Find the perfect holiday treat for cooks, gourmands and wine drinkers.
With its rich agricultural heritage, wine and cheese production, and award-winning food businesses, Southern Oregon welcomes food lovers to enjoy wineries, restaurants, farmers markets and boutique shops. It also makes it easy to share the joy with food-loving friends back home. Here is a guide to some of our favorite food gifts, from charcuterie baskets to immersive culinary experiences.
Baskets of Local Flavor
While wine tasting in the Umpqua Valley, pick up provisions for a charcuterie board to share back at home. Start with smoked salami and jerky at McClendon’s Meats in Roseburg and stop at Lehne Farms’ farmstand for pickles or fruit. Add fresh mini boules from the Oregon Sourdough Co. and a bottle of locally grown olive oil from River Ranch Oregon Olive Oil in nearby Glide.
Create a basket for someone with a sweet tooth filled with local favorites. In Grants Pass, there’s fresh-baked cookies from G.G. Sugarplum’s Bakeshop or a box of rocky road from Sandi’s Candies & Fudgery, plus some baking utensils from The Kitchen Company, all downtown. Be sure to stop by Pennington Farms for a bountiful selection of homemade preserves if you’re touring the Applegate Valley. And it’s always thoughtful to include lavender-scented specialties like caramels, tea or cocoa mix from online shop at Applegate’s The English Lavender Farm — be sure to come back to the area in summer for fresh U-pick and festivals here and elsewhere along the Southern Oregon Lavender Trail.
If your travels take you to the Rogue Valley, consider a good morning basket for a local friend. Browse the huge selection at Medford’s iconic Harry & David’s Country Village store, famous for its pear boxes and Moose Munch popcorn. Add a bag of locally roasted coffee with a pair of homemade coffee mugs from GoodBean Coffee in Jacksonville and goodies from Coquette Bakery in Central Point. Stop by the Fry Family Farm Store or Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market — both open through the holidays — for farm-fresh jams and honey.
For more savory options, you’ll find every type of blue cheese at the renowned Rogue Creamery. If you’d rather let others craft a gift basket, there’s a selection of its award-wining cheeses for a range of budgets — including the celebrated Rogue River Blue and excellent aged cheddar — in the shop or online. Consider adding a Rogue Creamery Cheese Club membership, so your loved one can enjoy artisan cheeses all year long. If you’re planning to take home a wedge or two or specialty cold cuts from Cartwright’s Market (with locations in Medford and Grants Pass), add a bottle of Joey’s Hot Sauce — a local favorite — or include small-batch spreads like roasted-onion and fig jam from Vintner’s Kitchen.
You’ll find even more options as you visit shops and places to wine and dine along the Great Umpqua Food Trail and the Rogue Valley Food Trail.
Wine Shopping 101
Nothing complements a basket of local goodies better than a bottle of Oregon wine. The Rogue, Umpqua and Applegate valleys are home to more than 150 wineries producing over 70 grape varietals.
Shipping wine home or to a loved one is a great idea. Most wineries will ship to almost any state in the U.S. If you’re flying Alaska Airlines in or out of Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport, Oregon wine flies free! Mileage Plan members can check up to a full case of Oregon-made wine at no charge when traveling within the U.S. from Oregon, Washington, Idaho or California. Just ask your favorite winery for a sturdy shipping box to keep those bottles safe for the trip home.
For bottle shops offering wine from all over Southern Oregon, you’ve got your pick. Partake in Grants Pass — known for its farm-to-table winemaker dinners — offers an excellent selection of retail wine. The cozy Jacksonville Inn’s wine lounge features wine flights as well as a curated selection of retail bottles. Good Juice in Ashland and Local Vines Wine Bar in Medford have knowledgeable staff who can help you discover the perfect Umpqua, Applegate or Rogue valley wines. Medford’s flagship Harry & David store also has a large selection of local wines to choose from.
Culinary Festivals and Experiences
Southern Oregon’s events, like the spring Oregon Cheese Festival in Central Point or fall Fermentopia Festival in Phoenix, make for great experiences to share with your food-loving bestie.
Plan a romantic spring weekend with the Oregon Chocolate Festival in Ashland each March or Medford’s Pear Blossom Festival in April, a community favorite since 1954. Pair these celebrations with food-focused experiences like dinner theater at Oregon Cabaret Theatre in Ashland, a Hellgate Jetboat Excursions dinner cruise from Grants Pass or a beginner-friendly cooking class at Delish Bakery in Medford.
