Willamette Valley Vineyards reopens with 'wine pods' for guests

Businesses have gotten creative with ways to seat guests safely in order to keep their doors open during the coronavirus pandemic. And the new setup at Willamette Valley Vineyards is no exception.

article originally featured in KATU2 ABC Feb 5th 2021

The tasting room constructed "wine pods" for its guests, and officially reopened Thursday. The pods can seat up to four people from the same household, and include heating, lighting, and are thoroughly cleaned and ventilated between each use. Staff members do not enter the pods while guests are inside. Employees at the vineyard think this is a trend that will start catching on. "It's kind of added this cool element, especially during the night time when you see them up here with the backdrop of our tower and our beautiful vineyard," said Estate General Manager Spence Fogarty. "What's nice is with them clear and open, you get to look out over ... our pinot noir vines and still feel like you're in wine country." The pods are already popular. In fact, reservations for this weekend are already booked up. Valentine's Day week is sold out as well. To reserve a pod for two hours costs $150--the fee also includes wine and food pairings. To book a wine pod, call 503-588-9463 or make a reservation online.