Overboard and uncorked in the Applegate Valley

By Janet Eastman

FEW people can brag that they’ve visited every winery and vineyard along the Applegate Valley Wine Trail. Here’s your chance. This Sunday, Tasting Rooms will throw open their doors at 11 a.m. to welcome the hardy explorers on the Fall Uncorked Barrel Tour. A $39 ticket grants admission to food and wine pairings, a commemorative Riedel glass and the right to boast about hitting 15 wineries in a day and two other wine sites.

“It’s a self-guided barrel tour,” explains Sandi Garoutte of Rosella's Vineyard & Winery. “You can barrel taste and then in the Tasting Room there is a wine paired with a bite. It's a great event.”

Here’s the route I’m taking as suggested by the brainiacs at Google Map (Mapquest went mental trying to configure it).

I might be a little too optimistic when calculating how much I can do/drink in a day. But according to Google Maps, the first part of the trip – covering 13 sites – has a drive time of only one hour and 16 minutes (34.1  miles). And the second part of the trip – covering a measly four wineries – is less than an hour's driving time (25.9 miles). If rollerblading grad students can whiz through the Louve in less than three hours, how much longer can it take me to see all of the Applegate Valley Wine Trail?

Start in Jacksonville, which Herb Quady has dubbed “bucolic.”

A) Quady North Winery, 255 California St., (541) 702-2123, www.quadynorth.com

B) Fiasco Winery & Artisan Faire, 8035 Hwy 238, (541) 899-9645, www.fiascowinery.com: Pairing 2006 Claret with Nautical Inn minestrone and Applegate artisan sourdough bread

C) LongSword Vineyard, 8555 Hwy 238, (541) 899-1746, www.longswordvineyard.com: Sparkling accolade paired with sweet potato fondue and a peach curry sauce

D) Jacksonville Vineyards, 9730 Hwy 238, (541) 899-6923, www.jacksonvillevineyards.com: Closed, with visitors directed to Fiasco Winery

E) Devitt Winery, 11412 Hwy 238, (541) 899-7511, http://devittwinery.com: Pairing 2007 Syrah with Pomodori's appetizer

F) John Michael Champagne Cellars, 1425 Humbug Creek Road, (541) 846-0810: 2007 Merlot paired with Thai basil meatballs

G) Academy of Wine, 18200 Highway 238, (541) 846-6817: Pairing 2006 Merlot paired with Eve's Cafe fennel-rolled pork tenderloin

H) Bridgeview Vineyards & Winery, 16995 North Applegate Road, (541) 592-4688, www.bridgeviewwine.com: Beef wellington by Eve's Garden paired with 2006 Black Beauty Cabernet Sauvignon

I) Wooldridge Creek, 818 Slagle Creek Road, (541) 846-6364, www.wcwinery.com: 2005 Library Syrah paired with French onion empanadas

J) Troon Vineyard, 1475 Kubli Road, (541) 846-9900, www.troonvineyard.com: 2007 Syrah paired with sun-dried tomato and portabello mushroom croquette

K) Schmidt Family Vineyards, 320 Kubli Road, (541) 846-9985, http://sfvineyards.com: 2007 Zinfadel paired with Tyrolean pot roast

L) Rosella's Vineyard & Winery, 184 Missouri Flat Road, (541) 846-6372, www.rosellasvineyard.com: 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Pomodori's rosemary pork loin with Rosella's Cabernet Sauvignon Apple Cranberry chutney

M) Applegate Red Winery, 222 Missouri Flat Road, (541) 846-9557, www.applegatered.com: Not participating

BREAK, STOP, TURN AROUND

The second leg of the trip:

A) Soloro Vineyard, 9110 N. Applegate Road, (541) 862-2693: 2006 Seckel Hill Syrah paired with old-fashion roast pork with a cadamom mushroom suace and apple Betty

B) Valley View Winery, 1000 Upper Applegate Road, (541) 899-8468, www.valleyviewwinery.com: 2006 Anna Maria Cabernet Sauvingon paired with jumbo shells stuffed with Italian sausage, wild mushrooms and leeks.

C) Cricket Hill Winery, 2131 Little Applegate Road, (541) 899-7264, www.crickethillwinery.com: Midnight Diamond Merlot paired with savory spinach and artichoke bread pudding

D) Cowhorn Vineyard & Garden, 1665 Eastside Road, (541) 899-6876, www.cowhornwine.com: 2007 Syrah paired with winter squash appetizer on New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro's bread

And then a final toast: Here's to ... home!

For more info: Tickets are still available online for the 2009 Fall Uncorked Tour of Applegate Valley wineries taking place Sunday, November 22, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each of the 15 wineries will offer wine and appetizer pairings. Tickets are $39 per person, which includes a commemorative Riedel glass.