Rogue River Rafting & Wine Tour Returning to the Wild & Scenic this July!

Paddle by Day -  Sip Local Wines by Night

The second annual Rogue River Rafting & Wine Tour will return to the Wild & Scenic this July 18th-20th. Floating down the Rogue has never been better as Chris and I will be pairing Southern Oregon wines, cheeses and chocolates with Craig and Tina from Rogue River Outfitter's first-class hospitality.

Guests will enjoy three adventure-filled days paddling on the river and two comfortable nights in riverside lodges, the rustic Black Bear Lodge and the gorgeous Paradise Lodge.

Last year's trip featured the debut of our 2009 Syrah-Tempranillo along with wines from Troon Vineyard, Quady North Wines, God King Slave Wines, Del Rio Vineyards, Folin Cellars and Abacela paired with delicious meals prepared by our guides.

Our Testimonials from Last Year's Trip

We felt the selection of wines showcased some of the best from our region and we were so excited to share them with such eager wine enthusiasts. It was an incredible collaboration to enjoy the scenery and adventure of the iconic Rogue River with the wines that are produced in this valley. - Chris 

The scenery was beautiful, the wildlife was exciting, the river was thrilling, the food was exceptional, the lodging was comfortable, but the best part was the people, including the guides. We came together and are taking away lifelong memories. Wine has always been such an important tool in bringing people together and building lifelong friendships and this trip was no different. I hope we continue this trip for years to come and are able to share our regional wines in such a unique way. - Christine 

The tour was a highlight of our Summer and we hope you jump on board for round two! Won't you join us? 

Book Today!

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Vintage South - Southern Oregon Pivotal to Oregon WIne Industry

In case you missed Saturday's Mail Tribune front-page story Vintage South by Janet Eastman, here is your second chance to read about Southern Oregon's progression in the Oregon wine industry after last week's Oregon Wine Industry Symposium.

Mail Tribune / Jamie Lusch

 Southern Oregon Will Play Pivotal Role in Oregon's Branding

A few of my favorite points:

• Regions that rely on one wine can suffer when that grape goes out of favor. "There is a folly to hitching your wagon to one varietal," said Martin, who owns Troon Vineyard in Grants Pass and sells zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, syrah, viognier, sauvignon blanc and blended wines.
• "Southern Oregon is our insurance policy," said Joe Dobbes, one of the state's larger producers with Dobbes Family Estate wines and the lower-cost Wine by Joe.
• "The quality of the grapes has improved over time," Dobbes said. "They are planting the right grapes and clones in the right spots. It takes time to figure that out."
• "It was the best conference I've been to in the industry," said Christine Collier, a former Willamette Valley Vineyards employee who now works for Troon and bottles tempranillo under her own label, God King Slave. "It felt so collaborative and 'brand Oregon,' instead of 'brand Willamette Valley.' "
• Speaker Rob McMillan, founder of Silicon Valley Bank's wine division, predicts a 7 to 11 percent growth in the fine wine category across the nation and said that Oregon is getting back in balance between supply and demand. Kurt Lotspeich of Trium wines in Talent said it was the most positive report he's heard in five years.
• Southern Oregon University climatologist Greg Jones gave a presentation on last year's tough harvest and his forecast that this will be a "recovery" year with a warmer summer. Afterward, he was standing in the middle of the convention hall amid a sea of 140 vendors.
• SOWA's Martin said that direct-to-consumer sales have increased 50 percent in Oregon. "That's impressive," he said, "but there is a limit to that. It won't keep growing at that rate. So we have to go on the road and take the conversation to the next step, that we make great pinot noir, but also other varietals."
• Sam Tannahill of A to Z Wineworks in Dundee, who buys sangiovese from Del Rio Vineyards as well as pinot noir and pinot gris from the Moores and Aguila Vineyard, spoke at Wednesday's general session called Oregon Wine in the Eyes of the World. "People like diversity," he told the audience. "They don't want to drink pinot noir every day of the week. If they like the wines of Oregon and they don't feel like a pinot noir, they will try a syrah, pinot gris or chardonnay."

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Viva La España!

In just a few hours we will be boarding a plane to Espana! I (Christine) was becoming increasingly anxious since we hadn't planned any of the 12 day escape beyond our flight. But, once I looked up the quaint village and winery we will be headquartered at, my stress was eased.

