Roseburg, Ore., and Aranda de Duero, Spain, have many similarities.

And Monday, they created one more common bond.

A couple of dozen people gathered near the future site of Southern Oregon Wine Institute's viticulture and enology winery teaching building to dedicate a new street to one of Roseburg's sister cities, Aranda de Duero.

“This is a tangible symbol of the sister-city relationship between Roseburg and Spain,” said Hans-Dieter (“H.D.”) Honscheid, president of the Roseburg Aranda Connection program, before a sign was unveiled marking the new street.

The street will eventually be the driveway to the planned winery teaching building at Umpqua Community College.

Honscheid said the cities that lie on different sides of the world share an agricultural heritage, particularly in sheep raising and wine growing.

“I understand there's even a timber industry around Aranda,” he added. As Honscheid spoke, John Olson, son of the winemaker at Palotai Vineyard and Winery, softly played classical guitar beside him.

Earl Jones, owner of Abacela Winery, called the dedication “highly symbolic.”

“This may be the shortest street in town,” said Jones, as the crowd gathered on a short completed section of what will be a longer driveway. “But the symbolism is inversely proportionate to the road we're standing on.”

Jones, whose winery is known for its Spanish wine, tempranillo, said someone at a Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce meeting about seven or eight years ago suggested Roseburg seek a relationship with a Spanish wine-growing city.

In 2006, local residents started talking to representatives of the Spanish city about developing a sister city relationship. Then in January 2007, both cities signed a document cementing that relationship.

Since then, several individuals and groups from the Roseburg area have visited the city in north central Spain. The Umpqua Singers of Umpqua Community College have performed there. Last year, about 30 students from Cobb Street School visited.

UCC president Blaine Nisson said he thought the sister-city relationship could foster exchanges between viticulture and enology students on both sides of the Atlantic.

“I feel the relationship will long produce fruit of our labor,” Nisson said.

He also welcomed architects from the Portland-based architectural firm of Fletcher, Farr and Ayotte, Inc., who designed the winery teaching building. A drawing of the proposed building was displayed at the event.

After the ceremony, the guests gathered under a white tent on top of the hill where the winery teaching building will be built. They nibbled on tapas — Spanish hors d'oeuvres — and sipped wine.

Jones said he's visited Aranda de Duero four or five times. “I loved it,” he said. “I loved it because it's so old, so different. ... I can feel the history there.”

But he also noted the similarities. The two cities have an almost identical climate.

“That's almost a surety in and of itself we can grow the same grapes they can to the same level or similar level of quality,” Jones said.

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