Meet Your Hosts

A comfortable vehicle gets you there, but a great guide transforms the entire experience. Cellar Door Wine Tours was built on a deep, genuine love for Oregon wine country. Founders Helen McFarland and Mark Treick, bring nearly 40 years of combined experience in the local wine industry to your journey. Since 2012, we have been redefining the private tour experience by focusing on what matters most: exceptional hospitality, seamless logistics, and authentic connection.

When you tour with us, you are touring with locals who have spent decades walking these vineyards and building relationships with the region’s most celebrated winemakers.

Helen McFarland brings decades of hospitality and wine industry experience to every Cellar Door Wine Tours experience. As General Manager and Founder, she helps shape the kind of private Willamette Valley wine tours that feel seamless, personal, and deeply connected to Oregon wine country.

A Colorado native and University of Colorado Boulder graduate, Helen spent years building her expertise in high-level hospitality, guest care, and business operations before putting down roots in Newberg in 2009. That move placed her in the

heart of the Willamette Valley and deepened her connection to the people, places, and rhythms that define the region.

Helen’s path into wine was both personal and professional. Years spent around co-founder Mark Treick’s family vineyard, Whistling Ridge Vineyard in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, gave her a firsthand view of the vineyard year from bud break to harvest. That experience shaped her appreciation for the land, the work behind every bottle, and the quiet depth that makes Oregon wine country distinct.

She later refined her palate and hospitality instincts at the acclaimed Jory Restaurant at The Allison Inn & Spa, where she built lasting relationships with chefs, sommeliers, and many of the region’s most respected wine professionals. Those relationships continue to help open doors for Cellar Door guests across the Northern Willamette Valley.

Today, Helen brings warmth, precision, and exceptional logistical skill to every private wine tour she leads. Whether she is coordinating a relaxed day for a couple or a more layered experience for a larger group, she ensures that each guest enjoys a thoughtful, polished, and memorable day in Oregon wine country.

Bringing a lifetime of beverage industry expertise and a deep, multi-layered appreciation for the land, Mark is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Cellar Door Wine Tours.

Originally from Washington State, Mark earned degrees in Geography and Fine Art from Central Washington University before heading to Oregon in 1997. It was there, amidst the vines

of his family’s Whistling Ridge Vineyards in the prestigious Ribbon Ridge AVA, that he first caught the wine bug and knew he wanted to dive deeper into the world of viticulture.

of his family’s Whistling Ridge Vineyards in the prestigious Ribbon Ridge AVA, that he first caught the wine bug and knew he wanted to dive deeper into the world of viticulture.Mark’s career is a testament to his passion for craft beverages and his entrepreneurial spirit. He cut his teeth in 1998 with Widmer Brothers Brewing Company in Portland, Oregon, working his way from local sales to national distribution—a coveted role where his appreciation for exceptional wine truly blossomed.

After a chapter in Breckenridge, Colorado, where he transitioned from corporate sales to running his own businesses (and even taught himself the web development skills used to build this very website!), Mark returned to his Oregon roots in 2009. Combining his decades of hospitality, beverage sales, and business ownership, he and Helen officially launched Cellar Door Wine Tours in 2012.

Today, Mark loves nothing more than sharing the incredible terroir of the Northern Willamette Valley with guests from around the globe. He uses his background in geography and his artist’s eye to help guests see every bottle as a reflection of the earth, the climate, and the people who crafted it.

Known for his laid-back, authentic, and fun approach, Mark curates exclusive, memorable tours. When you ride with him, you can expect a seamless day where you can kick back, soak in the stunning scenery, and truly dive into the fascinating stories behind Oregon’s finest wines.

Get ready to experience Oregon wine country through the eyes of a true world traveler. With over a decade of experience as a Tour Director, Jill Watkins has managed everything from African safaris to complex luxury rail expeditions.

But of all the breathtaking places she has explored, the Northern Willamette Valley is where her heart lies.

As one of our Guest Experience Specialist and a professional travel writer, Jill brings her expert eye for detail and world-class professionalism to your day in the vines.

Whether she’s navigating the beautiful roads leading to your destination in The Dundee Hills, or sharing the rich history of the soil, Jill’s mission is to help visitors find a sense of wonder in every destination.

A day with Jill isn’t just a wine tasting; it’s an unforgettable, masterfully told story of the valley.

With a background steeped in the rhythms of roots rock, radio, and engaging an audience, Mike knows exactly how to set the stage for an unforgettable day.

A natural storyteller with a genuine love for connecting with people, Mike brings a refreshing, infectious enthusiasm to the team.

Now enjoying his “retirement,” he has channeled his boundless curiosity into exploring the renowned AVAs of the Northern Willamette Valley.

Mike approaches every tour as an eager learner, which means he experiences the magic of the vineyards right alongside you. For Mike, hospitality isn’t just a job; it’s a joy.

Whether you are winding through the Dundee Hills or discovering a boutique gem in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, his impeccable customer service and warm, realistic approach ensure your experience is always the star of the show.