Umpqua Valley WineTrail North

“America’s last great undiscovered wine region,” wrote nationally syndicated columnist Dan Berger in reference to the Umpqua Valley wine region. Well, maybe so, but this is one WineTrail trekker on a mission to change that…especially when it comes to the wineries of Umpqua Valley WineTrail North.

The Umpqua Valley AVA is nothing short of spectacular. With the moniker of “the land of a hundred valleys,” the Umpqua Valley is characterized by one word: diversity. Diversity of soils, temperature, and moisture creates a diversity of wine-growing grapes. To the north, in and around the town of Elkton reside wineries that rely on cool-weather grapes not unlike the Willamette Valley's. Being only forty miles from the coast, Elkton gets an annual dose of 50 inches of precipitation and plenty of cool nights. The result is an abundance of riesling, pinot noir, pinot gris, pinot blanc, and gewürztraminer to go around.

Fly fishermen have reason to celebrate here. After a day tasting some fabulous wines, fly fishermen can hit the Umpqua River for some catch-and-release action. It’s also the location of the historic Steamboat Inn on the North Umpqua River, known for its evening dinners featuring great fare and Oregon wines.