The Umpqua Valley’s wine scene continues to flourish, as the area’s first wine bar recently opened and two new wineries plan to open their doors sometime this spring.

Becker Vineyard, a small, family-run winery, opened earlier this month. Julianna Vineyards, a 22-acre estate winery, plans to hold its grand opening later this spring.

Both newcomers to the area’s burgeoning wine industry will be in the Garden Valley area, north of Roseburg, said Janelle Wilde, executive secretary of the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Association.

The two wineries boost the number of local wineries to 18, Wilde said. About 50 to 60 vineyards operate locally.

The small city of Elkton, 38 miles northwest of Roseburg, has become a hub of the local winery world. With the recent opening of Anindor Vineyards, four wineries cluster there. That translates to about one winery for every 60 residents in the city of 245 people.

The options for places to taste wine also grew with the opening of Noir wine bar in downtown Roseburg. “It’s given people an outlet to maybe taste wines and try different wines,” including local wines, Wilde said.

Another exciting development looms on the horizon, she added. Umpqua Community College, which has been offering weekend classes in viticulture and enology, plans to start its “full-blown” viticulture and enology program in the fall.

Visitors looking to taste a variety of wines from the Land of Umpqua, as well as the fare of local restaurants, may attend The Greatest of the Grape on March 21, 2009.

Information: www.umpquavalleywineries.org.

ABACELA WINERY

Earl and Hilda Jones sought a location where they could craft Spanish tempranillo wine.

They needed dry summers and cool winters to cultivate the essence of the grape. They found it in Winston and planted the grape in 1995.

Abacela has become known for its deeply colored wines with intense varietal character. Its 2005 Estate Tempranillo won the People’s Choice Award for the best red wine at The Greatest of the Grape earlier this year.

The tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for major holidays. To reach the winery, take Exit 119 off Interstate 5, to Winston. Turn right on Lookingglass Road and follow for about two miles to Abacela at 12500 Lookingglass Road.

Information: 679-6642 or see the Web site www.abacela.com.

ANINDOR VINEYARDS

Rod and Nina Pace searched for six years for a prime spot to produce high-quality wine. They settled on an area in the Misty Hills of the Umpqua Valley, 1.5 miles south of Elkton.

The winery produces pinot noir, pinot gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. It is at 1171 Vintage Drive, Elkton. The tasting room is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Memorial Day.

Information: 584-2637 or www.Anindor.com.

BECKER VINEYARD

Charlie Becker has always dreamed of having a vineyard and a winery, says his wife Peggy. That dream became a reality when the winery recently opened.

The couple planted grapes “on (their) hands and knees” nine years ago. Some of the results — a pinot gris, which tied for first runner-up at The Greatest of Grape, and a pinot noir rosé — are now available.

Visitors also may taste a pinot noir, which will be ready in the fall. The winery plans to release its syrah and cabernet sauvignon in the fall as well.

Peggy said she and her husband still hold onto their day jobs, for now. “We’re a young vineyard. It’s very exciting and we’re almost there.”

Once it opens, the winery will be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends and holidays. It is at 360 Klahowya Lane. To get there, head north on Garden Valley Road, then right onto Upper Cleveland Rapids Road and then right onto Klahowya.

Information: 677-0288 and www.beckerwine.com.

BRADLEY VINEYARDS

John and Bonnie Bradley have been growing grapes in Elkton since 1983. They opened their winery Memorial Day 2006.

Their first vintage was in 2001. Bradley Vineyards produces pinot noir, a dry and an off-dry Riesling and a baco noir. Its rosé, Umpqua Rose, has proven particularly popular with locals, John Bradley said.

The wines have earned praise and awards, including honors at The Greatest of the Grape. The tasting room is next to the vineyards and there is a wedding venue that overlooks the grapes on the vine.

After Memorial Day, the winery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. It is open other times by appointment. It is at 1000 Azalea Drive, one mile south of Elkton.

Information: 584-2888 or 584-2464 or www.bradleyvineyards.coms.

BRANDBORG WINERY

Terry and Sue Brandborg opened their Elkton winery in 2002, believing they had found the ideal place to grow cool-climate grapes.

Since then, Brandborg Vineyard and Winery has won local and out-of-state awards for several of its varietals, including a 2002 Umpqua Valley Pinot Gris. Locally, its 2006 Love Puppets Pinot Noir earned a gold medal at The Greatest of the Grape earlier this year.

Brandborg’s wines are handcrafted with minimal intervention, and from all local grapes, chosen to best exemplify the wine’s flavor.

The tasting room is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and plays host to musical and social events throughout the year. It is located at 345 First St. in Elkton.

