A Bold Surprise in the Heart of Pinot Country: Bravuro Cellars
A Bold Surprise in the Heart of Pinot Country: Bravuro Cellars
We were introduced to Bravuro Cellars by our dear friend Barb Dearing, who is well known as the Northwest’s premier wine coach, while we were out doing some wine tasting in the Newberg area. She told us we had to check them out, and we’re so glad she did.
We were introduced to Bravuro Cellars by our dear friend Barb Dearing, who is well known as the Northwest’s premier wine coach, while we were out doing some wine tasting in the Newberg area. She told us we had to check them out, and we’re so glad she did.
The name “Bravuro” (pronounced brah-voo-roh) comes from the Italian word bravura, meaning a display of boldness, great skill, and energy. It’s the perfect name for this winery — they’re doing something daring in a region famous for elegant Pinot Noir.
We popped into their tasting room at 108 S College Street in Newberg on a sunny afternoon. Although I cannot recall the name of the person who served us that day, the service was terrific — warm, friendly, and genuinely enthusiastic.
Right away we could tell this wasn’t just another winery. While the Willamette Valley is famous for its elegant Pinot Noirs, Bravuro Cellars goes a completely different direction with big, bold, full-bodied reds. And they do it beautifully. We loved their 2023 Estate Pinot Noir (a nice lighter option), but the real standouts were their powerhouse reds like the 2023 Petite Sirah, the 2023 Ancient Vine Zinfandel, and especially their rich 2023 Encore Port.
A few weeks later, Carla and I made the drive up to their beautiful vineyard and tasting room in the Eola-Amity Hills. What a great setting to visit and spend some time tasting! Our server Bina was an absolute delight, and we were lucky enough to meet Steve (one of the owners), who took the time to walk us through his winemaking process.
Bravuro Cellars is a true small-batch, passion project, and it shows in every bottle. Their wines have earned some impressive recognition, including the 2020 Tempranillo being named “Best in Show” at the Portland Seafood & Wine Festival and earning a Double Gold at the McMinnville Food & Wine Classic. They’ve also been ranked in the Top 10 Wineries in Oregon (2022) and received TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice award for consistently high reviews. Even Fodor’s Travel Pacific Northwest has highlighted them as a top spot to visit.
If you’re craving something bolder than the typical Willamette Valley Pinot, Bravuro Cellars is a wonderful find. It’s the kind of place that reminds you Oregon Wine Country is full of happy surprises.
Cheers,
Dave & Carla
Wine Country Accents