Applegate Valley
Location: Applegate Valley is a
sub-appellation of the larger Rogue Valley AVA
in SouthernOregon. It stretches 50 miles north from the
California border to the Rogue River just west of Grants Pass.
Wine history: Applegate Valley's wine
history began in 1852 when an early area settler named Peter Britt
planted wine grapes. In 1873, he opened Valley View Winery,
Oregon's first official winery. Valley View closed in 1907, then
prohibition hit. It wasn't until the 1970s, after modern pioneers
began discovering the neighboring areas' quality wine growing
conditions, that Applegate Valley experienced a resurgence of
winemaking. It began with a few family-run wineries that planted
their roots and opened their doors. Today, this area is an
important winegrowing region turning out a diversity of
high-quality wines. The appellation became official in 2001.
Climate: Applegate Valley has a moderate
climate that generally enjoys a warm, dry (just 25.2 inches of
annual rain) growing season with hot days and cool nights perfect
for warm-climate varieties.
Soils: Applegate Valley's soil types are
typically granite in origin, and most of the area's vineyards are
planted on stream terraces or alluvial fans, providing deep,
well-drained soils that are ideal for high-quality wine grapes.
Topography: Applegate Valley is
surrounded by the Siskiyou Mountains, which were created by
up-thrusts of the ocean floor as a plate forced its way under the
continental shelf. The Siskiyou National Forest borders the
Applegate Valley to the west, and the Rogue River National Forest
to the east. Vineyards are typically grown at higher elevations up
to 2,000 feet.
Predominant varieties
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Syrah
- Chardonnay
While you're here...
This area of Southern Oregon is home to a pair of award-winning
festivals celebrating music and theater: The Britt Festival in
historic Jacksonville and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in
Ashland. Both towns, in addition to Medford, offer upscale,
market-fresh restaurants, charming inns and bed and breakfasts,
cafés and boutique shopping. Nearby are wilderness areas and
mountains for hiking and skiing, North America's deepest lake,
Crater Lake, the legendary Rogue River, which offers incredible
fishing, white water rafting and jet boat excursions, and there are
more than ten public golf courses to choose from. In the sleepy
town of Central Point is the famous Rogue Creamery, which produces
one of the world's greatest blue cheeses, among other flavors.
Swing in and buy a sampler before visiting Applegate Valley's
tasting rooms.
Below are some links to help you plan your trip.
Applegate Valley Wine Trail
Life slows a pace or two in the picturesque Applegate Valley.
Small wineries with big wines can be found all along the meandering
roads and rivers. Come meet our grape growers, step into their
vineyards and share a glass of wine. If you haven't visited the
Applegate Wine Trail, then you haven't truly experienced southern
Oregon wine country.
Southern Oregon Winery Association
A visit to a winery in Southern Oregon can involve much more
than just tasting wine. Located in beautiful valleys with stunning
vistas, a family member or winemaker may be pouring wine in the
tasting room, or be nearby to share stories and special wines with
you. Many wines are only available at the winery or have very
limited distribution, so be sure to take some wines home to share
your discovery of Southern Oregon wineries with friends and
family.
Travel Oregon - Southern Oregon Page
Southern Oregon offers some of the state's most refined and
rugged adventures. On the one hand there's the Tony-Award winning
Shakespeare Festival in Ashland and the visits to the nearby
vineyards, chocolatiers, and cheese makers, and of course the fine
restaurants that serve the fruits of their labor.