Information: 584-2870 or www.brandborgvineyardandwinery.com.

GIRARDET WINE CELLARS

The winery’s founders, Bonnie and Philippe Girardet, are considered among the founders of the state’s winemaking industry.

The family-owned and operated winery started when Philippe Girardet planted his first vineyards in 1971 and bottled his first vintage in 1982. Today, his son Marc handles winemaking duties.

Located in Tenmile, Girardet Wine Cellars features 35 acres across a shale hillside offering more than 30 varietals. Its 2006 Baco Noir won the People’s Choice Award at The Greatest of the Grape.

With a picnic area overlooking the vineyards, the winery is at 895 Reston Road. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers two wine clubs. The winery is closed on major holidays.

Information: 679-7252 or www.girardetwine.com.

HENRY ESTATE WINERY

Henry Estate wines are sold in 24 states and several foreign countries. Its pinot noir is one of only a few Oregon wines to break into the Chinese market; three of its wines have even been sold at hotels and restaurants at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Located west of Sutherlin in Umpqua, Henry Estate Winery is one mile west of the Umpqua Store, at 687 Hubbard Creek Road. The tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for major holidays and Super Bowl Sunday.

Henry Estate also holds the Henry Goes Wine Festival each year on the third Saturday in August. The winery features a view of Coles Valley and Tyee Mountain, with a picnic area and memory garden.

Information: 459-5120, (800) 782-2686 or www.henryestate.com.

HILLCREST VINEYARD

Dyson and Susan DeMara bought Oregon’s oldest varietal winery in 2003. Since then, they’ve worked to uphold its tradition while also creating their own legacy.

The couple previously ran a vineyard in Napa, Calif., and Dyson worked for the Robert Mondavi Winery. They came to Oregon so they could focus on small lots of handcrafted wines.

Pioneer grape grower Richard Sommer first planted wine grapes at HillCrest in 1961. It was the state’s first post-prohibition winery.

The DeMaras produce cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, Riesling, zinfandel, viognier and syrah, and also have a selection of “library wines.”

Tours and wine tasting are offered 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, year-round, except major holidays. HillCrest Vineyard is at 240 Vineyard Lane, 10 miles west of Interstate 5, Exit 125, in Roseburg.

Information: 673-3709.

JULIANNA VINEYARDS

The owners spent 30 years traveling the world, learning about wines and wine styles. But they still rely on “classic American spirit” to produce super-distinct wines, according to the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Association.

They plan to make those wines available to the public sometime this spring. The 22-acre estate winery produces cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, semillon, sauvignon blanc and chenin blanc, all from grapes grown on vines that are more than 25 years old.

The winery also makes merlot, Riesling and the French hybrid marechal foch.

The winery is at 707 Hess Lane, along the Umpqua River. Once the winery opens, tasting room hours will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Labor Day.

Information: 677-9251 and http://www.juliannavineyards.com.

MARSHANNE LANDING

Greg and Fran Cramer opened MarshAnne Landing in Oakland in 2003. In 2006 they expanded in a big way.

The Cramers built a new 2,400-square-foot wine cellar and a 1,000-square-foot tasting room. The outside looks rustic, but the inside has the feel of an art gallery. It includes a fireplace alcove and high ceilings inside and a covered deck outside.

Visitors can expect to sample unique wines, such as the Red Planet 2003, a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot.

MarshAnne Landing is located off Interstate 5 at the Metz Hill exit. Its address is 175 Hogan Road and it’s open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday from May to October. It also opens 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends from March-April and November-December.

Information: 459-7998 or www.marshannelanding.com.

MELROSE VINEYARDS

Owners Wayne and Deedy Parker moved from Fresno, Calif., because they said the Umpqua environment was the best they could find for growing high-quality grapes.

Their winery is a renovated 100-year-old barn with a stunning view, courtesy of the back deck overlooking the lawn and 150 acres of grapes.

Tours are available as are tastings of new and current releases. Musical events are hosted at the winery throughout the year. They include a summer celebration and barbecue June 28, a crab feed July 13 and a harvest festival and grape stomp Sept. 20.

It is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Melrose Vineyards is located at 885 Melqua Road, off Melrose Road, in Roseburg.

Information: 672-6080 or www.melrosevineyards.com.

MISTY OAKS VINEYARD

Steve and Christy Simmons moved from Alaska to Douglas County in 2002 to follow their wine-producing dreams.

The couple have planted 15 acres of grapes. Their property provides a variety of microclimates and they grow a variety of grapes, from pinot noir to cabernet franc and malbec.

They opened their tasting room Memorial Day 2007. Their 1,000-case-per-year winery held its first crush in September 2007.

