Sweet Cheeks Winery

Sweet Cheeks Winery is all about life’s pleasures, including, of course, fine wine. Even the name itself is whimsical, with the word “cheeks,” as you may have guessed, referring to the pair found on a person’s backside. No kidding. Look closely at the crow-emblazoned logo and you’ll notice sensually curving vineyards in the background. That’s not by accident. Nor is the crow in the image, a nod to the nearby town of Crow, southwest of Eugene.

It’s a vertical climb from the Briggs Hill Road entrance to the winery and tasting room. Even before entering the tasting room, you know the views are going to be spectacular. This fact explains the large patio with plenty of deck furniture for taking in the breathtaking scenery. Entering the spacious tasting room, with its warm colors, vaulted ceilings, large fireplace, and Old World stone floors, you realize that this winery is perfect for entertaining. It’s little wonder that Sweet Cheeks Winery has a lively wine club, in which members can take part in events throughout the year. Get ready for winemaker dinners, harvest shindigs, release weekends, Thanksgiving bashes, and more.

Owner Daniel Smith served on the original board of Willamette Valley Vineyards. That experience must have been a great asset when he purchased what would become Sweet Cheeks’ vineyard in 1989. Over the years, he has added to his holdings and now grows pinot noir, pinot gris, chardonnay, and riesling. Today, the estate vineyard accounts for 65 acres of the 140-acre south-sloping hillside.

To turn fruit into fine wine, Sweet Cheeks Winery employs thirty-something Aussie winemaker Mark Nicholl. Despite Mark’s youth, his résumé includes considerable winemaking experience in Australia and France. His eclectic training has equipped him well for the “new world,” although he was unfamiliar with Oregon wines when he arrived for the first crush in 2006. But no worries, mate. Now, a veteran winemaker, Mark takes on the unique challenges that each harvest presents, producing close to 10,000 cases annually.

Given all the great events and discounts on wine shipments that wine-club members enjoy, you may want to sign up to be a member before heading to your car. Membership has its challenges, however: You must determine which winemaker dinners to attend, what release parties to go to, and what to wear to the annual masquerade ball in October. Life is just full of difficult decisions!