View source for Rogue Valley AVA

{{Short description|American Viticultural Area in southern Oregon}}
{{Infobox Wine Region
| name = Rogue Valley AVA
| image = Southwest Oregon rivers map.jpg
| caption = [[Rogue River (Oregon)|Rogue River]] and tributaries.  
| other name = 
| type = [[American Viticultural Area]]
| year = 2000<ref name="code">{{cite web |url=https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=1&SID=8e4e9fe3a7c6ae516f3bd3b5c1ba0e53&ty=HTML&h=L&mc=true&r=SECTION&n=se27.1.9_1132 |website=Code of Federal Regulations |title=§ 9.132 Rogue Valley 
|format=Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9 — American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C — Approved American Viticultural Areas |accessdate=January 29, 2008|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
| wine years = 
| country = United States
| part of = [[Oregon wine|Oregon]], [[Southern Oregon AVA]]
| similar = 
| sub regions = [[Applegate Valley AVA]]
| season = 
| climate region = Maritime
| heat units = 
| precipitation = 
| soil = 
| total size = {{convert|1150000|acre|sqmi|0}}<ref name="RVWA">{{cite web |title=Rogue Valley AVA |url=http://rvwinegrowers.org/ |website=Rogue Valley Winegrowers Association}}</ref>
| planted = {{convert|1100|acre|ha|-1}}<ref name="appellation_america">{{cite web |website=Appellation America| date=2007|url=http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/Rogue-Valley.html |title=Rogue Valley (AVA): Appellation Profile |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218183331/http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/Rogue-Valley.html |archivedate=2009-02-18 |accessdate=January 29, 2008|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
| vineyards =
| grapes = [[Cabernet Franc]], [[Cabernet Sauvignon]], [[Chardonnay]], [[Dolcetto]], [[Gewurztraminer]], [[Grenache]], [[Malbec]], [[Merlot]], [[Pinot blanc]], [[Pinot gris]], [[Pinot noir]], [[Sangiovese]], [[Sauvignon blanc]], [[Semillon]], [[Syrah]], [[Tempranillo]], [[Viognier]]<ref name="appellation_america"/>
| varietals = 
| wineries = 20<ref name="appellation_america"/>
| wine produced =
| designation =
| comments = 
}}

The '''Rogue Valley AVA''' is an [[American Viticultural Area]] located in southern [[Oregon]].  The federal government approved this appellation in 1991.  It is entirely contained within the larger [[Southern Oregon AVA]] and includes the [[drainage basin]] of the [[Rogue River (Oregon)|Rogue River]] and several tributaries, including the [[Illinois River (Oregon)|Illinois River]], the [[Applegate River]], and [[Bear Creek (Rogue River)|Bear Creek]].  Most wineries in the region are found in the valleys formed by one of these three tributaries, rather than along the Rogue River itself.  The region is {{convert|70|mi|km|0}} wide by {{convert|60|mi|km|0}} long (most of the land within the AVA capable of producing high-quality wine, is not currently used for grape cultivation); there are fewer than 20 wineries with only {{convert|1100|acre|ha|-1}} planted.<ref name="appellation_america"/>  Each river valley has a unique [[terroir]], and grows different varieties of grapes.  Overall, however, this region is the warmest and driest of Oregon's wine-growing regions.<ref name="RogueNW">{{cite web |website=Wines Northwest|date=2008 |url=http://www.winesnw.com/rogue.html |title=Rogue Valley and Applegate Valley Appellations of Southern Oregon|accessdate=January 29, 2008}}</ref>

== Applegate Valley AVA ==
The '''[[Applegate Valley AVA]]''', established in 2000, is the only sub-AVA in the Rogue Valley AVA.  The [[Applegate River]] flows through the town of [[Applegate, Oregon|Applegate]] and near the city of [[Jacksonville, Oregon|Jacksonville]], which was the location of Oregon's first winery (the winery has been restored and re-opened as [[Valley View Winery]]).  This region contains vineyards at altitudes ranging from {{convert|1000|ft|m|-2}} to {{convert|1500|ft|m|-2}} [[above sea level]], and is warmer and drier than the Illinois Valley to the west, but less so than the Bear Creek Valley to the east.<ref name="appellation_america"/>  Grapes that thrive here include [[Merlot]], Cabernet Sauvignon, [[Shiraz (grape)|Syrah]], Chardonnay and [[Zinfandel]], with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot being the dominant varietals.<ref name="RogueNW"/>

== Bear Creek Valley ==
[[Bear Creek (Rogue River)|Bear Creek]] is the most populated of the Rogue River [[tributary|tributaries]], as it flows through the cities of [[Medford, Oregon|Medford]] and [[Ashland, Oregon|Ashland]].  Here, the valley floor is {{convert|2000|ft|m|-1}} [[above sea level]], and the climate is warm and dry.<ref name="appellation_america"/> The climate of the Bear Creek Valley is similar to that of [[Bordeaux]], and it is well suited for cultivating varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, [[Cabernet Franc]], Pinot gris, [[Sauvignon blanc]], [[Malbec]] and Syrah.<ref name="RogueNW"/>

== Illinois Valley ==
The westernmost tributary of the Rogue River is the [[Illinois River (Oregon)|Illinois River]], which rises in southern [[Josephine County, Oregon|Josephine County]], in the [[Red Buttes Wilderness]].  The river flows generally northwest along the west side of the [[Klamath Mountains]], past [[Cave Junction, Oregon|Cave Junction]], [[Kerby, Oregon|Kerby]] and through the [[Siskiyou National Forest]]. It joins the Rogue River from the south on the [[Curry County, Oregon|Curry]]-Josephine county line, approximately {{convert|15|mi|km|0}} from the [[Pacific Ocean]].  The region is marked by high elevation, and is significantly influenced by marine climates.  The region is well-suited for growing [[Burgundy wine|Burgundy]] varietals, similar to those grown in the [[Willamette Valley AVA]].<ref name="RogueNW"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://rvwinegrowers.org/ Rogue Valley Winegrowers Association]

{{Oregon wine}}
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[[Category:American Viticultural Areas of Oregon]]
[[Category:Rogue River (Oregon)]]
[[Category:Geography of Jackson County, Oregon]]
[[Category:Geography of Josephine County, Oregon]]
[[Category:2000 establishments in Oregon]]