New releases of the winery’s award-winning Gobblers Knob, a red wine blend, will be available Memorial Day weekend. The varietal’s name comes from an area in the vineyard where turkeys like to roost, Steve Simmons said.

Misty Oaks is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Memorial Day through the end of November. It is located at 1310 Misty Oaks Lane, Oakland.

Information: 459-3558 or www.mistyoaksvineyard.com.

PALOTAI VINEYARD & WINERY

The flavor of Europe’s old country was brought to Roseburg by Gabor Palotai when he opened his boutique winery in 2003.

Gabor, a native Hungarian, embraced the tradition of fine wine at a young age.

Palotai offers a popular red-wine blend called Bull’s Blood, a traditional Hungarian wine dating back to the 1500s. It also produces Meritage, syrah, pinot noir, chardonnay and Riesling.

Palotai’s 2004 Estate Syrah was named the Greatest of the Grape in 2007.

The tasting room is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday or by appointment. Palotai Vineyard and Winery is located at 272 Capital Lane, off Old Garden Valley Road near River Forks Park in Roseburg.

Information: 464-8127 and www.palotaiwines.com.

REUSTLE-PRAYER ROCK VINEYARD

Gloria and Stephen Reustle worked for five years on starting their winery before opening in April 2006.

The couple, originally from New York City, moved to Douglas County in 2001 to retire — and start growing grapes.

Reustle-Prayer Rock offers a pinot noir, syrah, dry Riesling and tempranillo. It introduced Grüner Veltliner as a new varietal in the United States.

There is no bar for tasting — instead, there’s an antique dining room table. The family wanted to create a family atmosphere where people can taste wine, nibble on appetizers and get to know each other.

The winery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It is located at 960 Cal Henry Road, Roseburg, next to the Norris Farms.

Information: 459-6060 or www.reustlevineyards.com.



RIVER’S EDGE WINERY

Vonnie and Mike Landt use two estate vineyards in the northernmost part of the Umpqua Valley for their wines.

Elkton Vineyard and Black Oak Vineyard were planted in 1972, making them among Oregon’s oldest.

Rivers Edge specializes in pinot noir and also produces Gewürztraminer and pinot gris. The house specialty is employing a low-technology, hands-on approach to winemaking. The simple techniques aim to preserve the best characteristics of the grape.

The winery overlooks the Umpqua River and the tasting room is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily throughout the summer. It opens from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday the rest of the year.

River’s Edge Winery is located on Highway 38 and River Drive, Elkton.

Information: 584-2357 or www.riversedgewinery.com.

SIENNA RIDGE ESTATE

This Oakland winery joined the Umpqua Valley ranks in 2006. Sienna Ridge Estate is owned by Wayne Hitchings.

Sienna Ridge offers a number of varietals. The winery has pinot noir, pinot gris, pinot blanc, chardonnay, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, Riesling and Gewürztraminer, along with a late harvest Riesling and late harvest Gewürztraminer.

Its Gewürztraminer was first runner-up for the People’s Choice Award at The Greatest of the Grape this year. Its pinot blanc rated a gold medal at the Newport Seafood and Wine Festival.

Sienna Ridge Estate is at 1876 John Long Road. It is open from noon to 6 p.m. daily.

Information: 849-3300.

SPANGLER VINEYARDS

Patrick and Loree Spangler have made their mark in the Umpqua Valley since opening their winery in 2004.

The couple left Chicago to pursue running a winery and landed in Douglas County.

Spangler Vineyards earned double platinum honors from Wine Press Northwest’s Best of the Best in the Great Northwest competition in 2008 for its 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery recently started producing petite sirah.

Spangler Vineyards is at 491 Winery Lane, off Highway 42 in Green, a half-mile west of Interstate 5. The tasting room is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Information: 679-9654 or www.spanglervineyards.com.

WILD ROSE VINEYARD

Denise and Carlos Figueroa’s part-time wine business grew into a full-time winery in 2007.

The couple started their Dillard vineyard 12 years earlier. In 2002, they started bottling wine under their own label. Demand kept growing and Carlos decide to retire from teaching to operate the winery.

Wild Rose grows pinot gris and merlot grapes. It also produces cabernet sauvignon and soon will release its first pinot noir. The winery also makes a pinot gris port wine called Tears of the Rose.

The name of that wine and the winery comes from the fact that the Wild Rose property was literally covered in wild roses when they began growing grapes.

Wild Rose will hold its third annual benefit to raise money for Umpqua Community College students, including for scholarships, on May 31.

The winery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. It is at 375 Porter Creek Road, about two miles up Rice Creek Road in Dillard.

Information: 580-5488 or www.wildrosevineyard.com.



• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@newsreview.info.