Foris Vineyards Winery

Ted Gerber had a great reason for choosing the name Foris Vineyards Winery for his enterprise. Foris is Latin for “outdoors,” and a visit to this part of Illinois Valley, close to the Siskiyou mountain range, reveals why. It’s beautiful. Being the southernmost winery in Oregon, Foris is a short drive to California’s redwood forests, Oregon’s coast, and the amazing Oregon Caves National Monument — all very scenic destinations.

Foris Vineyards Winery boasts three individual vineyards: Gerber, Maple Ranch, and Three Creeks Ranch vineyards. Together these three vineyards comprise 115 acres of premium wine grapes. The westernmost Gerber Vineyard is just 25 miles due east of the Oregon coast. Here, the rainfall is close to 60 inches per year, but during the growing season, it’s relatively dry. The terroir is ideal for pinot noir, gewürztraminer, pinot gris, chardonnay, pinot blanc, early muscat, and gamay noir.

In my research prior to my visit, I uncovered the fact that Foris Vineyards Winery produces a host of wines under the direction of experienced winemaker Bryan Wilson. I was eager to try Foris’ number-one seller, Fly Over Red, a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. I skipped over the whites and went right to this popular red blend. While relishing my sip of Fly Over Red, our tasting room host explained that Ted named the wine after California wine snobs who fly over his winery to get to the Willamette Valley. This tongue-in-cheek name reflects the joyful spirits of Ted and his wife, Teresa. They like to have fun, and their many celebratory wine events throughout the year reflect this.

In keeping with the outdoor theme, a couple of wine bottles sporting cougar- and cave-bear-adorned labels caught my eye. They are part of the Wildlife series produced at Foris Vineyards Winery. Proceeds from these wine sales benefit Wildlife Images Rehabilitation Center, located in Grants Pass. A worthy cause.

Since 1986, Ted has made wine under the Foris Vineyards Winery label. Year after year, vintage after vintage, he has seen it all. Throughout the years, his commitment to the spirit of the land comes through in the taste of his wines. We think of wine as a complement to food and music, but he’s proven that it pairs wonderfully with the beauty of the outdoors. It’s just too bad that those flying over are blowing their chance to experience this great wine.