Umpqua Valley AVA=World Class

Unlike our friend here, we in the Umpqua Valley AVA have class; World Class.  With the addition of the new wine school at our local Community College we are set to put the exclamation point on what has already become a destination wine region!

The brand new facility, the Southern Oregon Wine Institute, is nothing less than spectacular.  Beginning with fabulous views of our local hillsides, to the posh tasting room, this place has it all.

Keep in mind with all this praise for a building, it is the wine that matters most.  Our local winemakers have been producing premium world class wines for 50 years now.  The building and the wine make for a great match!!

Visit their website:  SOWI

Wine Never Sleeps

While you may be "hibernating" this season, wine is hard at work aging itself into perfection.  The magical aspect of wine is that it continues to develop in the bottle.
I emphasize this fact on my wine tours.  I often hear such comments as, "Well, I visited that winery last year, so why go back?" 

My answer is simple.  The wine you tasted yesterday is not the same with you will taste today.  This keeps the wine enthusiast  on their toes.  Not only is there plenty of different varietals under many different labels; each of those wines are changing everyday.   This leaves us with an infinite number of variations of wine!

Once again it comes down to the Three P's.  Practice, practice, practice.  Get out there and "follow" the life of your favorite wines.  Of course, you will have your own supply at home, but a little sip at the winery can tell you how your own supply is coming along.  But given the limited case lots...you're better off playing the tasting game with your home supply.

BRRRRRR....

Are little friends the wine vines are dormant this time, and a good thing too.  We humans however still have to deal with this chilly weather.  Just keep in mind that wine never sleeps.  Even at this time of year our local wineries are releases some fun young wines from the 2011 vintage.

Case in point is the new release of Glaser Vineyard's 2011 Merlot Nouveau.  According to their email:  "It is bursting with luscious fruit, perfect for a holiday gift or festivities. There is a limited supply of forty cases, and it should be noted that this particular product is best enjoyed in the next six months."

So no excuses.  Get out to your local winery.  And if you come on one of my tours you'll enjoy some warm mulled wine!

Plenty to be Thankful for!

Here in the Umpqua Valley AVA, we are blessed with a climate and soils that produce World-Class wines.  I came here nearly 5 years ago to live among the vines and enjoy the wines that they provide.  I have not been disappointed!

I want to thank all those that have supported the efforts of Oregon Wine Country Tours over the years.  The driving force behind the tours has always been the incredible people who share my passion for wine. Thanks for your efforts!

EVOE! Shout it out!

EVOE! the joyous cry of the ancient Bacchanalians at festivals honoring Bacchus, the god of wine.  What ever happened to our wine gods?  There was a time that you could worship wine.
Yet in recent history our Nation outlawed the making and selling of wine...what a change in attitudes.


Love it or leave it seems to be the dividing line these days.  Catholics believe that the very blood of Christ is found in the Sacramental wine.  On the other hand the Muslim faith won't allow a drop of wine to wet your lips.  The point is, of course, is that wine is something everyone must decide on; is it evil or is it blessed?


You have probably guessed by now which side of the debate I am on.  Wine for me is a matter of lifestyle and life.  The ancient symbolism of the grape is not lost on me.  Meet me in the woods and we'll raise a cry to Bacchus together:  EVOE!

Is it Wine Yet??

The image at the left is what I've been staring at for the past week!  For the uninitiated, this is the guts of a bladder wine press.  This is what you get after you press the juice off the skins.  And I can tell you from experience that this press was making a Rosé, as the skins are red.  Normally, red wine is not pressed initially but after fermentation.

Yes, Harvest is at hand.  Some of our warmer sites, here in the Umpqua Valley have already harvested the early ripening varities, such as Pinot Gris and Müller Thurgau.  Other cooler sites are giving the fruit a few more weeks to gain as much ripeness as possible.  All in all, the news is better than we had expected given the cold wet Spring. 

This is a great time to visit the local wineries.  Just keep in mind that you may not get a lot of attention from the winemaker!  Yet it is fun to see the process of winemaking in action.  Stay out of the way but enjoy the flurry of activity!

Wine Glasses

Let me get right to the point.  Good wine glasses make a huge difference in the quality of the tasting experience.  And don't take my word for it.  Here's what one famous wine critic has to say:  "The effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound. I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make." (Robert M. Parker, Jr. The Wine Advocate)

You may be interested in knowing that this notion of specific glasses for specific wines is a rather recent development in the wine world.  It was in the late 1950's that this revolutionary idea was developed.  Professor Claus J. Riedel was the first designer to recognize that the bouquet, taste, balance and finish of wines are affected by the shape of the glass from which they are drunk.

The glass pictured will run you $100+ !  And holds, if you dare, more than a bottle of wine!  But you can get by spending around $10- $20 a stem.  You will want a nice red glass, a white glass, and a flute for your sparkling wines.  Just make sure they are crystal glasses, as they do make a difference.