This is the season for reflection and the time to consider the year we are about to close and a time to look forward to the new year ahead. As we move into 2010, I can’t help but feel so extraordinarily grateful for what 2009 brought to my tour business and to the Umpqua Valley’s family owned wineries.
During a year filled with economic trepidation and instability we toured with more than double the tour guests we saw in 2008. As someone who tours with hundreds of wine interested folks each year having the opportunity to experience the Umpqua Valley through the eyes of different people from all over the country never gets old! Helping to educate tourists and locals alike, all hungry for wine knowledge and wine discovery is truly a privilege. And it is always an incredible experience to hear how much our Umpqua Valley wines are understood and appreciated, especially from our friends visiting from more prestigious wine regions such as Napa and the Willamette Valley. The consensus of so many we tour with is that the Umpqua Valley AVA lacks absolutely nothing! From our amazing natural beauty to our top notch wines and great prices we are not rivaled. The family owned component to our wineries is well understood and appreciated and for those coming from busier wine regions, having the opportunity to meet our passionate winemakers is a unique and unforgettable experience. Knowing all this, it came as no real surprise that Roseburg ranked number 5 on the list of the top 10 wine destinations in the country as polled by TripAdvisor earlier this year. Just one more confirmation of what I already know - we are a wine region poised for greatness.
While it is doubtful anyone will be doing cartwheels over the recent business trend in the wine industry our small boutique wineries offering unbeatable quality and value came out pretty much unscathed. It appears most are gearing up for a terrific year ahead with any difficulties behind them. The 2008 and 2009 vintages are shaping up beautifully and there is great anticipation of the new releases to be unveiled this coming year. A number of wineries including Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards & Chateau Nonchalant Vineyard are expanding by planting more acres of grapes. A new vineyard, Pyrenees Vineyard is scheduled to open its tasting room in just a few days bringing our number of wine tasting locations to 22! Melrose Vineyards saw completion of their new convention center and MarshAnne Landing evolved their tasting room into an art gallery now offering visitors fine art as well as fine wine! A few of our smaller wineries expressed thoughts of increasing production as many of their wines sold out quickly this year! All of these things are signs of the confidence our winery families are feeling about our wine region. A confidence my own wine business experience supports!
From the perspective of a wine writer and wine tour operator I could not be more excited about the new year. I am excited for what the future holds for our entire community. A healthy wine industry adds to a healthy community. With the 2008 and 2009 Umpqua Valley vintages expected to be some of the best of the decade and a growing knowledge of our budding wine region, 2010 will be bright indeed. So I say lets drink a toast to the new year. Cheers!
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