DigitalCommons@Linfield

The Umpqua Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) sits between the Willamette Valley and the Umpqua Valley, stretching 65 miles north to south. It became an official appellation in 1984, but winemaking in the area stretches back to the 1880s. It includes the sub-appellation Red Hill Douglas County and the adjacent Elkton AVA.

The Umpqua Valley is one of Oregon's most diverse climates, with three separate climatic sub-zones producing cool-climate grapes in the north and warm-climate grapes in the south. The region's most common varietals include Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Riesling, Syrah, and Tempranillo.

For more information, please refer to the Oregon Wine Board's regional information sheet, the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Association website, or the Southern Oregon Winery Association website.

This collection is the result of oral history interviews with Southern Oregon wine industry members in the Umpqua Valley AVA, the adjacent Elkton AVA, and the sub-appellation of Red Hill Douglas County. Content includes video interviews, photographs, and documents. This project was supported in part by Linfield College's partners: Oregon Wine Board, Douglas County Museum, and Southern Oregon Wine Institute - Umpqua Community College.