Explore the burgeoning winemaking industry at the Sherwood Wine Festival

SHERWOOD, Ore. — Be prepared for a firsthand look at the region’s ever-growing winemaking industry when visiting the Sherwood Wine Festival in early November.

The festival, held at Red Berry Barn along Southwest Chapman Road and presented by the Rotary Club of Sherwood, takes place on Saturday, November 7, from noon to 7 p.m.

According to the event’s website, “renowned wineries, a local brewery, and a distillery come together under one greenhouse roof.”

The event features local Sherwood wineries as well as neighboring winery partners.

The cost is $25 per ticket for adults over age 21 and will include two tastings and a keepsake wine glass, with more tastings are available for purchase. The price for younger visitors, ages 6 to 20, is $10. The event is free for children five and under.

The idea behind the wine festival came from 503 Uncorked business owner Deb Yannariello, who, according to the festival, wanted to highlight the many wineries in and around Sherwood and bring them together in one place.

The origin of the wine festival dates to June 2016 when nine wineries, a brewery, and two bands took part with fewer than 1,000 people in attendance.

Kate Noreen, a member of the Rotary Club of Sherwood, said word is getting out.

“The festival is an afternoon of wine tasting, live music, artisans and food,” Noreen said. “The whole purpose is to highlight and provide a platform for so many of our local winemakers.”

Featured at this year’s event will be Archer Vineyards, Bacus Vineyards, Ballsall Creek, BearKat Brewing Company, Blakeslee Vineyards, Catman Cellars, Chehalem Wines, Garibaldi Cellars, Gemini Vineyards, JRallison Cellar, Marr Cellars, Meraviglioso Winery, Olea Vineyards, Oliver Springs Vineyard, Potter’s Vineyard, Rue Cler Wine, Rediviva Distilling, Sherwood Hills Winery, and Terra Vina Wines.

The location at the Red Berry Barn Greenhouse is fun, according to Noreen.

“I think it’s really fun that it’s in the greenhouse,” she said. “It’s a really interesting and unique space — what I love is they walk in and they have live music going. We have a couple of food trucks parked right outside the greenhouse. We have tables and chairs set up. We have a big wine marquis sign. We have the wineries and the artisans spread throughout the perimeter of the space.”

Noreen described the unique nature of the Red Berry Barn location.  

“I was just trying to find some sort of a really magical, unique space to hold this because that’s what you want. We want delicious wine and live music in a unique and fun space,” she said.

Entertainers this year are scheduled to be Rob Rainwater, an Americana singer and songwriter, and Dante Zapata, a self-taught singer and guitarist.

The annual event has also seen a change in location over the years.

“We did a couple of years down at the Sherwood Center for the Arts in Old Town,” she said. “We were looking for a new space because we had outgrown that. We were just trying to think out of the box of what kind of venue we could have.”

Every dollar raised supports the Rotary Club of Sherwood’s philanthropic projects.  

Noreen says she appreciates how the Sherwood Wine Festival has grown over the years.

“When we first started, I thought it was one of the best kept secrets,” she said. “Attendees have told us, ‘Oh my gosh, what a fun event this is’ — Our Rotary Club continues to learn and build on this event. It has been fun to see this really come into its own. I’m really looking forward to sharing with our community all the fun things that we have planned.”