In just the past six years or so, I’ve become something of a wine enthusiast. No, I’m not a Sommelier or anything even close, but I do know my way around a vineyard these days. Living in Salem—just a stone’s throw from a ton of great wineries—makes it pretty easy to explore. (I’ve now visited over 250!)
One of my favorite places to spend a wine-tasting weekend is in the Dundee Hills. I’m sure most of you reading this are at least familiar with the area. (And if you’re not—stop reading and book a tasting. Now!) There’s something magical about Dundee. And while it’s perfect for wine tasting, that also makes it an incredible backdrop for a run—specifically the Fueled by Fine Wine Half Marathon.
The latest installment took place this past weekend, and once again, it didn’t disappoint.
A little background: unlike many wine country races that are self-contained and stick to a single vineyard, the Fueled by Fine Wine course changes every year. Think of it as a “run tasting”—offering a sample of multiple wineries as you wind your way through 13.1 scenic, hilly, and leg-burning miles. This year’s course included:
And if you’ve ever been wine tasting in this region, you already know: hills are guaranteed. The Fueled by Fine Wine Half is no casual jog. With constant inclines, declines, paved stretches, dirt trails, and vineyard paths, it’s a challenge—but an awesome one.
We were introduced to those hills pretty much right out of the gate. After starting at Billick Park in the heart of Dundee, we had a short initial climb up to the Viewmont Greenway Path—a newer paved trail in town. We’ve run here before (and even partnered with Travel Dundee to highlight some great local segments, and as always, the downhill portion was a treat.
That descent brought us into the first winery: Four Graces. It sits on the northeast edge of Dundee and is one of the first wineries you see driving in from Newberg on Highway 99. Their tasting room is small and farmhouse-chic, giving it a cozy, down-to-earth vibe.
Of course, what goes down must go back up. We were soon climbing again, weaving through the vineyards at Four Graces. Dirt and grass paths took us through the vines—fun and beautiful, but humbling this early in the race.
Eventually, we hit pavement again and made our way to one of my favorite spots: Worden Hill Road. Sure, it’s another climb, but I associate that road with fun times, great wine, and good company. Just being there lifted my spirits (though not my pace).
From there, the course took us along a mix of country roads and gravel stretches for the next few miles until we arrived at Torii Mor around mile six. Torii Mor is an unassuming winery with a cozy tasting room—our visit years ago was warm and welcoming. The gravel road up to it, though, was less welcoming. I hit my first walk break here, and it wouldn’t be the last. The humidity was no joke, but the views helped ease the sting.
After a small loop around Torii Mor, we headed toward LucidWild Estate. I’d never been there before—and honestly, I didn’t even realize we were on the property until we exited back to the paved road and I saw the sign. It’s officially on my “to visit” list.
Next up was Knudsen, a winery I’ve been to a few times—including back when it was still called Erath (which now has a tasting room in downtown Portland). I knew going in this would be a tough part of the race; I’ve driven up that hill before. Their vines sit at the top of a steep climb, nestled beside the amazing Trappist Abbey Trail, which you should absolutely check out if you haven’t.
At Knudsen, runners were treated to a rosé station—yes, actual wine, not electrolyte fluid. It may have been a gutsy call at 8am, but I figured, “When in Rome…” And honestly, after climbing that hill, I was already three sheets to the wind anyway—from running these hills, of course.
The view from the top of Knudsen was well worth the effort: one of the most stunning panoramic scenes of the Willamette Valley and Cascades. Pure magic.
After that, it was back to reality: more rolling hills along Worden Hill Road. These are steep in a car—on foot, at mile ten, they’re brutal.
Eventually, we reached our final winery: Dusky Goose. Tucked a bit off the main road, it’s easy to overlook on a tasting day, but it’s absolutely worth visiting. I tried it recently and really enjoyed the experience. They have a beautiful patio and my memory is that we got a killer charcuterie board when we went.
By the end, I was definitely feeling the mileage. Honestly, running to five wineries is about as exhausting as tasting at five in one day. (I’ve done that too—it’s not something I’d recommend regularly, ha!) But while my legs were shot by the finish, they started recovering quickly, which is more than I can say for post-tasting days…
Luckily, the end of the race isn’t the end of the fun. A huge wine festival greeted finishers—with 24 participating wineries, the largest gathering in FBFW history. It included pours from each of the vineyards we’d just run through, plus several other Dundee Hills and Willamette Valley partners.
After grabbing some food and water (a hard-earned lesson from the now-mostly defunct Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon – though rumor is it may be coming back), I dove into the post-race tasting—wiser, and more hydrated, this time around. And I swear the wine tastes even better after running through the very vineyards it came from.
We strongly recommend registering for this race in 2026. Even if you ran this year, its likely you’ll experience a new lineup of wineries next time. That’s part of what makes this event so special: it’s usually never the same twice. It’s also the people—the welcoming wineries who let hundreds of runners traipse through their property early on a Saturday morning, and the team at Foot Traffic who keeps this event running smoothly year after year.
Don’t miss out. And definitely schedule a return trip for a slower-paced tasting day sometime soon—you’ll appreciate the wine even more when you’re not out of breath.
