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1998
Oregon Pinot Noir

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Barney Smith of Academy
pruning vines in January

January 2001 Column

The Promise of
Southern Oregon:
New AVA Sets the Stage
by Cole Danehower

The biggest story in Oregon wine has nothing to do with Pinot noir. Rather, it has to do with geography, potential, and intent. And with the news that the Applegate Valley has become Oregon’s newest appellation, the future of Southern Oregon’s wines is looking up.

New Activity in Southern Oregon

Winemaking began in Southern Oregon, yet Southern Oregon winemakers lament that they “get no respect” from the wine world. If Oregon as a whole gets lamentably little national press, then Southern Oregon gets even less. And yet, the vast and varied geography south of Eugene is a vibrant winemaking area that is seeing a spurt of new development activity.

In the productive agricultural valleys that extend southwest of Grants Pass down to the valley around Ashland, new vinifera plantings are going into the ground while recently planted vineyards are experiencing their first productive vintages. In fact, some vineyard land has been purchased for multiple millions of dollars, and winemakers from California and Washington are beginning to move into the area to develop new winemaking capabilities.

The varieties being planted include grapes not traditionally associated with Oregon: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Tempranillo, and even Zinfandel. With a generally warmer climate, and the myriad microclimate variations produced by many picturesque valleys, the Southern Oregon appellations offer much more varietal variation than the traditional “center” of Oregon winemaking, the Willamette Valley.

Applegate Valley is Newest Appellation

The first vineyards in the state were planted near Jacksonville by Peter Britt in 1852. Ironically, they were located in what is today the newest Accredited Viticultural Area (AVA) in Oregon: The Applegate Valley.

The result of dedicated work by Barney Smith, the owner of The Academy of Wine south of Grants Pass, the Applegate Valley reflects the kind of new wine growth the area is experiencing. A small, family run winery, the Academy produces distinctly fruity wines that are exceptional values. With the success of wineries like The Academy and the older Valley View winery, a number of new wineries are getting established in the Applegate Valley.

Though there are currently only 6 wineries and 27 planted acres in the Applegate Valley, development potential is great, and the success of local wineries continues to attract interest from new growers and winemakers.

A Few Wines to Watch

One of the unfortunate facts about current Southern Oregon winemaking is that the quality of the wines has often been variable. While some superb wines have been made in different vintages, the consistency of top quality releases has often been lacking. Nevertheless, there are some winemakers and releases that are worth keeping an eye on as the entire region begins to experience a revival.

On a recent trip to Southern Oregon I visited three wineries that are producing some very nice wines. In a future column I’ll talk about other producers in the area, but for now here are a few comments from the Applegate Valley and surroundings:

The Academy of Wine The 1997 Pinot noir release from this small producer was a surprise hit in the blind tasting of the vintage conducted by the Oregon Wine Report. A recent tasting of the soon to be released new vintage shows continued tasty value, exceptional for an Oregon Pinot that doesn’t come from the Willamette Valley. The Academy’s Cabernet is also an excellent value, offering a full and ripe set of soft Cabernet flavors for an excellent price. A craftsman-style winery that is definitely worth watching.

Weisinger’s of Ashland My two favorite wines from this family-owned producer are Petite Pompadour, a Bordeaux-style blend, and the reserve Chardonnay, a buttery, California-style Chard. While the character of the Pompadour can vary a lot from vintage to vintage, it is a wine worth watching because when it is good, it is very good indeed. The ’98 is quite nice, and I’m looking forward to the next two vintages. Also worth seeking out is the Cabernet Sauvignon. Recent barrel tastings showed a rich wine with plump flavors and character. Newly appointed winemaker Eric Weisinger is developing his own quality-focused style, and this winery will be very interesting to watch over the next few years.

Valley View Winery This popular producer offers a varied product line of well-priced bottles. Of particular interest are their Anna Maria line of Merlots and blends, both of which offer good value and can be rich wines in strong vintages. Recent barrel tastings of the 1999 and 2000 vintage showed very impressive Merlots that seem to reflect a new level of quality for the region. Also look out for the future release of an exceptional ice wine.