Backcountry Wine
Wine Events
March Madness
Oregon's most iconic Willamette Pinot Noirs go head-to-head in blind tasting flights every Friday, January through March.
About the Tournament
Crowning the Willamette's best Pinot of the year.
Each year, beginning in January and running through March, we set out to answer a single question: what is the finest Pinot Noir coming out of the Willamette Valley right now?
To get there, we host ten evenings of blind tastings that pit Oregon's most iconic Pinot Noirs against one another, pair by pair, week after week — until one bottle is left standing.
Each Friday Night
Sixteen wines. Eight blind pairs. One vote at a time.
Guests come into the wine bar and are served a flight of 16 wines in 8 pairs. Compare each pair, pick a favorite, and the room decides which bottles move on.
Step one
Arrive 5 - 7 PM
Drop in on any Friday during the series and we'll seat you with a flight ready to pour.
Step two
16 wines in 8 pairs
Each pair is poured side-by-side, labels hidden — just the wines in front of you.
Step three
Vote your favorite
Pick a winner from each pair. We tally the room at the end of the night and the winners advance in the bracket.
The Bracket
From 64 down to one.
Weeks 1–4
Round of 64
64 wines64 wines, 32 pairs poured across four Fridays.
Weeks 5–6
Round of 32
32 winesSurvivors return — 16 pairs over two Fridays.
Week 7
Sweet 16
16 winesEight pairs, one evening.
Week 8
Elite 8
8 winesFour pairs in pursuit of the Final Four.
Week 9
Final Four
4 winesTwo pairs. The room is locked in.
Week 10
Championship
2 winesOne pair. One champion.
Ten Friday nights, one champion.
Join the Tasting
$50 per night.
Fifty dollars buys a seat in front of sixteen of the best wines being made in America — a rare chance to taste this much, this well, in a single sitting.
Drop in at Backcountry Wine between 5 PM and 7 PM each Friday during the March Madness series and we'll sit you down with your flight. No tickets, no reservations — just come find a seat.
OUR SERVICE MISSION
Stop in. Stay a while.
We'd love to pour you a glass.
Regular Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday – Thursday
- 12pm – 6pm
- Friday
- 12pm – 9pm
- Saturday
- 12pm – 9pm
- Sunday
- 12pm – 6pm
Hours can shift week to week for private events.
Please check the event calendar below to confirm we're open the day you're planning to visit.
Hours · This Week
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Open
12pm–6pm
Wednesday
Open
12pm–6pm
Thursday
Open
12pm–6pm
Friday
Open
12pm–9pm
Saturday
Open
12pm–9pm
Sunday
Open
12pm–6pm
Get in touch
Reach out anytime.
Important Notes
Entrance on Division between 10th & 11th
(not the Ford Building front entrance).
Lots of free street parking nearby,
Additional paid lots within 1-3 blocks if needed.