Rogue Valley Winegrowers Association

The Rogue Valley wine growing region is the southern-most of Oregon’s sixteen federally approved American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and is located entirely within Jackson and Josephine counties. Established in 1991, the Rogue Valley AVA encompasses nearly 1.15 million acres in the intermountain valleys of southern Oregon. The region includes the Applegate Valley AVA (established in 2001) and consists of four main growing areas: the Bear Creek Valley, the Valley of the Rogue, the Applegate Valley, and the Illinois Valley. The region has approximately 150 vineyards growing over 40 different varieties on roughly 2500 acres producing nearly 5000 tons of grapes. The production is roughly 65-70% red varieties and 30-35% white varieties. The most widely planted red varieties include Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, and Malbec. The most common white varieties planted include Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Viognier. Wines from the region are made by over 40 different entities, ranging from small grower-producers to large, nationally known wineries.