Umpqua Valley AVA

[UHMP-kwah] Approved in 1984 this Oregon ava encompasses 768,000 acres around the towns of Umpqua and Roseburg, about 180 miles south of Portland, and just south of the willamette valley ava. This 70-mile long area is located in the prime growing region between the coastal range to the west and the Cascade Mountains. It's classified as a Region I growing area (see climate regions of california) because it's cool, although slightly warmer and drier than the Willamette Valley. This allows growers some success with warmer-climate grape varieties, although the cooler-weather varities of burgundy-pinot noir and chardonnay-are the most popular. Other planted varieties include cabernet sauvignon gewürztraminer merlot, müller-thurgau pinot gris, riesling and zinfandel. There are even small amounts of dolcetto grenache, malbec, syrah and tempranillo being cultivated at Abacela Vineyards.

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