The Wine Knows

Appellation: Rogue Valley

In less than a decade, Del Rio Vineyards has become one of Oregon's most important vineyards. And it has very little Pinot Noir.

Rob Wallace manages Del Rio Vineyards in Gold Hill, a community 15 miles north of the city of Medford along Interstate 5 in southern Oregon. The 185-acre vineyard grows 14 different grapes, primarily warm-climate varieties, the most famous of which is Syrah with 40 acres in the soil. The vineyard was planted in 1998. The south-facing slopes are about 1,000 feet above sea level, so the warm days and cool nights ensure good ripeness balanced with all-important acidity.

About 40 wineries in Oregon, California and Washington purchase grapes from Wallace, who also holds back some for the estate label, Del Rio Vineyards & Winery.

Some of Oregon's top Pinot Noir producers buy Del Rio fruit, including Ken Wright, Penner-Ash and Domaine Serene. Wallace, a former row-crop farmer in the Sacramento Valley, grows a little Pinot Noir, primarily for Willamette Valley vintners who want insurance in case of rainy autumns to the north.