Cubanisimo Vineyards is Magnifico!
Wine tasting adventures continued this beautiful June day in the Willamette Valley. Next stop – Cubanisimo Vineyards! We were forced to take another gorgeous drive and headed to Cubanisimo Winery. We had seen it on the map, and these Thirsty Explorers wanted something new. Boy were we in for a treat! The drive led us to the entrance and up to a gorgeous view of both Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson in the distance over the vineyard.
Table of Contents
Music to My Ears
We parked, and I was in joyful bliss as I heard Merengue music being playing from inside the tasting room! I entered a piece of heaven as I strolled past the wine barrel tables to the bar. They were setting up for a book signing. Why in the world would this be a piece of heaven? Well, truth be told, I’ve lived in South Florida for a good portion of my adult life and I LOVE Cuban food, culture and people. I was in my element, Cubanisimo Vineyards is my kind of place!
Cubanisimo is ‘Very Cuban’
The young lady at the bar told me that the owner Mauricio immigrated from Cuba as a little boy and dabbled with wine making. He and his wife Debra now own this this gorgeous estate. You can read their story here. Along with the wine they have Cuban cigars, shirts and merchandise. Don’t forget the Vino Club.
Fantástico
They have delicious award-winning blends that range from the delightful lighter Rosado de Pinot Noir and a light balanced Pinot Gris to the deeper Pinot Noir reds. Their selections and awards can be found on the Cubanisimo Vineyard Awards Page. We selected our wine and set out for the outdoor patio. There’s a music pavilion and palm trees. Fantástico! They have live music in the summer, weddings, events and even YOGA AND WINE. Check out the calendar. I would definitely do that – and I don’t do yoga.
La Vida es Buena !
Beautiful views, family, friends and award-winning wine. It was a great Thirsty Explorer find. My only other wish would have been a basket of Mariquitas covered in garlic mojo. Maybe next time! You can read about all of my wine country exploring on my post Wine Country of the Willamette Valley!
The Nitty Gritty ~
Cubanisimo Winery– Award winning wine, beautiful setting and Cubano everything. LOVE!
Google map to Cubanisimo Winery 1754 Best Road NW Salem, OR 97304
Highway 22 between Salem and Dallas – North on N Oak Grove Road to Orchard Heights Rd NW, right on Best Road. Entrance on your left.
From West Salem – take Wallace Rd. NW then left onto Orchard Heights Rd. Merge onto Best Road NW. Entrance on your left.
Coffee in West Salem;
Java Crew West– local drive-thru favorite
Dutch Brothers drive-thru – an Oregon quality standard
Urban Grange Coffee and Bakery– local coffee house with coffee, tea and baked goods.
Beer in West Salem:
Xicha Brewing – Cool vibe brewpub with great Mexican food and drinks.
West Side Tap House – Beers, Beers, Beers ! No kitchen.
Head to Salem across the river for:
McMenamins ~ Boon’s Treasury– An Oregon institution for brews, good food and fun.
Christos’s Pizzaria and Lounge – Delicious pizza and Italian food with full range of drinks.
For a good steak head to Rudy’s Steakhouse – Fine dining with full bar.
FOR TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES: US STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL SITE
ALL trips begin with a safety brief – BE PREPARED ! Your ULTIMATE one-stop shop for International Travel Info – Passports, Visas, Travel Advisories, Country Info, STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) CHECK IT OUT !!
FOR ALL TRAVEL PLANNING – Try out my planning sheets. The PREFLIGHT PLANNER for a travel checklist and City to City planning. The DAILY PLANNER for daily Site and Museum planning.
