liberal arts university Linfield College found in McMinnville, the winery brings in talent from live karaoke bands to songwriter showcases and benefit performances.
Wherever your day takes you, return to your fairy tale hilltop castle of Youngberg Hill to live happily ever after — or as long as they allow you to stay.