We will be flying into Barcelona and heading southwest to the Priorat region, which many consider Spain's most exciting and up-and-coming winegrowing appellation. Chris's friend, Albert works as the assistant winemaker at his family's winery, Vall Llach. To our pleasant surprise, Vach Llach is one of the leading producers in Priorat (even named on Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 List of 2011). They make three red blends from 60-90 year old Cariñena, Granacha, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah vines. Chris and Albert met this past Spring working harvest in New Zealand's Marlborough region and spent an additional week traveling the islands.

Outside of winery visits, we hope to take in as many of the recommendations our new friends, Thomas and Kate, from Divison Winemaking Company graciously gave us as their top eats in Barcelona and the six cheeses Tom from the Rogue Creamery suggested to seek out.

We are packing four bottles of our wine to share with our host and new friends.

We can't wait to share our experience with you.

Salud!

Chris & Christine

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Young Winemakers of Oregon Tour

A month or so ago, I was at the gym when an idea struck me. Let's get other young winemakers together and celebrate the future of Oregon wine. And so it begins...

Experience the NEW AGE of Oregon wine in the first leg of the Young Winemakers of Oregon Tour.

Saturday, September 24th
5:30-8:30 pm
Corkscrew Wine Bar in SE Portland

The night will feature three hot new wine brands from three distinct Oregon regions:

Fausse Piste- Jesse Skiles is celebrating the Rhone in a different kind of Way. In 2008, at the age of 24, Skiles departed as the Chef at Owen Roe Winery to develop Fausse Piste, a boutique Rhone based wine label using vineyards from across Washington and Oregon. Jesse’s has acquired a strong following and hopes to open a Tasting Room in the heart of Portland in the near future.

God King Slave Wines - At 24 and 27 years old, Christine Collier & Chris Jiron, have released their inaugural wine, a Syrah-Tempranillo blend from the Rogue Valley. Their mission to “Create like a God. Command like a King. Work like a Slave.” is bringing new energy to the Southern Oregon wine industry.

Brigadoon Wine Company- Having caught the winemaking bug at an early age, Matt Shown has been working in the vineyards since he was 8 years old. Matt will be showcasing the Pinot Noirs and Pinot Blanc his family are committed to making.
Enjoy the lineup from these three producers for just $10 (waived with case purchase).

The Young Winemakers of Oregon Tour will be a traveling series showcasing young winemakers from around the state.

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Our #1 Competitor - Chateau Miller

I think we should just withdraw our hat from the ring after watching this video on Chateau Miller.

How could we ever compete with the quality of vineyard sites,  clonal selection, winemaking and market response?

Chris and I came across this hilarious parody tonight and had to share it with you. My tummy still hurts from laughing. 

- Christine Collier (yeah, that's French)

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Wine Release Party!

Join us at our favorite local restaurant for a very monumental event. 

- Chris & Christine

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Will Row for Wine

Twenty-two bottles of Southern Oregon wine floated the Wild and Scenic portion of the Rogue River this July 20th-22nd. Only empties returned thanks to the guests attending the first annual Rogue River Rafting & Wine Tour hosted by Rogue River Outfitters. 


Guests enjoyed two nights and three days on the river paddling by day and sipping local wines by night. Rogue River Outfitters approached Chris and I to select and present the wines to pair with the evening meals. The wines selected for the trip included Troon Vineyard “The River Guide” Dry Riesling, Quady North Cabernet Franc, Del Rio Vineyards Viognier, Folin Cellars Tempranillo, Abacela Port, and the inaugural release of God King Slave.

It was an incredible collaboration to enjoy the scenery and adventure of the iconic Rogue River with the wines that are produced in this valley. - Chris Jiron

The scenery was beautiful, the wildlife was exciting, the river was thrilling, the food was exceptional, the lodging was comfortable, but the best part was the people, including the guides. We came together and are taking away lifelong memories. Wine has always been such an important tool in bringing people together and building lifelong friendships and this trip was no different. I hope we continue this trip for years to come and are able to share our regional wines in such a unique way. - Christine Collier

Dates for the 2012 Rogue River Rafting & Wine Tour have been set for July 18th-20th. The trip will have 12 paddles open and we would love for you to join us. Please visit the Rogue River Outfitters page for more information and to book your trip. 


Rogue River Outfitters is a second generation family-owned and operated guide and outfitter service. Craig and Tina Hughson truly believe the Rogue River is one of those beautiful world famous rivers that everyone needs to see and experience. They are one of few outfitters on the Rogue providing both rafting and fishing excursions. To learn more about Rogue River Outfitters visit http://www.rogueriveroutfitters.com/ or check out their blog at http://rrorafting.com.

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Surprise in the Wine Box

Click the link to watch our surprise in the wine box:

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