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Winery Hours

  • 11am to 5:00pm daily

Closed on December 25.

Our History. The Flying Dutchman is a small family owned winery that enjoys one of the most spectacular locations on the Oregon Coast. We have been making wine in front of the ocean since 1997 and many feel that it's the salt air that makes our wines so unique.

Winemaker and owner Richard Cutler started the winery in the restaurant of the Inn at Otter Crest. It was billed as Oregon's first 'micro-winery' and was popular from the start. With a little beginners luck, Cutler's first vintage of Pinot Noir won the winery's first medal at the prestigious 1999 Oregon State Fair. Since then Flying Dutchman wines have earned many medals and are highly regarded in the northwest.

flying dutchman winery

The Inn at Otter Crest is shown in the foreground.
The Flying Dutchman Winery is perched on the second
peninsula jutting out into the ocean

Our Winemaking. Each fall we purchase grapes from five notable Oregon vineyards. We have no vineyards of our own as grapes will not mature along the Oregon Coast. At harvest we meet the pickers at the vineyards then bring the grapes to the winery were we immediately de-stem the red grapes and press the white grapes. The white grape juice is put into barrels where it is 'barrel fermented' and aged on the lees for 8 to 12 months. About half of our Chardonnay wine is aged in American oak barrels and half in small stainless steel barrels. A few of these barrels are shown in the picture that follows.

salt air winery

Fall grape crush

After de-stemming the red grapes are placed into open-top fermenters (the larger stainless, white and green containers in the picture) where they remain outside in a 'cold-soak' status for a week to 10 days. During this time there is a transfer of the water soluble flavors and colors from the grapes to the juice. At most other wineries this step lasts about 3 days but with the cooler temperatures and salt air spray, ours lasts much longer.

After about 7 to 10 days of cold-soak the native yeasts start fermenting. As in old world winemaking, we allow this fermentation to occur naturally 'punching down' the pulp and skins that float to the top 3 times a day. This re-immerses the grape pulp and adds oxygen. While this fermentation step at other wineries lasts an average of 5 days, ours takes from 7 to 14 days. Again, because of the salt spray and cool temperatures, our extended fermentation adds to the unique taste of our wines.

Once all of the grape sugars have been converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide, we gently press out the finished wine then place it in oak barrels where it remains for 10 to 36 months. When we feel the wine is at its peak we bottle it then lay the bottles away for another 4 to 12 months. When they coined the term "we will sell no wine before its time" they must have been thinking of Flying Dutchman Wines.

wine by the sea

Two generations of the Cutler family, Alex and Debbie, punch down the fermenting grapes

Our Winery and Winery Tasting Room Location. The Flying Dutchman is the only working winery on the Oregon Coast and its Otter Rock location is blessed with many coastal attractions. Across the street from the winery is the famous Devil's Punchbowl State Park with its boiling caldron of foamy surf. Just steps away are two pristine sand beaches and some of the most prolific tide pools on the coast. Seals occupy the tide pool rocks on a daily basis and there always seems to be a whale spout or two to see nearby. Next door is Mo's restaurant, nationally known for its clam chowder, and just short distances away are charter fishing boats, shopping, the Newport aquarium, Newport waterfront attractions, and a wide selection of seafood restaurants.

Our Winery Picnic Area. This one-of-a-kind area is sheltered from the summer winds by a beautiful grove of shore pines yet it has a broad view of the ocean beaches, the tide pools, and Cape Foulweather. Our picnic area is ideal for small functions (up to 50 people) and is a popular place for small musical events, wedding receptions and the like.

flying dutchman winery

View from our Ocean Front Picnic Area

Our Gift Shop. Here you will find a gift shop unlike any other in the area. We specialize in unusual wine related and nautical gifts as well as original art by Oregon artists.

Our Numbers. To reach the Otter Rock Winery and Tasting Room by telephone call 541-765-2553.
By email: info@dutchmanwinery.com
And by mail: Flying Dutchman Winery 915 First Street, Otter Rock, Oregon 97369

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Flying Dutchman Winery
915 First Street
Otter Rock, Oregon 97369
Phone: 541-765-2553    Email: info@dutchmanwinery.com
© 2024 Flying Dutchman Winery