“Oh the Rogue, the Red Red Rogue...” (Joni Mitchell – “California”)

Part one of three spotlighting the wines and wineries of the Rogue Valley AVA

The Rogue Valley AVA, the southernmost in Oregon, encompasses an important slice of the total Oregon wine industry, yet I suspect that few wine drinkers outside the region have any awareness of it.

Established in 1991, it’s 70 miles wide and 60 miles long. Roughly bordered by the confluence of the Cascade, Siskiyou, and Coastal mountain ranges, the AVA’s interior valleys are defined by the Rogue River tributaries – the Applegate, Bear Creek, and Illinois Rivers. I-5 cuts across it diagonally from northwest to southeast, where the AVA borders end just south of Ashland, a stone’s throw from California. The Applegate Valley is the sole sub-AVA follow along a similar path southwest of the freeway.

There are roughly 5600 planted acres, most on hillsides at elevations from 1200 to 2000 feet.  Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Gris, Syrah, Viognier, Chardonnay and Merlot are the predominant varieties. Also planted and often successful are Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Tempranillo, and Malbec. In my experience the Rhône grapes and blends produce the standout wines. Some excellent Chardonnay is also made.

Rogue Valley Pinot Noir, grown on soils quite different from the Willamette valley, can also be quite good, though it does not match the elegance and texture of the finest bottles from up north. Most often it’s a principal component in less expensive Pinots labeled with the all-purpose Oregon AVA.

Despite its limited production the AVA has quite varied micro-climates, and growers are not at all shy about experimenting with off-the-charts varieties. Mondeuse anyone? Carignan? Cinsault? Over the past decade I’ve visited the region about a dozen times, each time discovering more wines and wineries that deserve your attention and support.

Long Walk Vineyard

This is exactly the sort of hands-on, earth-sensitive, small production, family-owned enterprise that is the raison d’être of my Northwest Wine Guide on Substack.

Kathy and Tim O’Leary purchased the Long Walk property in 2000. It was an orchard then and orchard fruits remain a big part of the business. But planting a vineyard and starting a winery was in their plans from the start.

The 11 acre vineyard, planted between 2001 and 2004, includes three acres each of Syrah and Grenache, two of Mourvèdre, and an acre each of Carignan, Cinsault and Zinfandel. An on-site tasting room was opened in 2018. Production remains very small, and with the exception of a single blend, all Long Walk wines are pure varietal.

Jerry Murray (Project M) handles the winemaking for the O’Learys at the Carlton Winemakers Studio, a hotbed of innovation. Other than the estate wines, a few grapes go to Herb Quady at Quady North. I have not seen a Long Walk Vineyard designate from Herb but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been one.

I asked Kathy to share her thoughts on the challenges facing a small start-up in the Rogue Valley.

KO:  Because Southern Oregon and the Rogue Valley AVA is still a very young wine region, we at Long Walk Vineyard face several challenges - especially when compared with the Willamette Valley. Many out-of-town visitors expect us to offer the well-known Pinots and Chardonnays of our neighbors to the north. Many local visitors would love us to act primarily as a venue – for music, parties or weddings and to offer amenities like restaurant meals and other liquor in addition to wine.

We continue to be encouraged that visitors and locals coming to Rogue Valley wineries are more and more focused primarily on the wine. Here at Long Walk Vineyard, we are excited to be part of the growth trend and encouraged by how well our wines have been received. We were drawn to the chance to be part of something fresh and new, and we continue to see a great opportunity to show off varietals and blends that are well suited to this beautiful area. 

PG:  You do grow some unusual varieties, uncommon even in your area. What’s the thinking there?

KO:  We knew from the beginning that we would plant varieties from southern France, since these were varietal wines that we knew and loved from many trips to Europe. At the time, we didn’t know what might be best as a single varietal and what might be best in a blend, but the ones we chose gave us lots of options to pursue what they could become in our Southern Oregon location. As we’ve transitioned from grape grower to launching our own brand,we’ve learned that our Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache produce lovely and popular wines – both as single varietals and in various blends.

Our Zinfandel has its own story. Tim and I have always been big fans of Zin, and we couldn’t resist planting a small part of our vineyard with it.  Just like the Rhônes, our vision was to produce a Zin showcasing the terroir of our property and area, and we are delighted to produce a wine with a more spare and elegant profile than heavier Zins coming from the warm regions of California.

Coming in 2024 will be the first release of our premium blend ‘Field of Stars’. We chose the name in honor of the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, where we have finished several long walks along the inspiring Camino de Santiago.

PG:  What might visitors to Long Walk Vineyard  expect to find along with your excellent wines?

KO:  The property’s orchards and vineyards are all certified organic (the orchard since 2002). Our commitment to organic practices, land stewardship, and biodiversity is a mainstay of our approach, and the property includes several acres developed with the NRCS (National Resource Conservation Service) and maintained as a beneficial habitat and bio-diverse ecosystem.

At our Tasting House (opened in 2018) we emphasize tasting wine, appreciating wine and talking about all things wine. It’s a refurbished farm building, containing many repurposed materials from the property, including 100-year-old barn wood and the tin panels from an old building used to house farm animals.

