Melrose Vineyard

Located along the banks of the South Umpqua River, Melrose Vineyard occupies a former French settlement. Today it’s the site 150 acres of premium grapes, a place where people get married, and wine and gifts are sold. Just walking into the lovingly restored 100-year-old barn and seeing the gift shop’s quality merchandise is impressive. However, when you step out on the deck and view the property below, your jaw drops. It’s little wonder that Melrose Vineyard ranks in our top 10 for gift shops and wedding venues.

Ironically, Melrose Vineyard is a winery without being a winery. Yes, proprietors Wayne and Deedy Parker grow grapes — lots of them, with more acreage to be added downstream — but they don’t actually make the wine. For that, they turn to local wineries/winemakers to custom-crush their grapes and apply the Melrose Vineyard wine label. However, don’t assume that the relationship between grape grower and winemaker is superficial. In fact, there’s a whole lot of collaboration going on between them.

Arriving from Fresno in the mid-’90s with 20 years of grape-growing experience under their belts, the Parkers knew the work required with vineyards. Perhaps they weren’t certain if the land would deliver such quality grapes, but the feedback from wineries using their grapes proved positive, and long-term contracts to supply grapes were drawn up. Wayne employs the Scott Henry Trellis system, developed by his nearby neighbor, to grow 10 different grape varietals: pinot noir, pinot gris, viognier, riesling, syrah, tempranillo, Baco noir, merlot, dolcetto, and pinotage. The Baco noir and the pinotage varietals place Melrose Vineyard in a rarefied realm; it’s hard to find these varietals growing in Oregon — especially the South African–grown pinotage grape.

Hospitality takes center stage at Melrose Vineyard, where even the dogs — Missy, Rosie, and Bacus — greet you with wagging tails. Once inside, it is apparent that someone has a good eye for merchandise. (If I were sent to fetch stuff to sell, I would likely come back with the “Stop Your Whining” cocktail napkins.) Tasting-room manager Deb Wandrus does an exceptional job of making visitors feel at ease while educating folks about Melrose Vineyards’ remarkable story. Once she explained how the different tasting-room fees worked, it was a no-brainer to choose the $7-for-eight-tastes option, which includes a logo-adorned stemware glass. Now, that’s a deal!