Sherwood wineries form alliance to promote tourism

SHERWOOD, Ore. — A group of Sherwood winemakers are banding together to form the Sherwood Winery Alliance, a new partnership aimed at promoting tourism, strengthening collaboration and elevating the region's reputation as a wine destination.

Formally a part of the Sherwood Area Chamber of Commerce, the Sherwood Winery Alliance includes seven area vineyards, representing almost half of the 15 total wineries located in Sherwood.

“The goal is to increase tourism and earn respect as world-class winemakers,” said Dave Murray, director of the Sherwood Area Chamber of Commerce. “This is a vision come true for the Chamber.”

The group first met in February, 

“We talked about how all the wineries benefit in sharing information, especially when wineries get overloaded or might be having an event,” Murray said. “We created a group text so wineries can text each other and say, ‘hey we’ve got four people visiting from Michigan, can you take them on?’ And there’s that instant communication going on.”

The group also plans to create an online mapping system  that helps customers find wineries and directions, mapping out tours and promoting the wines. It will all be managed through the Chamber’s website, drawing more traffic to support all the other local businesses listed there along the way.

“The vineyards will be able to talk about their specialty, whether it’s a big, bold red, or a Pinot, or a white,” Murray said. “It’s been a goal of mine for three years to get this group going because there’s a lot of value in sharing between winemakers, creating agritourism for the city.” 

The group’s tagline is “Welcome to Sherwood Wine Country,” which locals and tourists will start to see on all promotional materials. According to Murray, the group is planning to work with the city to adopt the tagline on welcome signs at city limits.

Sherwood Winery Alliance is exploring concepts such as an online passport program and a comprehensive winery map, and working toward positioning the area with wider visibility to attract more people and define its strength and identity with long-term strategies. They also explored the idea of referring customers to each other, and offering joint deals.

Through this long-term partnership, the Chamber plans to help the wineries represent their business, promote membership, and encourage stronger collaboration. The goal is to support wineries and advocate for them regarding policy and development.

In the future, the alliance might expand to Newberg and invite other nearby wineries like Avidity, Ponzi, and Parret Mountain to join.

“There’s this handshake going on, there’s this partnership that’s forming, and we see a huge future for it,” Murray said. “In the short term, we’re still in the organizing phase.

Sherwood Winery Alliance members

Marr Estate Vineyard, J Rallison Cellars, Gemini Vineyard, Olea Vineyards, Sherwood Hills Winery, Blakeslee Vineyard Estate, and Lolati Wines all have joined the new alliance so far, according to Murray.

Marr Estate Vineyard belongs to Rob and Debbie Marr, who launched the micro-boutique winery in 2025 after making wines for 11 years, and generate 300 cases per year, focusing on Rhone varietals like Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, and MVR.

“We loved the idea of a small group of wineries all supporting each other for a common goal, and that's to try and grow the tourism support, tourism in our hometown of Sherwood, and make sure would be known as a destination, not just a drive through to the Willamette Valley, but we have so many amazing wineries here in the backyard of the community,” Debbie said. “The wine industry is really good about not feeling as competitive, as it is about feeling very collaborative, so that’s one thing I absolutely love about being a part of it.” 

Tom Melillo is the proprietor of Olea Vineyards, a small-production winery with lots of personality. He said most people are seeking out not just great wines, but a casual, engaging, educational, personal experience when going wine tasting.  

“We want Sherwood to be the first stop on everybody's wine country experience, not a pass-through to Newberg and Dundee,” Melillo said. “Being aligned with like-minded collaborators, we will put Sherwood on the map as a premier Winery Destination — not just with exceptional wines, but with amazing one-of-a-kind experiences.”

He said because of the geographical and geological variety in the area, no two winery visits are the same. 

“The Sherwood Winery Alliance members are also invested in Sherwood as an experience destination,” Melillo said. “There is so much to do and see and taste and enjoy here in Sherwood and we want to be a part of getting that message out to the world.”

Dave Bachman is the owner of Sherwood Hills Winery, a small boutique with a core value of community involvement. This winery focuses on single vineyard, estate wines.

“Sherwood Hills Winery is proud to join the Sherwood Wine Alliance because we believe Sherwood has become one of Oregon’s hidden gems for boutique wine experiences. While many visitors are familiar with larger winery destinations, Sherwood offers something special — family-owned wineries, unique wines, and genuine hospitality,” Bachman said. “For us, it's about really taking advantage of our space and the quality of our vineyards, so we spend a lot of time in the farming and cultivating side of the business, producing the best grape we can, which leads to what we believe are the finest wines in the region.”

Bachman said when local wineries work together, everyone benefits, and the Alliance directly helps them collectively showcase the quality and diversity of wines being produced right here in the Sherwood area while encouraging visitors to spend more time exploring the local community.

“By promoting Sherwood as a wine destination, we help bring visitors to our local restaurants, shops, hotels, and other small businesses. A rising tide lifts all boats, and we want Sherwood to continue thriving as a destination for residents and visitors alike,” Bachman said. “We want both the local community and visitors to experience the outstanding wines being produced in Sherwood while enjoying the unique character and hospitality that make this community such a special place.”