During the summer visitors can see and feel the excitement of being on a working farm. In addition to wine grapes, tree fruit – cherries, apricots, peaches, apples and pears – is harvested and made available onsite from June through September. 

PG:  Note that these wines are entirely estate-grown and made in very small quantities. For small, under-the-radar wineries such as this a club membership is an excellent option. You may also go here to purchase wines.

Long Walk Vineyard 2022 Rosé – This is a sturdy rosé with just enough residual sugar to offset the tart acids. Strawberries and peppery herbs dominate the mid-palate. It’s a fine, easy-drinking style and should be enjoyed over the next year. 12.4%; $23 (Rogue Valley) 90/100

Long Walk Vineyard 2020 Syrah – The Rogue Valley is a fine resource for Rhone-style wines, both red and white (among other successes). These Long Walk wines offer myriad pleasures – estate-grown fruit, unique varieties for Oregon, subtle details and quite reasonable prices. This is a fairly light Syrah despite the abv, with savory highlights around spicy, peppery red fruits. It’s a bit like non-Rocks District Walla Walla Syrah, with natural elegance centered on savory red fruits. 47 cases; 14.7%; $30 (Rogue Valley) 91/100 (new vintage coming soon)

Long Walk Vineyard 2020 Grenache – Grenache can excel in southern Oregon. This pure varietal example captures the red berry essence of the grape, from cranberry to raspberry and a hint of cherry. Tannins are drying, astringent, and set up your mouth for a juicy burger, slice of pizza or thick steak. No new barrels were used the winery explains "to preserve the rustic yet delicate tannins." Bravo! Decant this wine to bring out its best. 68 cases; 13.6%; $35 (Rogue Valley) 91/100 (new vintage coming soon)

Long Walk Vineyard 2021 Field Notes Red – This appealing and tasty red blend combines flavors of marionberries, blueberries, black cherries and a dash of milk chocolate in a broad and balanced palate. The tannins are ripe and lightly spicy, and the wine has a fine tension among fruit flavors, overall power and still a sense of restrained elegance. It delivers exceptional quality and enjoyment for the price, and could be cellared for a half decade or longer. I’d call it a perfect pizza wine, but it’s better than that. So you’d better make it a really good pizza! 380 cases; 13.5%; $30 (Rogue Valley) 92/100

Long Walk Vineyard 2021 Carignan – I very much liked the previous vintage, which I noted was one of the rare examples of Oregon Carignan I've ever tasted. This new vintage is packed with berries, plums and cherries. Taut tannins pull it together in the astringent finish. Given ample breathing time it opens up further, while retaining its focus and core of ripe, tangy fruit. 70 cases; 13.3%; $40 (Rogue Valley) 92/100

Long Walk Vineyard 2021 Zinfandel – This Rogue Valley vineyard & winery is unafraid to break the mold for Oregon wines, with unique, estate grown offerings such as this Zinfandel. Being a lifelong fan of Zin, I’m attuned to the specific styles that differentiate numerous west coast AVAs (mostly in California of course). This is almost claret-like – balanced, even refined, with generous aromas of brambly berry, savory herb, pine needles and moist earth. The flavors follow along the same lines, balanced and lightly earthy. The core fruit coalesces beautifully in the mid-palate, following through in a clean, focused finish. I’m tempted to call it revelatory as it makes me fervently hope for much more Rogue valley Zin. 70 cases; 13.9%; $45 (Rogue Valley) 93/100

Padigan (formerly 2Hawk)

Just 10 miles north of Long Walk is Padigan Ranch, formerly 2Hawk. Owners Ross and Jen Allen purchased the property a decade ago, but this summer decided to rebrand. These are among the first releases bearing the new name and label.

Padigan Ranch 2021 Chardonnay – This type of wine completely blows up any notion you may have that Chardonnay is a neutral, even boring grape. This explodes with a juicy mix of citrus fruits, sweet apples, tangerines and cantaloup melon. The acids are lively and clean, and the wine is a total delight. Fermented with wild yeasts and aged in a mix of neutral and once-used oak, it's all about the fruit. My guess is it's best enjoyed in its youth, but it could surprise me and hit its peak at the end of the decade. Just as lively and delicious on day two. 110 cases; 13.2%; $22 (Rogue Valley) 93/100

Padigan Ranch 2019 Malbec – I've previously tasted a Padigan Malbec from 2Hawk's 2017 vintage. Here I find raspberries and leather, and for many tasters that would be an optimal combo at least at this drinking stage. It's a forward, fruity wine, with balancing acids and that leathery component that for the moment remains in balance. This is a wine to drink over the next few years while the freshness remains. 20 cases; 13.3%; $24 (Rogue Valley) 90/100

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Do you live or plan to be in the Eugene area in October? – There’s an annular solar eclipse, also known as a “ring of fire” eclipse, coming your way on October 14th. These occur when a solar eclipse combines with the moon being at or near its farthest point away from Earth. Because the moon appears smaller in the sky, it does not completely cover the sun, leading to the distinctive “ring of fire” appearance. The best views will happen within a 125-mile-wide swath running from Oregon to Texas. The largest cities in the eclipse path are Eugene, Oregon; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and San Antonio, Texas.