Would you rather take a nature walk in crisp autumnal air or shop for the perfect holiday gift? Perhaps you would prefer sipping locally sourced wine to sampling freshly-shucked Pacific oysters?
How about olive the above?
From Tues., Nov. 1 through Wed., Nov. 30, Durant at Red Ridge Farms is inviting visitors (daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.) out to Dayton for its 2022 Olio Nuovo Festival.
Though the focus will be tasting and blessing your own kitchen with newly milled extra virgin olive oil, or “olio nuovo,” there are plenty of other attractions worthy of a trip to the Dundee Hills.
Marvel at the property’s 17-acre olive orchard and tour the state-of-the-art, Italian-style Durant Olive Mill to see where the post-harvest magic happens. Advance reservations are required to experience the only olioteca (a place that makes and sells olive oil) in the Pacific Northwest.
During the weekend, Durant Vineyards’ wine tasting room will become a local market with like-minded food producers, live music, wine by the glass and bottle, and food carts.
On several Saturdays, guests can join an oyster and olio happy hour from 1 to 4 p.m. Indulge in bubbles and bites as you watch local foraging and culinary authorities, The Wilderness Hunters, crack open the shellfish. Tickets are $40.
The gift shop and nursery are filled with culinary goods, art, cookbooks, greenery for crafting your own wreath, plus a diverse selection of plants for the green thumbs in your life. You can also enjoy a complimentary olive oil tasting here, and learn about unique flavor characteristics and pairings from the educated team members.
Make your day trip an extended stay by booking either the Garden Suite or Stonycrest Cottage. They’re the ideal base camps for exploring the entire estate.
