Southern Oregon AVA
Encyclopedia
The Southern Oregon AVA, is an American Viticultural Area
which lies in Southern Oregon
, United States
. The Southern Oregon AVA was established in 2004, and was created to include the land of two smaller AVAs, the Rogue Valley AVA
and the Umpqua Valley AVA
. Southern Oregon AVA was established to allow the two principal winegrowing regions in the southern part of the state to market themselves jointly. This creation of a "super-AVA" is a departure from the trend in the Willamette Valley AVA
or northern Oregon of establishing smaller AVAs specific to a particular locale's climate
or soil
conditions.
within the Southern Oregon AVA is also located in one of these smaller regions. A small strip of connecting territory is included in the Southern Oregon AVA to make it a contiguous region, however, this strip passes through mountainous regions not suitable for viticulture. The AVA lies entirely within the southwest corner of the state, south of Eugene
and west of the Cascades, and consists of the river valleys of the Rogue
and Umpqua River
rivers and their tributaries.
The Umpqua Valley AVA
contains the drainage basin of the Umpqua River, excluding mountainous regions. It is a warmer climate than the Willamette Valley, but cooler than the Rogue Valley to the south. Grapes grown here include Pinot Noir
, with smaller amounts of Pinot Gris
, Cabernet Sauvignon
, Chardonnay
, and Riesling
, as well as several French-American hybrids.
is entirely contained within the Umpqua Valley AVA. This AVA includes 5500 acres (2,226 ha), and is located near Yoncalla
. Originally petitioned as the "Red Hill AVA", the proposed appellation brought protest from Willamette Valley vintners, where a region known as Red Hill is also located; the name of "Red Hill Douglas County" was instead chosen to avoid consumer confusion.
The Rogue Valley AVA
includes the drainage basin of the Rogue River
and several tributaries, including the Illinois River
, the Applegate River
, and Bear Creek. Most wineries in the region are found in the valleys formed by one of these three tributaries, rather than along the Rogue River itself. The region is 70 miles (112.7 km) wide by 60 miles (96.6 km) long (though much of the land within the AVA is not suitable for grape cultivation); there are fewer than 20 wineries with only 1100 acres (4.5 km²) planted. Each river valley has a unique terroir
, and grows different varieties of grapes. Overall, however, this region is the warmest and driest of Oregon's wine-growing regions.
, in the Red Buttes Wilderness
. The river flows generally northwest along the west side of the Klamath Mountains
, past Cave Junction
, Kerby
and through the Siskiyou National Forest. It joins the Rogue River from the south on the Curry
-Josephine county line, approximately 15 mi (24 km) from the Pacific Ocean
. The region is marked by high elevation, and is significantly influenced by marine climates. The region is well-suited for growing Burgundy
varietals, similar to those grown in the Willamette Valley
.
, established in 2000, is the only sub-AVA in the Rogue Valley AVA. The Applegate River
flows through the town of Applegate
and near the city of Jacksonville
, which was the location of Oregon's first winery (the winery has been restored and re-opened as Valley View Winery
). This region contains vineyards at altitudes ranging from 1000 feet (304.8 m) to 1500 feet (457.2 m) above sea level, and is warmer and drier than the Illinois Valley to the west, but less so than the Bear Creek Valley to the east.
Grapes that thrive here include Merlot
, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Zinfandel
, with Cabernet and Merlot being the dominant varietals.
and Ashland
. Here, the valley floor is 2000 feet (609.6 m) above sea level, and the climate is warm and dry. The climate of the Bear Creek Valley is similar to that of Bordeaux
, and it is well suited for cultivating varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc
, Pinot gris, Sauvignon blanc
, Malbec
and Syrah.
