L.J Nicholas in the IdeaLab.

Any time you can wed excellent wines with a vast array of cool experiences, you are ahead of the game. LucIdWild Estate’s new 15,000 square foot tasting room, called SkyTerraces + WineCaves, is just such a place.

SkyTerraces + WineCave is the Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride of tasting rooms. Which is high praise in my book, as that was eight-year-old me’s favorite Disneyland ride. Every time my motorized buggy crashed through a new wall or door in Toad Hall, I squealed in delight at the surprises awaiting me.

I had that same feeling of awe and amazement as I moved through LucidWild’s tasting room. Every door I entered, every corner I turned, something extraordinary popped up. I squealed on the inside several times that day.

The first two Moon jellies arrive at LucidWild Estate.

Your turn to squeal comes when LucidWild owners L.J. and Blair Nicholas open their SkyTerraces + WineCaves doors to the public on July 31. Here’s what you can expect.

The first attraction upon entering is the LivingRoom area to the right. Comfortable chairs, sofas and a fireplace await, along with wine coolers built into sideboards, ensuring that each of your sips is served at the proper temperature.

Then there’s the view. “We are at an elevation of 800 feet right here, so it’s a ‘wow’ factor, for sure.” Blair Nicholas said.“ From the LivingRoom’s terrace, you can see Mount Jefferson and other points in the Cascade Range, as well as LucidWild’s 46-acre estate property. This impressive view is captured on Oregon’s “Wine Country” vanity license plate.

A wall of grape leaves filter the view as you prepare to head downstairs at LucidWild Estate.

The Nicholases purchased the 46-acre property, formerly named Bella Vida Vineyards, from Steven Whiteside in January 2021. L.J. Nicholas is a designer, and Blair Nicholas is a retired attorney.

Their estate is planted with 25 acres of grapes used to produce four point noirs, a Chardonnay, and a sparkling wine. LucidWild’s winemaker is the highly acclaimed Isabelle Meunier of Lavinea fame.

LucidWild offers guests a five-wine tasting flight where each wine is paired with a small plate prepared by resident chef Mason Goucher. The cost is $75 per guest, with the fee waived with any two-bottle purchase or wine club sign-up. Bottles, along with honey and other items, may be purchased at a small store located in the corner of the Living Room.

Even if you don’t need to use them, you should definitely check out the restrooms upstairs and downstairs. Each room features a wall emblazoned with LucidWild’s dazzling wine label artwork created by Sean M. Smith of Echo Designlab in Brooklyn, New York. “We are expecting to see a lot of Instagram moments courtesy of selfies taken in our bathrooms,” L.J. Nicholas said.

You have quite the view when you pull up a chair on the LivingRoom terrace.

Next up is the SkyLounge, a short walk from the LivingRoom. SkyLounge features another striking view from its terrace, a covered fire pit and a large video wall for multivisual presentations. The lounge accommodates up to 49 guests and is an ideal venue for a range of events, from birthday parties to business meetings.

The entire top floor comprising the LivingRoom and SkyLounge is collectively referred to as the Sky Terraces.

After enjoying the wines and views, head past a hanging mobile of artistic grape leaves and down a flight of stairs. If you are participating in the five wine tasting flight, a bonus pour awaits in the WineCaves.

Your final sip is a small glass of port drawn from a barrel in the WineCaves. The port made with syrah fruit from the Rogue River Valley wine region is served with a bite of chocolate prepared by Cloudforest, a Portland-based bean-to-bar chocolatier.

The WineCaves also offers a secret lounge area where up to six guests can enjoy bottle service and a constant 67-degree temperature. During this current heat wave, this cave, which tunnels deep into the hillside, is a mighty fine place to hide out.

The lower floor also features the IdeaLab, a well-appointed meeting room with both indoor and outdoor seating options. This perfect spot for business meetings can hold 12-16 people.

If business isn’t on the agenda, LucidWild offers two lower-floor areas designed solely for fun.

The RecRoom features custom-built foosball, pool, shuffleboard and ping pong tables. A 96-inch television screen hangs on the wall if you are interested in catching your favorite team play. The RecRoom’s see-through fireplace offers a view of the bocce ball court covered with crushed oyster shells that sits outside.

You can enjoy the RecRoom for up to 90 minutes with the purchase of a bottle of wine. The wine may be taken home or enjoyed on-site.

My last stop was the SpeakEasy, a room hiding behind a door with the sliding slot you always see in gangster movies. The dimly lit room is built for relaxation, with wine service and a turntable where LPs, including some very nice jazz selections, get spun.

The SpeakEasy’s highlight is the aquarium filled with Aurelia labiata, also known as moon jellyfish, or jellies. There are currently 12 moon jellies in the tank, but Nancy Sowinski of Sunset Marine Labs in Hillsboro said that 12 more will be added.

The SpeakEasy, which is currently available to wine club members, uses the same one-bottle purchase rule used in the RecRoom. Be careful, though, staring at the glowing tank can be hypnotic and habit-forming.

If you enjoy outdoor fun, sign up for a 90-minute vineyard tour and wine tasting. That’s where a custom-built LucidWild Rover whisks you through the vines and past locations such as the bee apiary and barns housing Valais Blacknose sheep. When visiting the ewes, be sure to say hello to Dalai the guard llama.

The vineyard tour costs $150 per person, but is complimentary with a three-bottle purchase or with the purchase of a membership in the wine club.

This list of experiences only scratches the surface. You can also schedule private parties for 10-250 guests, host business conferences or hire LucidWild’s customized luxury Mercedes Sprinter Van for outings. “We want there to be so much to do here, people will want to keep coming back again and again,” L.J. Nicholas said.

Most of these experiences are bookable on Tock via links on the winery’s website, others require contacting the winery directly.

— Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. He can be reached at [email protected]. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine