Update to this article on 07/29/21 – “… the Board of Directors of Redemption Ridge have made the difficult decision to close Grace House and dissolve Redemption Ridge permanently.” Please see full message below from Terry Rasmussen, Redemption Ridge Board President. Dear Friends of Redemption Ridge, I wrote to you in May about Redemption Ridge’s plan to place operations on a “summer pause” due to the severe labor shortage across our state. This is to inform you that the Board of Directors of Redemption Ridge have made the difficult decision to close Grace House and dissolve Redemption Ridge permanently. The labor shortage and rising costs of hiring highly trained staff to work with girls requiring intensive treatment are proving to be a longer-term issue. Please know that our board has prayed diligently about the direction of Redemption Ridge and believes closure to be the best course of action. Over the many years of planning and 4 years of operating Grace House — 12 years in total, my wife Ginger and I have seen many wonderful things happen in the lives of the girls who have resided there. We’ve seen great spiritual growth of faith in Christ and healing as we….

As if you needed another reason to visit historic Jacksonville, now there’s another draw—Awen Winecraft’s new tasting room located at the landmark McCully House on the corner of California and 5th Streets. Jacksonville, a National Landmark town, has always had the allure of an historic mining town set between two wine destinations—the Applegate and Rogue Valleys—and boasts tasting rooms of its own, two bottle shops, boutique shopping, quality restaurants and charming hotels and B&Bs. The Awen tasting room and wine garden, called, “The Inspiration Station,” opened in February and features an open-air patio with a waterfall feature, fire pits and patio heaters. The indoor tasting room area features a table crafted from Birdseye maple that must be seen! Awen owners Tom Homewood and Sean Hopkins are long-time friends who met in the high-tech world and began making garage wine while living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area. Fast forward to today. With both having moved their families to the Rogue Valley, they still have their day jobs—all-the-while taking their winemaking to the commercial level in 2016. You may remember seeing Awen for the first time at the 2017 Oregon Wine Experience, where they medaled on both their wine….

MEDFORD, OREGON’S star is rising on the world stage as it rapidly becomes a top destination for connoisseurs of fine wine and for enthusiasts of impressive, natural and cultural experiences. How is it that a small region in the southern part of a west coast state can offer such variety, both in its regional offerings and in its highly acclaimed wines…all of which having found their place on the national and global stage? Part of the answer dates back hundreds of thousands of years when active volcanoes created massive shifts in the landscape and forged the rugged Cascade mountains surrounding the Rogue Valley. They also carved the waterways and landscape that make Medford one of Sunset and Forbes magazines’ top ten global wine destinations. As a result, our area has a wealth of natural, cultural, culinary, and of course, viticulture offerings. To the north of Medford, Crater Lake National Park is a world-class destination within an easy morning’s drive. The journey to its breathtaking natural beauty any time of year leads one through forests with hiking trails, camping sites, mountain biking and snowmobiling trails, waterfalls, wildflower and mushroom hunting opportunities…all in abundance. The highway also follows stretches of the wild….

Oregon Wine Experience® is Oregon’s top destination wine and culinary event benefiting Children’s Miracle Network and Asante Foundation. Located in historic Jacksonville, Oregon, people from around the world travel each summer to this signature event. Hundreds of wineries come together to present the full breadth and depth of Oregon’s unrivaled wines, and chefs curate their fine culinary offerings, for attendees to savor and create memorable experiences. In 2019, over 5,100 guests and sponsors helped raise $1.7 million for Asante Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network. 2020 marked the first-ever virtual event, generating $1.1 million from loyal fans who tuned-in and bid virtually. A unique event format in 2021, including smaller-scale physical gatherings and virtual options, will allow attendees to enjoy the event safely, or from the comfort of their homes. Key events, such as the Founders’ Barrel Auction and Grand Tasting, are back with enhancements. A fresh look and perspective—As we enter a new decade and recognize the community’s hand in the impact and growth of Oregon Wine Experience, a new brand was born. This fresh look is both exhilarating and captivating, celebrating the very best of Oregon and embracing the future of health care in Southern Oregon. The event’s philanthropic….

Bringing a big-city sensibility to farm-fresh food, chef Chad Hahn coaxed a full-service restaurant from a cadre of cured meats, cheeses and fine wine. Small-plate specials at Wooldridge Creek Winery’s Vinfarm rapidly evolved under Hahn’s direction into weekend brunch and, finally, a diverse array of dishes that uphold the do-it-yourself ethic of co-owners Greg Paneitz and Kara Olmo. The couple, nearly two years ago, conceived cheeses and charcuterie handcrafted at their Applegate Valley estate to accompany wine flights at their downtown Grants Pass tasting room. “We make everything ourselves,” says Olmo. “We’re not paying wholesale for everything.” That includes all the crackers, condiments and fermented vegetables, which Hahn makes in house, for Vinfarm’s cheese and charcuterie boards. The 38-year-old’s commitment to preparing not only patés, terrines, salami and prosciutto, but their myriad accompaniments “rekindled” Vinfarm owners’ original mission of being food artisans, says Olmo. “I think we have a really unique set of circumstances,” says Hahn, characterizing Vinfarm, at its most ambitious, as “a fully functional farm with value-added products” and, at the very least, “a really beautiful test kitchen.” Hahn operated a “process kitchen” at full speed for about a year to meet Vinfarm’s charcuterie needs, plus extra for….

For five years, Oregon Wine Experience® has attracted thousands of patrons from around the world to experience the superior culinary and wine creations Oregon is home to. World-renowned judges evaluate the incredible wines the state has to offer through the Oregon Wine Competition, and these wines are celebrated, and consumed, during the August mega-event. For the first time ever, a Northern winery reaped a Best of Show medal for the “red” category, alongside two Southern Oregon vintners. These wines, along with the other 82 medal winners, left an impression with the judges: that Oregon has some of the best wines in the world. Though, it’s important to note that the breadth and depth of this event spans beyond the vines. As Asante Foundation’s signature event, Oregon Wine Experience demonstrates a key differentiator among other like-events. While celebrating premier local wineries and top culinary talent, 100 percent of the proceeds benefit charity, locally. In 2019, Oregon Wine Experience generated more than $1.7 million for Asante Children’s Miracle Network and other health care programs at Asante—proving to be one of the fastest-growing charitable wine events in the country. As one of 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in the country, Asante Rogue Regional….

Sacred water and wine are the latest combo at Neuman Hotel Group, specifically Lithia Springs Resort and Wine Garden. Wine has been cited in literature throughout the ages as a symbol of happiness, friendship, sustenance, life, and transformation. This is illustrated by the transformation that takes place when grapes are fermented. For centuries, this part of Oregon was famous for the healing properties of the water which contains positive ions to help remove toxins, aches and pains. Native Americans considered this “holy water,” and sacred water blessings have been performed onsite. The springs found beneath Lithia Springs Resort are rich in sulfur, lithium, and minerals to aid in stress relief, rejuvenate the soul, help heal the body, and create a deep sense of calm. The Wine Garden at Lithia Springs Resort is designed to be an oasis for body, mind and spirit. Guests, tourists, and locals alike are invited to enjoy the region’s best organic and biodynamic wines sourced from The Applegate Valley. Southern Oregon has become a well-known wine producing region and Joseph Shaughnessy, Sommelier and Tasting Room Manager, has a passion for educating beyond the connoisseur to the consumer. Joseph shares, “Wine connoisseurs and people in the industry….

LAST SEPTEMBER MARKED THE OPENING OF HUMMINGBIRD ESTATE, the Rogue Valley’s most remarkable wine destination, unique by way of being among the newest and oldest. While the brand marks its first estate release with the 2019 vintage, the heritage site with its set piece estate house, dates from the 1920’s. Lovingly and meticulously restored, it invites you to take a step back in time—with a glass of fine wine in hand. For over 60 years, the 47-acre site on Old Stage Road just a couple of miles outside Jacksonville was the home of Alfred SV Carpenter, known as Alf, and his wife Helen whom he met while on a world cruise and married in Cairo, Egypt in 1922. Helen was the daughter of Harlow E. Bundy whose Bundy Manufacturing Company, founded with his brother Willard in 1889, would morph into the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company in 1911, which in turn became International Business Machines (IBM) in 1924. Alf and Helen lived in Pasadena, California for five years before coming to Southern Oregon where Alf had operated Veritas Orchard with his brother Leonard during the Rogue Valley Orchard boom. Besides operating the orchard, Alf would help found Southern Oregon Sales (SOS) a fruit….

Barbera is a unique red grape variety that is full of contradiction. With deeply-pigmented skins, it makes dark red wine that drinks more like a white. It is high in acidity, crisp and refreshing with none of the mouth-drying tannins you would expect. Even so, it typically has qualities you would enjoy in a big red—dark cherry, ripe plum, blackberry and a baker’s choice of spices. With these unique characteristics, Barbera is a great food wine, which many enjoy with tomato-based dishes, rich-dark meats, mushrooms, herbs, root vegetables and blue cheese—although the possibilities are innumerable. We don’t see much Barbera in the United States and hardly any in Southern Oregon. Here, DANCIN Vineyards is leading the way in Barbera production, with its first Southern Oregon vintage in 2014. According to DANCIN owner Dan Marca, his “Tribute” Barbera is in celebration of his southern Italian heritage. A first-generation American, Dan also makes an “Onore” Barbera (to honor). “Barbera evokes in me the feeling of friendship, generations of family coming together—not distracted, but instead being in the moment—and taking time to do what’s important in life,” Dan smiles. “That’s the kind of experience we want to create when you enjoy our wine—whether….

The Rogue Valley offers a wide array of top-notch bed and breakfasts, guest cottages, and hotels. But if you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to sleep in a vineyard, the following select Southern Oregon wineries invite you to experience unique and indulgent accommodations among the vines! Our journey of discovery will begin in the south and wind northward. With the promise of unparalleled views, free tastings, winery tours, live music, and peaceful surroundings, your perfect choice awaits. All locations are within easy reach of favorite activities—the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Britt Music Festival in Jacksonville, fine dining and cultural events in Medford, and a backpack full of call-of-the-wild outdoor activities. Whether your goal is to pack in as much of the flavor of the area as possible or to find the perfect, peaceful escape from it all, sleeping among the vines will only serve to sweeten the package. Pleasant dreams. WEISINGER FAMILY WINERY—Originally an orchard, Weisinger Family Winery is among the earliest Southern Oregon wineries and is the first to be established in Ashland. The Cottage is a renewal of the original early 1900s farmhouse, providing a cozy getaway for two, nestled next to Pinot Noir vines. Enjoy….