When you open up a bottle of wine and pour yourself a glass, you’re drinking more than just wine — you’re taking in a time and place. Southern Oregon, because of its ideal soil and climate, produces some of the most notable wine in America. In particular, the Umpqua Valley is making an impression on those who seek out unique and high-quality wines.
Spend a few hours in the Umpqua Valley and you’ll begin to understand why the wine here is so exceptional. The rolling hills throughout this region are not only beautiful, but ideal for growing a vast selection of wine grapes. The stunning landscape mixed with the mild, wet winters and Mediterranean-style summers that cycle through the Umpqua Valley create flavor profiles completely unique to the area.
Study the geology and hydrology of the Umpqua Watershed and you’ll see why. Each little valley surrounding Roseburg features a slightly different growing condition for wine grapes. Most of the soil types in the Umpqua American Viticultural Area (AVA) contain stream sediments, marine sedimentary bedrock and volcanic rocks which provide excellent drainage for grape vines.
Wine production in this region dates back to the 1880s, however, due to prohibition in the 1920s wine production stopped. It wasn’t until 1961 that Richard Sommer founded HillCrest Vineyard making it the oldest continually-operating post-prohibition estate winery in Oregon. Sommer was also the first to plant pinot noir vines in Oregon, making it the birthplace of Oregon pinot noir.
This adventurous spirit to try something new is a continual presence at all 27 wineries in the Umpqua Valley. One wine industry innovator in this area is Calvin Scott Henry III of Henry Estates Winery. He developed a unique trellis and canopy-management system that improves the maturation of grapes and the overall quality of the wine. Abacela has been a pioneer of Spanish-style wines in the area. In fact, they were the first Oregon winery to successfully grow and harvest Tempranillo.
As you open a bottle of Umpqua Valley wine take a moment to fully experience the scenery and the moment you are in. Even if you’re a casual wine drinker, who doesn’t use terms like vintage and terroir, there is still something magical about enjoying a really excellent glass of wine on the property where it was grown and produced. Appreciate the climate, landscape and people that produced the wine you’re about to drink, this makes the wine not only taste better, but connects you to something deeper. With so many styles and varieties of wine here, you’re sure to find something you’ll love.
Come visit and pour yourself a glass of the Umpqua Valley.