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
which lies in Southern Oregon
Southern Oregon
Southern Oregon is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon south of Lane County and generally west of the Cascade Range, excluding the southern Oregon Coast. Counties include Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, and Josephine. It includes the Southern Oregon American Viticultural Area, which consists of the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Southern Oregon AVA was established in 2004, and was created to include the land of two smaller AVAs, the Rogue Valley AVA
Rogue Valley AVA
The Rogue Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southern Oregon. The federal government approved this appellation in 1991. It is entirely contained within the larger Southern Oregon AVA and includes the drainage basin of the Rogue River and several tributaries, including the...
and the Umpqua Valley AVA
Umpqua Valley AVA
Part of the larger Southern Oregon AVA the Umpqua Valley American Viticultural Area is located entirely within Douglas County, Oregon. The official boundaries of the AVA are detailed in the United States of America Title 27 Chapter I Part 9 section 89. Grapes grown here include Pinot Noir, Pinot...
. Southern Oregon AVA was established to allow the two principal winegrowing regions in the southern part of the state to market themselves jointly. This creation of a "super-AVA" is a departure from the trend in the Willamette Valley AVA
Willamette Valley AVA
The Willamette Valley AVA , is an American Viticultural Area which lies in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The AVA is the wine growing region which encompasses the drainage basin of the Willamette River...
or northern Oregon of establishing smaller AVAs specific to a particular locale's climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
or soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
conditions.
Description
The Southern Oregon AVA is the union of the Umpqua Valley AVA and the Rogue Valley AVA, and all land suitable for grape cultivationViticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
within the Southern Oregon AVA is also located in one of these smaller regions. A small strip of connecting territory is included in the Southern Oregon AVA to make it a contiguous region, however, this strip passes through mountainous regions not suitable for viticulture. The AVA lies entirely within the southwest corner of the state, south of Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
and west of the Cascades, and consists of the river valleys of the Rogue
Rogue River (Oregon)
The Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States flows about in a generally westward direction from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act...
and Umpqua River
Umpqua River
The Umpqua River on the Pacific coast of Oregon in the United States is approximately long. One of the principal rivers of the Oregon Coast and known for bass and shad, the river drains an expansive network of valleys in the mountains west of the Cascade Range and south of the Willamette Valley,...
rivers and their tributaries.
Umpqua Valley AVA
Umpqua Valley AVA
Part of the larger Southern Oregon AVA the Umpqua Valley American Viticultural Area is located entirely within Douglas County, Oregon. The official boundaries of the AVA are detailed in the United States of America Title 27 Chapter I Part 9 section 89. Grapes grown here include Pinot Noir, Pinot...
contains the drainage basin of the Umpqua River, excluding mountainous regions. It is a warmer climate than the Willamette Valley, but cooler than the Rogue Valley to the south. Grapes grown here include Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
, with smaller amounts of Pinot Gris
Pinot gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
, Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, and Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
, as well as several French-American hybrids.
Red Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVA
The Red Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVARed Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVA
The Red Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Douglas County, Oregon, near the town of Yoncalla. It is entirely contained within the Umpqua Valley AVA, which is itself included within the larger Southern Oregon AVA...
is entirely contained within the Umpqua Valley AVA. This AVA includes 5500 acres (2,226 ha), and is located near Yoncalla
Yoncalla, Oregon
Yoncalla is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,052 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 1.61% is water.-Demographics:...
. Originally petitioned as the "Red Hill AVA", the proposed appellation brought protest from Willamette Valley vintners, where a region known as Red Hill is also located; the name of "Red Hill Douglas County" was instead chosen to avoid consumer confusion.
Rogue Valley AVA
Rogue Valley AVA
The Rogue Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southern Oregon. The federal government approved this appellation in 1991. It is entirely contained within the larger Southern Oregon AVA and includes the drainage basin of the Rogue River and several tributaries, including the...
includes the drainage basin of the Rogue River
Rogue River (Oregon)
The Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States flows about in a generally westward direction from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act...
and several tributaries, including the Illinois River
Illinois River (Oregon)
The Illinois River is a tributary, about long, of the Rogue River in the U.S. state of Oregon. It drains part of the Klamath Mountains in northern California and southwestern Oregon. The river's main stem begins at the confluence of its east and west forks near Cave Junction in southern Josephine...
, the Applegate River
Applegate River
The Applegate River is a long tributary of the Rogue River in the U.S. state of Oregon. It drains approximately . Rising in northern California, it soon crosses the border and flows northeast then northwest to meet the Rogue about west of Grants Pass...
