Southern Oregon Wines

2007-2008 Northwest Wine Country Vacation Guide

Many people associate southern Oregon with the internationally acclaimed Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. That’s fine, but, just as Shakespeare would heartily toast, the region is respected for its wines.

There are about 40 wineries in southern Oregon’s three designated American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)—the Rogue Valley, the Applegate Valley, and the Umpqua Valley— which stretch 125 miles south of Eugene to the California border and for 60 miles between the Cascades and the Coast Range.
Southern Oregon is the state’s oldest grape growing area.

Peter Britt, a vintner and photographer whose images popularized Crater Lake, established Oregon’s first winery in 1852. Britt’s legacy is remembered in the annual summer Britt Festivals on his former estate in Jacksonville, where local wines are part of the picnic atmosphere. In 1961, the region’s winemaking took root when Richard Sommers from the University of California at Davis launched Hillcrest Vineyards in the Umpqua Valley near Roseburg.

By Lee Juillerat

Due to a great deal of climate variation within its appellations, southern Oregon is home to a wide assortment of grape varieties, and is now a region of ever-expanding vineyards and wineries that produce relatively small volumes of high-quality wines.

The Shakespeare festival is in Ashland, so let’s begin a tour of selected wineries there.

The Ashland Vineyards and Winery, only 2 miles east of downtown, makes all its wines from grapes grown in its own organically farmed vineyards. The tasting room features upscale Shakespeare label wines, including All’s Well That Ends Well Pinot Gris, Midsummer Night’s Dream Sauvignon Blanc, As You Like It Merlot, and Taming of the Shrew Cabernet Franc. Be sure to try other less common varieties like Tempranillo, Sangiovese, and Dolcetto. (541-488-0088; winenet.com)

I’ve spent several midsummer’s nights at Weisinger’s of Ashland, a family-owned winery only 4 miles south of downtown. Featured wines include Gewürztraminer, Semillon–Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Claret, Syrah, and two blends, Petite Pompadour and Mescolare. Visitors can also watch bees produce the winery’s estate honey. (800-551-9463; weisingers.com)

Off I–5 between Ashland and Medford is Paschal Winery, a boutique winery. Their beautiful tasting room overlooks the region’s pear orchards. Along with wine, Paschal hosts a cornucopia of community activities, including monthly classical guitar performances, wine dinners, grape stomps, winemaking seminars, and theme events. Pascal’s signature wine is Quartet, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Other selections include Pinot Noir, Syrah, Pinot Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris. (541-535-7957; paschalwinery.com)

Always worth a visit is EdenVale Winery at Eden Valley Orchards. Located south of Medford, Eden Valley includes the Rogue Valley Wine Center, historic Voorhies Mansion, and a demonstration vineyard. The wine tasting room features EdenVale and Griffin Creek wines along with selections from 10 boutique wineries that do not have their own tasting rooms. Cider and mead made from locally grown grapes and apples may also be tasted here. Ask about tours of the demonstration vineyard and the 1890 mansion originally owned by Joseph H. Stewart, known as the father of the commercial pear industry in southern Oregon. (541-512-2955; edenvalleyorchards.com)

Set in the foothills near Medford is the RoxyAnn Winery, on the grounds of Hillcrest Orchards. The first grapes were planted in 1997, but Bartlett, Bosc, and Comice pears have been growing there since 1878. The tasting room is in a restored barn and serves a variety of wines, including the winery’s award-winning Claret, a Viognier, Pinot Gris, and Syrah. (541-776-2315; roxyann.com)

North of Medford and Gold Hill is Del Rio Vineyards, southern Oregon’s largest vineyard. Del Rio grows more than a dozen different grapes for 40 wineries throughout Oregon. Among the wineries using Del Rio grapes are Edgefield, Ken Wright, Cuneo Cellars, Bethel Heights, Elk Cove, Valley View, and Anne Amie. Tastings of nine different Del Rio wines are offered in the historic Rock Point Stage Stop. (541-855-2062; delriovineyards.com)

It’s a short drive from I–5 east of Grants Pass to the Applegate Valley, southern Oregon’s newest appellation including Valley View Winery, named after Peter Britt’s winery that closed in 1907. The Anna Maria label, which represents the finest wines made at the winery, is available in only the best vintages. The Valley View label represents premium quality wines at very affordable prices. Featured varieties include Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. Making the tastings even tastier is the winery’s new Valley View Wine Pavilion. (541-899-8468; valleyviewwinery.com)

Two of my favorite wineries are located in the Illinois Valley near Cave Junction. Along with spectacular scenery, Foris Vineyards Winery and Bridgeview Vineyards offer excellent wines, especially whites.

Bridgeview Vineyards is best known for its Blue Moon Reisling, but I’ve especially enjoyed their Muller–Thurgau, Pinot Gris, and Early Muscat. The tasting room’s setting is idyllic, with picnic tables in a beautifully landscaped setting that overlooks the European-style, densely planted vineyards. (541-592-4688; bridgeviewwine.com)

It’s only a short drive to Foris Vineyards. Tucked in the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, Foris is only 6 miles from the Oregon–California border, making it the Pacific Northwest’s most southern winery. Foris is Latin for “outdoors,” and the name is fitting. It’s also 25 air miles from the Pacific Ocean and bordered by several wilderness areas. Among the winery’s featured selections are Flyover reds and whites, Cabernet Franc, and several whites, including Muscat, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Blanc. (541-592-3752; foriswine.com)

At the northern end of southern Oregon is the Umpqua Valley AVA, named for the Umpqua River, a legendary fishing river that meanders past several of the region’s wineries. The Umpqua AVA stretches 65 miles north to south and features more than a dozen wineries.

Southwest of Roseburg is Abacela, known especially for big reds from the Spanish grape Tempranillo, as well as other full bodied selections—Grenache, Dolcetto, Claret, and their own Vintner’s Blend. The name Abacela is derived from the Iberian language and translates to “to plant a grapevine.” (541-679-6642; abacela.com)

From Abacela, scenic back roads lead north to other Umpqua wineries, including Melrose Vineyards, with a luscious selection of red and white wines. The vineyard wanders 2 miles along the South Umpqua River. Tastings are offered in a 100-year-old barn. I’ve especially enjoyed their various Pinot Noirs, Pinot Gris, and Baco Noir. Also try their high-end Equinox, a delicious blend. (541-672-6080; melrosevineyards.com)

North of the spot where the South and North Umpqua converge is Henry Estate Winery, one of Oregon’s oldest. It’s currently being tended by a third generation of Henrys. Best known for its Pinot Noir, the winery also produces a wide variety of wines, including Gewürztraminer, Muller–Thurgau, and Pinot Gris. Along with their critically acclaimed wines served in gracious surroundings, the vineyard is fabled for its Scott Henry Trellis System, a two-tiered fruit-growing system that increases yield and Brix (concentration of sugar), and decreases acidity. (541-459-5120; henryestate.com)

The wine is fine at River’s Edge, a family-owned winery located along the Umpqua River in tiny Elkton. The wines, especially the Pinot Noirs from two estate vineyards, are especially delightful, but excellent, too, are sumptuous jams made from Pinot Noir grapes. (541-584-2357; riversedgewinery.com)

Don’t try to jam in too many southern Oregon winery visits in a day or two. The region is vast. Along with wineries, there’s much to enjoy over several days or, even better, several visits, from relaxing times along the Umpqua to the Wildlife Safari near Roseburg, Oregon Caves National Monument near Cave Junction, whitewater stretches of the Rogue River, the Britt Festival in Jacksonville, and, of course, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, where a night at the theater proves that all’s well that ends well.