Uncorking Adventure

Tour event showcases Applegate Valley wineries

By Paula Bandy

Autumn sweeps across Southern Oregon, painting the Applegate Valley in a palette of russet-hued vines and golden hills. Twice a year, this tucked-away stretch of wine country opens its doors for Uncorked– a unique tasting adventure. Equal parts harvest fête and treasure hunt, the event offers an opportunity to design your own adventure. This fall, 16 wineries will feature new releases, barrel samples, paired bites, warm greetings from winemakers and landscapes bathed in amber light.

Picture this: you arrive at your chosen winery, perhaps one perched on a hilltop or nestled beside a river. Collecting a commemorative glass, you enter a barrel room fragrant with fermenting fruit, where grapes were recently pressed and barrels quietly rest. With harvest complete, winemakers can finally pause, breathe… and share their craft.

Rachael Martin, president of the Applegate Valley Vintners Association, as well as Red Lily Vineyards’ founder, owner and winemaker, explains, “People begin with a barrel sample– an ideal way to learn how wines evolve. Plus, getting to taste wine straight from the barrel is fun, right? It’s an unusual treat to try something that maybe hasn't even been put together as a blend yet. Attendees also taste finished wine paired with food. And,” as Martin notes, “Fall’s Uncorked is especially fun because harvest energy is in the air.”

The event is a self-guided journey where you follow your palate and mood. Want a quiet moment by the vines? Crave company and conversation? You’ll find both. With vineyard views and autumnal air– Uncorked invites you to slow down, taste deeply and connect with wine and place.

Martin continues, “Wineries enjoy showcasing things we do really well. It’s always fun to share a special blend or wine that tastes amazing. Some offer limited-production or library bottles rarely opened in the tasting room. Depending on the timing of harvest, people might see active fermentations in the cellar. I've had 800 people punch down one of my bins. Most Uncorked attendees are eager to glimpse the behind-the-scenes process.”

Uncorked extends beyond sampling wines– you can experience the Applegate Valley’s heartbeat. Appreciate an afternoon of local wine culture, fine art and music where every pour tells the tale of this spectacular corner of Oregon.

Tickets include appetizers and tastings at each location, a keepsake wine trail glass and the freedom to wander. Discover hidden gems and stock up for the holidays.

Uncorked Barrel Tour
Sat., Nov. 22, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Various Applegate Valley wineries
Tickets: $59
www. applegatevalley.wine

Uncorked Barrel Tour Wineries
Augustino Estate
Crooked Barn
Devitt Winery
Dwell Wines
LongSword Vineyard
Plaisance Ranch
Red Lily Vineyards
Quady North
Schmidt Family Vineyards
Schultz Wines
Troon Vineyard & Farm
Valley View Winery
Walport Family Cellars
Wooldridge Creek Winery
Wild Wines at Schultz Wines
Wanderlust

Paula Bandy and her dachshund, Copperiño, are often seen at Rogue Valley’s finest wineries, working to solve the world’s problems. She has covered wine, lifestyle, food and home in numerous publications and academic work in national and international journals. For a decade she was an essayist/on-air commentator and writer for Jefferson Public Radio, Southern Oregon University’s NPR affiliate. Most recently she penned The Wine Stream, a bi-weekly wine column for the Rogue Valley Times. Paula believes wine, like beauty, can save the world. She’s also a Certified Sherry Wine Specialist and currently sits on the Board for Rogue Valley Vintners. @_paulabandy