There’s a winery at end of the trail, south of Depoe Bay, called the Flying Dutchman Winery. Here they use grapes from the Willamette Valley, the Applegate Valley and the Rogue Valley. Grapes do not mature in salt air, cloudy skies and near-freezing temperatures.

With winery and vineyard clearly separate, this wine tour officially began in the heart of the Willamette Valley.

So, this little wine excursion begins in Salem and completes the tasting and testing portion of it just north and west of Dallas, but that doesn’t mean the journey can’t extend all the way to the Flying Dutchman at Otter Rock where guests can sample a glass of Syrah from winemaker Richard Cutler and his extended family.

Don’t be in a hurry, though.

Pack a picnic lunch and head from central Salem, across the bridge and north — that’s right, north — on Wallace Road. Then turn left at Orchard Heights Road and go up to the top of the hill — Popcorn Hill — where all the kids in the 1960's and ’70's lined up their cars to overlook the city and make out on Saturday nights.

Keep heading west and the first winery that appears is Kathken Vineyards, where Kathy and Ken Slusser have tended their 51-acre vineyard for the past 15 years where it has become a first class Pinot Noir/Pinot Gris-producing endeavor. A rosé, a blended wine, a late-harvest Pinot Gris and a Port-style wine round out the winery’s selections.

A 2-acre park abuts the vineyards and winery buildings which features a 400-square-foot wooden stage, where local acts such as The Ty Curtis Band and JT and the Tourists play on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the summer. The area is also set up to rent out for weddings and other events.

Down the road, no nearer to the ocean, is Orchard Heights Winery. However, this wine producer has a tropical connection not to be passed up.

Its wines (Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling and late-harvest Pinot Gris) are typically tasty, but owners Michael and Gwen Purdy also own a chocolate factory in Hawaii which specialize in gourmet confections using Macadamia nuts, pineapple and Kona coffee beans.

That’s right. They brought them over here, too.

Visitors can enjoy the varietal wines as well as specialty wines made from pineapple, passion fruit, mango and papaya — and the chocolate concoctions. A Sunday brunch is also gaining in popularity, and visitors also can experience the wooded grounds surrounding the winery for picnics and other activities.

Moving down the hill towards Highway 99W and Highway 22, a short jog brings guests to Cubanisimo Vineyards, which has its own unique story and amenities.

“A passion for pinot noir…and our Cuban heritage” is the tagline the newer winery uses to separate itself from the pack. Founder Mauricio Collada, Jr., was born in Havana, and his daughter, Christina Collada, is the manager.

The winery takes part in the traditional Thanksgiving Weekend, though they feature live music and tapas to the first tasting of their 2008 Pinot Noirs.

Although Cherry Hill and Firesteed wineries are within a few miles of Cubanisimo, this trip bypasses them to highlight four more, each off Highway 22 just prior to reaching Valley Junction.

Van Duzer Vineyards and Namasté Vineyards are short trips north from spur roads off of Highway 22 while Illahe Vineyards is due south. Also right on that highway is Chateau Bianca, located at the top of the hill leading down into Valley Junction.

All feature Pinot Noir as their lead red wines, and all have specialty offerings to bring in the tasters and tourists. Each also boasts friendly winery buildings and amenities to keep tourists coming back.

Illahe Vineyards features little-known Grüner Veltliner wines from a Riesling/Gewurztraminer-like grape that traces back to Austria and the Czech Republic. In addition to the two red and white pinot varieties, Chateau Bianca produces Syrah, Marechal Foch, chardonnay, pinot blanc, Riesling, sparkling wine and an odd character called Glühwein.

At Van Duzer Vineyards, a rosé made from Pinot Noir and a Port-style wine complement the two-pinot offerings. Namasté Vineyards features a Gewürztraminer, a Riesling and a White Port.

At the Flying Dutchman, if the road leads one all the way there, a visit Devil’s Punchbowl State Park can be accompanied by a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon made right at the coast.