, and Bear Creek. Most wineries in the region are found in the valleys formed by one of these three tributaries, rather than along the Rogue River itself. The region is 70 miles (112.7 km) wide by 60 miles (96.6 km) long (though much of the land within the AVA is not suitable for grape cultivation); there are fewer than 20 wineries with only 1100 acres (4.5 km²) planted. Each river valley has a unique terroir
Terroir
Terroir comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties...
, and grows different varieties of grapes. Overall, however, this region is the warmest and driest of Oregon's wine-growing regions.
Illinois Valley
The westernmost tributary is the Illinois River, which rises in southern Josephine CountyJosephine County, Oregon
Josephine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the county is probably named after a stream in the area called Josephine Creek, which in turn is probably named after Virginia Josephine Rollins Ort. In 2010, its population was 82,713...
, in the Red Buttes Wilderness
Red Buttes Wilderness
The Red Buttes Wilderness is a wilderness area in Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest in the U.S. states of Oregon and California. It comprises , approximately of which is located in California, and in Oregon...
. The river flows generally northwest along the west side of the Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
, past Cave Junction
Cave Junction, Oregon
Cave Junction, incorporated in 1948, is a city in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,883. Its motto is the "Gateway to the Oregon Caves," and the city got its name by virtue of its location at the junction of Redwood Highway and Caves Highway...
, Kerby
Kerby, Oregon
Kerby is an unincorporated community in Josephine County, Oregon, United States, north of Cave Junction on U.S. Route 199, Zip code 97531. Although the current population of...
and through the Siskiyou National Forest. It joins the Rogue River from the south on the Curry
Curry County, Oregon
Curry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. In 2010, its population was 22,364. The county is named for George Law Curry, a governor of the Oregon Territory. The seat of the county is Gold Beach.-Economy:...
-Josephine county line, approximately 15 mi (24 km) from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The region is marked by high elevation, and is significantly influenced by marine climates. The region is well-suited for growing Burgundy
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
varietals, similar to those grown in the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
.
Applegate Valley AVA
The Applegate Valley AVAApplegate Valley AVA
The Applegate Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southern Oregon. It is entirely contained within the Rogue Valley AVA, which is itself included within the larger Southern Oregon AVA. The region is named for the Applegate River, which flows through the town of Applegate and...
, established in 2000, is the only sub-AVA in the Rogue Valley AVA. The Applegate River
Applegate River
The Applegate River is a long tributary of the Rogue River in the U.S. state of Oregon. It drains approximately . Rising in northern California, it soon crosses the border and flows northeast then northwest to meet the Rogue about west of Grants Pass...
flows through the town of Applegate
Applegate, Oregon
Applegate is an unincorporated community in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It is located west of Medford on Oregon Route 238 and the Applegate River...
and near the city of Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Oregon
Jacksonville is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, a few miles west of Medford. It was named for Jackson Creek, which runs through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area. It includes Jacksonville Historic District which was designated a U.S....
, which was the location of Oregon's first winery (the winery has been restored and re-opened as Valley View Winery
Valley View Winery
Valley View Winery is a winery in the Applegate Valley AVA in Southern Oregon, United States. Started in 1972, Valley View is one of the oldest wineries in Oregon...
). This region contains vineyards at altitudes ranging from 1000 feet (304.8 m) to 1500 feet (457.2 m) above sea level, and is warmer and drier than the Illinois Valley to the west, but less so than the Bear Creek Valley to the east.
Grapes that thrive here include Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Zinfandel
Zinfandel
Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia , where it was introduced in the 18th century...
, with Cabernet and Merlot being the dominant varietals.
Bear Creek Valley
Bear Creek is the most populated of the Rogue River tributaries, as it flows through the cities of MedfordMedford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
and Ashland
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
. Here, the valley floor is 2000 feet (609.6 m) above sea level, and the climate is warm and dry. The climate of the Bear Creek Valley is similar to that of Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, and it is well suited for cultivating varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
, Pinot gris, Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
, Malbec
Malbec
Malbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are long known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. The French plantations of Malbec are now found primarily in Cahors in the South West...
and Syrah.