About the Vino

Oregon has become a major wine producer….

in the last few decades. It's difficult to beat Willamette Valley pinot noir. Along the way, it’s been forgotten that southern Oregon was the birthplace of Oregon’s wine industry. This region was the first to plant grapes in the mid-19th century. In what is now the Applegate Valley AVA in the Rogue Valley, Peter Britt, arguably Oregon's first commercial wine producer, planted a vineyard called Valley View next to his house overlooking Jacksonville in the mid-1850s. The first wine he produced was in 1858.

Wine varietals from Southern Oregon vineyards are some of the most diverse in the Pacific Northwest. There are dozens of microclimates here because of our latitude, elevation, and prevailing oceanic winds. The result is award-winning wines that aficionados love.

Southern Oregon is home to a range of grapes, which in Europe would be from Alsace to central Italy and from Ribera del Duero to the Rhine. One of the most unique vinicultural zones in the world is the Southern Oregon AVA.

Pinot noir is the most popular grape varietal in the southern Oregon AVA. It amounts to 44 percent of the total vineyard acreage. The grapes are mostly sold in bulk to wine producers in the Willamette Valley and northern California. It's a shame because southern Oregon pinot noir can have a very distinct aroma and flavor profile when grown correctly.

The warm climate ensures ripe sugar and physiological ripeness, while the diurnal temperature variations ensure acidity. Cool sites can produce lush, fruit-forward wines with medium acidity and well-integrated tannins when cropped at about three tons per acre.

This sunny region of Oregon's Rogue Valley is home to undulating vineyards and orchards that are surrounded by rugged mountain ridges carpeted with juniper, cedar, and ponderosa pines. A veritable United Nations of grapes thrive outside these friendly towns known for both thrilling outdoor activities and engaging cultural events, from Malbecs and Syrahs to Pinot noirs and Rieslings.

Read more about the Southern Oregon AVA scene ….. Southern Oregon Magazine or Travel Medford