What's New From the Vines of Southern Oregon

My wife and I spent this past 4th of July week in Grants Pass, Oregon. It was a great break from the Las Vegas heat. Twenty years ago my parents made the exodus from California to Southern Oregon after my niece was born. My parents were compelled to be proper grandparents and be near their first grandbaby. Shortly after my wife and I ventured up to Grants Pass for a visit. I fell in love with the region and all it had to offer travelers while maintaining a peaceful and country-like setting. In recent years, this lush region has seen a huge surge in tourism, thanks in large part to their wine region known as, "The Applegate River Wine Valley."

The region is located along the Applegate River between the historic town of Jacksonville and extends northwest towards Grants Pass. Most wine regions pave the way for other businesses like restaurants and family attractions, and the Applegate Valley does not disappoint. Enjoy your tour through the vineyards, into the eateries, and down the Rogue River.

1. WINERIES

Most of the wineries feature varietals indigenous to the Rhone River Valley of France: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Viognier. These varietals can be BIG in flavor. However, the passion-driven winemakers in this region do a great job taming these big bold grapes into well-balanced wines. A great example of this can be found at Plaisance Ranch near Williams, Oregon. The Ginet family has been producing wines for over 200 years on two continents. The family settled in Southern Oregon in the late 1800's. They offer several fabulous red wines in their tasting room. My personal favorite was the Mourvèdre. I found it to be bold but balanced, and full of luscious berries. After our tasting, our host Malu, who claims to be the only blonde from Hawaii, took us on a tour of the ranch. They have a great dining facility for large parties and a stage for live music. Check out their website, plaisanceranch.com for their featured 7-course dinners. Each course is paired with one of their wines. Have a designated driver, we were told the owner Joe can be very generous with his pours. What's unique about Plaisance? They also raise certified Angus beef, cut and ready for sale on site, or at local markets and restaurants. Where else can you have a mouth-watering steak paired with wine prepared by the same owner?

Wooldridge Creek Winery (wcwinery.com) off of Kubli Road was fantastic. Greg, the winemaker, was quick to come to our table and introduce himself. You could feel the passion he has for his craft. The winery recently started making their own cheeses and charcuterie, and we were treated to a homemade board. The cured meats, cheeses, and delicious treats included fig bars and fermented vegetables. Greg told us that everything on the board was created in-house … including the board. Their charcuterie and cheeses will soon be available at their retail store in downtown Grants Pass. They will also be offering pre-fixe dinners at the new location. If you love dry Rose´... Wooldridge has a fabulous bottle. They also produce a beautifully dry Gewürztraminer, a varietal you don't see much of in the region. Thanks to Greg. We will be back.

We have been to Troon Vineyards (troonvineyard.com) a number of times. It is one of the larger vineyards in the region. We had heard a few years ago it was up for sale. The vineyard was sold and the new owner is moving forward to plant additional varietals. We were greeted by the winegrower Craig Camp. Craig was a great host. We jumped in his car and took a tour of the vines. I was surprised to see so many plots of land void of vines. Craig has plans for each empty space. They are planting more unique varietals and introducing them to Oregon's great wine growing climate. You will also find two spacious houses hidden amongst the vines. They are available for rent during your visit. Check availability at VRBO.com.

On our return to the tasting room, we were escorted outside to an elegant patio. Craig escorted us to a chic private tasting table complete with smartly arranged glasses, a meat and cheese board, and of course wine. He spent time with us pouring wine and sharing his tremendous knowledge about each special bottle. Talk about a great job. Private tastings can be booked for 1 to 40 people. Try the "Orange Wine," a dry Riesling with a subtle orange nose. The 2014 Zinfandel Estate was rich, berrylicious, and balanced. Hold it on your palate for a few seconds to get the most out of the dry peppery finish.

Like Troon, Schmidt Family Cellars (sfvineyards.com) is a big operation. Schmidt has a grand tasting room. A spacious area with a fireplace and a great u-shaped bar for tasting. An outside bar and patio are also available. The outside dining is what's new at Schmidt. Plenty of patio or lawn seating set amongst a tranquil pond and immaculately landscaped trees and shrubs. We enjoyed a pizza baked in a large wood-burning oven. It was magnifico. Rene was our host. She does it all, and you can tell she loves her staff, and they love her. An unexpected pleasure was a Gamay Beaujolais style wine named Cal's Folly. It is made from 50% Viognier and 50% Cabernet. Serve slightly chilled to keep each varietal in check. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon was as I remember most Cabs from years back: juicy fruit perfectly infused with tannins.

Cowhorn Vineyards (cowhornwine.com) has a brand new state of the art Eco-friendly tasting room. Charlsie and her tasting room staff were very proud. The space is elegant with large panoramic windows that slide open. The vines come right up to the tasting room with just enough space for a tractor to turn around. Solar panels and a well help to keep the utility expenses low. Cowhorn has outdoor cabanas available for tastings too.

Most of their varietals feature Rhone Valley grapes. They went as far as to have the soils analyzed and found they are a perfect match for Rhone-style vines. Syrah and Grenache both thrive in the Rhone and they thrive at Cowhorn too. The Syrah was earthy and fruity with a hint of mushrooms, blueberries, and a fun peppery finish. The Grenache was delightful with a kiss of red raspberries and a subtle oak finish. They don't just harvest grapes. They also grow lavender and two types of asparagus. Cowhorn is off the well-traveled path but worth the drive.

We didn't get to spend much time at the last two wineries, but they are definitely worth mentioning. Augustino Winery ( augustinoestate.com) is new to the region. They have their Treehouse in O'Brien which is in the Illinois Valley, and now they have The Big Red Barn in the Applegate. The Augustino Cabernet Sauvignon was gorgeous … a fruit forward nectar in a glass with a hint of tannins. And Quady North (quadynorth.com) in Jacksonville, has fabulous wines for a great price. We always buy the Rose'. It is one of my favorites. It reminds me of the fabulous Rose' found in Nice. The labels are cool too … created by the winemaker's wife. Check out the first (south) Quady Winery (quadywinery.com) in Madera, California.

Don't drink and drive. I always get a spittoon. If you are not a spitter, book a guided winery tour with Tracy Hurst owner of Wine Hopper Tours (winehoppertours.com).

2. DINING

Each end of the valley has some great dining options. While in Jacksonville try C St. Bistro (cstbistro.com). This quaint eatery has great sandwiches, salads, and paninis. We enjoyed the cheesy mushroom panini with their homemade tomato soup. Celebrities like Kirstie Alley and Gordon Ramsey have dropped in.

In Grants Pass, try The Twisted Cork (thetwistedcorkgrantspass.com). I love their business philosophy. Beth Forshay, says "We will always stay true to ourselves and do what we do best. Even if that means being closed on Mother's Day." They change the menu twice a year, but we always order the potato chips with bleu cheese and Gorgonzola cheese. We also tried the mushroom cake with red bell pepper coulis. It was sooooo good.

3. ADVENTURE

Finally, take the Hellgate jet boat tour (hellgate.com) and enjoy 4 hours of food and thrills. Shoot upriver doing 45 mph weaving in between the other jet boats, with an occasional "shake and bake." That's jet boat speak for a 360° spin. Have fun … you're going to get wet. Dinner includes all you can eat chicken and ribs.

The tour of the Applegate River Wine Valley has come to a close. We would like to thank the incredible people we met in Southern Oregon. The weather was spectacular … cool in the morning and 85 degree days. It does get hot, so the best times to travel are early summer and early fall. As mentioned, the region is growing. Come and experience the local charm, affordable prices, and lush scenery. See you for the holidays!