This AVA was established in 1984 and is located in Douglas County, Oregon. This AVA is contained within the larger Southern Oregon AVA. This AVA is in the basin of the Umpqua River, the largest and most notable waterway in the region, and is bordered by the Cascade Mountains to the east and the Coastal Range to the west. It has a warmer climate than the Willamette Valley AVA to the north but cooler than the Rogue Valley AVA to the south.

This area is also called the “Hundred Valleys of Umpqua” and its history can be dated back to 1880’s when Riesling and Zinfandel were introduced at the Doerner Farm. (This farm/vineyard is still in production but it hasn’t been a winery since 1965).

Forty years ago all the wine grapes in Oregon were grown in the Umpqua Valley.  This region is cool enough to produce high quality Burgundian wines from varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, yet warm enough to grow Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  Add to that the fruity and floral Rieslings and Gewurztraminers reminiscent of Germany and Alsace, and you begin to appreciate the versatility this region allows the winemaker.