Oregon Bounty Tips Its Glass to the State's Culinary Delights

    SALEM, Ore., June 11 /PRNewswire/ --

    WHAT:    Oregon's bountiful fall harvest is evident in the grapes and hops
             of the Willamette Valley, the pears and apples of the Columbia
             River Gorge and the cattle of Eastern Oregon ranches. After these
             products go through the hands of the state's culinary masterminds
             and artisan craftspeople, Oregon produces world-renowned wine,
             fresh hop microbrews, infused craft spirits, incredible cuisine
             and much more.

             The annual statewide promotion Oregon Bounty
             celebrates this abundance with two months of unique travel
             experiences, fall harvest events and special overnight packages
             at historic inns and hotels, all designed to highlight Oregon's
             diverse and plentiful culinary landscape. There are more than 150
             lodging properties featuring Oregon Bounty packages, including
             special promotions from luxurious inns such as the Ashland
             Springs Hotel and Cannery Pier Hotel, intimate bed and breakfasts
             including the Hood River B&B and Yamhill Vineyards B&B, in
             addition to Best Western Oregon, a preferred Oregon Bounty
             lodging partner.

             (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071001/AQM187LOGO-b)

    WHEN/    The Oregon Bounty celebration runs Oct. 1 - Nov. 30 across the
    WHERE:   entire state. Visit http://www.TravelOregon.com/Bounty for
             details, or see below for specific dates and locations.

    DETAILS: Craft Spirits
             The Oregon Distillers Guild, the only such guild in
             the U.S., is marking its first year of Oregon Bounty
             participation. Its 16 members hand craft artisan spirits, infused
             with local and exotic flavors like juniper, ginger and berries. A
             new event entitled "The Oregon Distillers Guild Spirits Tasting"
             will feature special Oregon Bounty cocktails and tastings, a
             behind-the-scenes look at crafting spirits and discussions with
             leading distillery experts.
                 WHERE: McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale
                 WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 11

             In addition to the signature event, every weekend in October and
             November, Portland's distilleries will host a series of
             "Distillers' Row" self-guided walking tours including a
             distillery crawl, special seminars and tastings. Tasters can
             wander the row -- located along SE 10th St. and SE 20th St.
             between Burnside St. and Division St. in Portland -- to visit
             Artisan Spirits, Highball, Integrity Spirits, New Deal and out-
             of-town distillers Ransom and Sub Rosa Spirits hosted by House
             Spirits.

             Local restaurants will also offer a series of craft spirit
             dinners featuring menus matched to each Oregon spirit,
             accompanied by distillery owners and experts discussing what it
             takes to create an excellent small-batch product. Bars and
             restaurants throughout the state will also feature seven Oregon
             Bounty-themed cocktails, developed by the Oregon Bartenders
             Guild.

             Microbreweries
             The Fresh Hop Beer "Tastivals," produced by the Oregon Brewers
             Guild, will highlight the seasonal beers created with fresh hops
             from the September harvest instead of traditional dried hops.
             This year's Tastivals will feature samples of more than 30 beers
             from across the state crafted using fresh-off-the-vine hops.
                 Saturday, Oct. 4 in Hood River
                 Saturday, Oct. 18 in Portland
                 Saturday, Oct. 25 in Eugene

             Wineries
             During Oregon Bounty, the state's acclaimed wine producers will
             open their doors for special events with wineries large and small
             offering new releases and older vintages, barrel tastings,
             specialty foods and sales of limited quantity wines. One of
             Oregon's largest wineries, Willamette Valley Vineyards, will host
             an Oregon Bounty Gala Friday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m.

             Cooking at the Coast
             From wild sturgeon and clams to cod and chanterelles, the Oregon
             Coast offers a rich diversity of local food. Coastal culinary
             schools will offer special Oregon Bounty classes highlighting
             these unique tastes plus accommodations at local boutique hotels
             for a great weekend escape. At least one coastal cooking class
             will be offered each weekend throughout October and November in
             cities including Astoria, Cannon Beach and Lincoln City.

             Festivals and Events
             Hundreds of harvest festivals and fall events await the culinary
             adventurer, offering everything from chef demonstrations to farm
             tours. For a complete list of activities, events, lodging options
             and more, visit http://www.TravelOregon.com/Bounty.

For detailed information about all events listed above and to learn more about Oregon Bounty lodging packages, visit http://www.TravelOregon.com/Bounty.

About Oregon Bounty and Travel

Oregon Oregon Bounty is produced by the Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon-with support from the Oregon Wine Board, Oregon Brewers Guild, Oregon Distillers Guild, Oregon's regional destination marketing organizations, Oregon Lodging Association, Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild, and Brand Oregon, among others-with the goal of encouraging economic growth and enhancing the quality of life in Oregon through a strengthened economic impact of tourism statewide. Travel Oregon collaborates extensively with local communities, industry associations, government agencies and private businesses, and is proud to grow the Oregon Bounty promotion as a key campaign in the state's growing $8.3 billion tourism industry, helping Oregon to be recognized as a not-to-be-missed culinary travel destination. Visit http://www.TravelOregon.com for more information.