Marking the Trail

By Paula Bandy The Applegate Valley mirrors the winding Applegate River, a tributary of the Rogue, flowing through Southern Oregon’s Siskiyou Mountains. Stretching roughly 50 miles from the California border to its confluence near Grants Pass, the Valley moves in gentle bends– oak-studded hills give way to vineyard rows, forested spaces open to pasture land. Long before the vines, this corridor was shaped by water, wildlife and the presence of Indigenous people; later, by gold seekers tracing the river upstream. Today, the Applegate Valley American Viticultural Area, or AVA, is where elevation, aspect and the river’s moderating influence create one of Oregon’s most diverse growing environments. The idea for new, unified signage began not with a formal directive, but during a membership brainstorming meeting of the Applegate Valley Vintners. “Our vision? Every winery would have the same sign,” recalls Rachael Martin, founder and winemaker of Red Lily

by Hilary Berg · source ↗