South Oregon AVA
The southern Oregon AVA exists in the southwest portion
of the state, stretching 125 miles from south of Eugene to the California
border, and 60 miles at its widest between the Cascade Mountain Range
to the east and the Coast Range to the west. It encompasses Umpqua
Valley , Rogue Valley , Red
Hill Douglas County and Applegate Valley. This appellation
is distinct from other recent State-AVA designations in that it defined
a kind of macro appellation that completely encompasses previously
authorized appellations.
The wine country of southern Oregon generally is more
Mediterranean in climate than the cool-climate region of the Willamette
Valley AVA to the north.
Wine History: Southern Oregon has the oldest
history of grape growing in the state. It dates back to 1852 with an
early area settler named Peter Britt, who operated a winery in Jacksonville.
Post-prohibition winemaking started in 1961 when vintner Richard Sommers
migrated from University of California at Davis and founded Hillcrest
Vineyards in the Umpqua Valley. Impressed with the diversity of growing
conditions in this area, other winemakers began planting roots in the
1970s, resulting in a patchwork of vineyards growing both cool- and
warm-climate varieties. Today, this wine growing region continues to
expand and turn out a great variety of high-quality wines. The appellation
became official in 2004.
Climate: While this region provides the warmest growing conditions in Oregon, there exist cool microclimates within its varied hillsides and valleys that enable Southern Oregon to successfully grow both cool- and warm-climate varietals. This area receives significantly less rainfall than other viticultural areas in Oregon (40 percent less than in the Willamette Valley) and is generally a warm, sunny, arid climate.
Soils: Southern Oregon's soils are varied and complex, though generally derived from bedrock, specifically from the 200 million year old Klamath Mountains, which are comprised of sedimentary rocks, to the west.
There are 170 vinyards and 17 wineries in southern Oregon
growing
Pinot noir, Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, Pinot gris, Syrah, Chardonnay, Cabernet
franc, White Riesling, Tempranillo, Gewurztraminer and Viognier
The wineries of Applegate Valley AVA
The wineries of Red Hill Douglas Country
The wineries of Rogue Valley
The wineries of Umpqua Valley
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