Rogue Valley - established 1991

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About Rogue Valley

There is more to the Rogue Valley Appellation than meets the eye.

From the mighty Siskiyou Mountains in the south, three Southern Oregon rivers create the distinct sub regions in this appellation -- sub regions named for the rivers valleys running north from the mountains to empty into the Rogue River on their way to the Pacific Ocean. These three valleys (the Applegate, the Illinois, and the Bear Creek drainage) vary in climactic conditions and elevations, but together, the comprise the Rogue Valley Appellation. These variations are what make the Rogue extraordinarily diverse in its production of grape varieties.

In the east portion of the appellation, there are five wineries. Weisinger's of Ashland and Ashland Vineyards are located in the easternmost Bear Creek sub region. Both wineries use the Bordeaux grape varieties. Weisinger's for example, produces Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as several Bordeaux Blends. They also produce Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Semillon, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Noir. Ashland Vineyards has won numerous awards for their Cabernets, Merlots and their Cabernet franc.

Just west of the Bear Creek region lies the Applegate sub region, home to three wineries. Academy Winery is only open by appointment and produces small lots of Cabernet, Pinot noir and Chardonnay, all from his five-acre vineyard in the Applegate Valley. Troon Vineyards is also open by appointment only and also produces Cabernet Sauvignon. Valley View Vineyards was established in the early 1970s at the site of the old Peter Britt Vineyard, dating back to the 1850s. Valley View has been producing excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay for years. (They used to make a Pinot noir, but now concentrate on varieties more appropriate to the Applegate region.) Recently, they branched out and have produced a very good 1995 Zinfandel, and their first Syrah in 1996. Their Meritage blends and Upper Lever (Anna Maria) Cabernets and Merlots have been sterling in recent years. They have also begun producing Pinot gris, a full-bodied wine with a wonderfully fruity finish.
Moving west again, the visitor will find the Illinois Valley sub region, the westernmost section of the Rogue Valley Appellation. There are currently three wineries in this region -- Foris Vineyards Winery, Bridgeview Vineyards and the newest winery, Bear Creek.

Foris produces a wide variety of wines -- Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Pinot blanc, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, a Meritage, and a white, sweet, Port-like wine made from Muscat grapes. Foris is also one of only two Oregon wineries to use grapes from the renowned Klipsun Vineyard in Eastern Washington, a vineyard producing extremely concentrated, low-yield Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Bridgeview Vineyards is also located in the Illinois Valley sub region, and are a producer of Pinot noir. Their Pinots are very well made and extremely affordable. They are well known for their excellent Gewürztraminer, made in the Alsatian style, and their award-winning Pinot gris, Chardonnay and Riesling (sometimes packaged in the "Blue Moon" bottle). Bridgeview also makes an excellent Muscat. Their Black Beauty label of Merlot has won several prestigious awards.

Newest winery to the Illinois Valley is Bear Creek Winery, although some of the vineyard land dates back to the 1870s. Bear Creek only this season opened their tasting room, pouring samples of their Pinot noir and Chardonnay produced from Illinois Valley grapes, and their Sauvignon Blanc produced from grapes grown in the nearby Bear Creek sub region.

Visitors to the Rogue Valley Appellation will be rewarded with a great variety of high-quality wines, all produced in a relatively small area. The sun definitely shines more often here than in the better-known Willamette Valley appellation. Be sure to plan your own sun-filled exploration of the unforgettably beautiful Rogue Valley wine region.

The Rogue Valley doesn’t receive as much attention as Oregon’s northernmost AVA, the Willamette Valley, but it offers a richer diversity of climate and a wider variety of grapes. The appellation is a series of interlocking mountain ranges and river valleys in Oregon’s southern extreme, on the California border. The valley is 70 miles wide by 60 miles long, and hosts less than 20 wineries with 1,100 acres under vine. The climate is distinctly warmer in this part of the state, although the valley hosts a wide range of macroclimates. In the AVA’s eastern portion, heat-seeking red varietals, such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, thrive in a warm, dry climate on south-facing slopes nearly 2,000 feet in elevation. In the heart of the appellation lays Oregon’s newest AVA, Applegate Valley. Here, vineyards range from 1,000-1,500 feet, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot leading the pack in range of varietals that flourish. In the valley’s western portion, at the base of the Coast Range, the climate is cool and wet. Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürtztraminer are just a few of the cool-climate varieties that gain complexity in the long growing season here.

 

Appellation Maps

Rogue Valley