Sample world-class wines in Southern Oregon’s history-making Umpqua region.
When Richard Sommer planted Oregon’s very first pinot noir vines at HillCrest Vineyard in the Umpqua Valley near Roseburg in 1961, the experts said he would never succeed. Boy, were they wrong.
Over the following decades, winegrowers have flocked to the valleys and hillsides around the Umpqua River, which was recognized as an official American Viticultural Area in 1984. Today it’s a great place to learn exactly why Oregon is such a special place to grow grapes and make and taste wine. It’s also packed with plenty of other culinary delights, from organic farms to specialty coffee roasters, which you can experience on the Great Umpqua Food Trail. Here’s how to plan a perfect wine-tasting getaway to the Umpqua Valley.
Getting Oriented in the Umpqua
The Umpqua River flows 111 miles from the Cascade mountains northeast of Roseburg to the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, it carves through broad valleys, deep forests and more than 150 different soil types thanks to the region’s unique location at the confluence of three different mountain ranges.
That varied landscape means a vast range of different grape varieties can thrive here. Tempranillo, syrah, pinot noir, pinot gris and riesling are the most common, but more than 40 different types of grapes are planted here in cool- and warm-weather sites. It all adds up to an astonishing diversity of wines available to taste, from elegant light-bodied sparklers to brooding reds and everything in between — including Oregon’s first and most extensive plantings of tempranillo.
Wineries here are generally laid-back and casual, but it’s still a good idea to call ahead and reserve for tastings, especially in the winter when some tasting rooms are open less frequently. Ready to get going? Hit the road with your designated driver, a paper map — reception can be iffy on backcountry roads — and a cooler stocked with snacks and water. Or book a tour with Experience Umpqua to sit back, relax and let somebody else handle the logistics.
Diverse Tastes in and Near Roseburg
In downtown Roseburg, Paul O’Brien Winery launched in 2013 as the Umpqua’s first urban winery. Grapes sourced from eight different vineyards across the valley mean maximum diversity for your sampling pleasure. South of town, no wine-tasting trip to the Umpqua Valley is complete without a stop at Abacela, Oregon’s influential tempranillo pioneer. Book a seated tasting here to learn more about why Spanish grapes do particularly well in this area through a guided flight of wines, and don’t forget to take home a bottle of the sumptuous port.
Just west of Sutherlin, Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards transports visitors to Europe with its ornate wine cave, complete with arched ceilings and frescoes. Don’t miss the award-winning grüner veltliner — Reustle-Prayer Rock was the first to plant this Austrian variety in the United States.
Small-Town Sips in Elkton and Oakland
At the far northwestern edge of the Umpqua Valley AVA in the foothills of the Coast Range, small-town Elkton was once an important trading post at Fort Umpqua on the Umpqua River. Now known for its wine, the area is so distinctive, it even got its own sub-AVA in 2013. Long, cool summers mean grapes mature slowly here, developing lots of flavor while hanging onto their acidity. You can taste several wines in a yurt at Haines Creek Vineyard, including pinot gris, riesling and gewürztraminer as well as pinot noir, or stop by Elkton’s first winery, River’s Edge, which offers interesting varietals like aligoté and baco noir (both wine and port versions). Awardwinning Brandborg Vineyard & Winery has a tasting room in downtown Elkton — perfect for a flight on the dog-friendly patio. Fans of European varietals should also plan a visit to Lexème’s new tasting room six miles south of Elkton, slated to open in Fall 2025.
In quaint Oakland, you’ll find a historic downtown and several tasting rooms. Triple Oak Vineyard grows its grapes outside of Oakland, but you can taste its wines at the Triple Oak Wine Vault in a historic bank building downtown. Sample the house tempranillo and pinot noir or wines from other local producers. At Spire Mountain Cellars in the foothills of Tyee Mountain nearby, snuggle up to a woodstove in the renovated barn tasting room. Enjoy library pours of tempranillo and pinot noir alongside an Oregon cheese plate. For a wine-tasting getaway, head to nearby Meadows Estate Vineyard & Winery. Owners Dexter and Marilyn Meadows steward 17 acres of grapes, including pinot noir, syrah, viognier, tempranillo and chardonnay. Though the tasting room is open to all, it’s even better to stay — gather a dozen of your closest friends and book the five-bedroom Meadows Estate farmhouse on-site.
