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Dana Campbell Vineyards Review

Dana Campbell Vineyards Review

Address: 1320 N. Mountain Ave. Ashland,Oregon 97520.
Phone Number: 541-482-3798
Tasting Hours: Thurs-Sun 12:00-5:00 and by appt.

Region: Southern Oregon AVA, Rogue Valley AVA, Oregon
Reviewer: Liesa Morrow-Bratcher
Review Date: 3/23/2014
Reviewer: Liesa Morrow-Bratcher
Rating: 4

The Review

Spring in Southern Oregon is beautiful and perfect for wine tasting; we decided a visit to Dana Campbell Vineyards was in order. The owners, Patrick Dana Flannery and Paula Campbell Brown, purchased the property in 1997 and originally grew echinacea, oats and pasture grasses. They decided to grow grapes in 2006 and planted eight acres of Tempranillo, Malbec and Viognier. They expanded to 15 acres in 2010, planting Sauvignon Blanc, Mourvedre and Carmenere. Over the next three to five years, they plan to add twelve more acres. Currently, Linda Donovan of Pallet Wine Company is producing their wines, all of which are estate grown.

Dana Campbell Vineyards sit atop a hill overlooking Ashland, Oregon. The view is spectacular! From the tasting room you look out over the vineyards and the town of Ashland in the valley below. The day we were at Dana Campbell was clear, and we could view the snow on the far-away mountains.

The tasting room is warm and inviting, and there is ample seating with tables and chairs, comfy couches and a bar area. In the middle of the room is a wonderful fireplace. The patio space, with park bench seating and a large fire pit area, sits right next to the vines and is a great place to relax.

We chose to sit indoors, and with huge windows on the vineyard side of the room, the view from inside is as splendid as is the view outside. Nick was our server and was warm, informative and attentive. He explained the wines he was pouring and offered a snack menu with a nice assortment of items from which to choose. We ordered a cheese plate to munch on while tasting, and it was an excellent complement to the wines.

The tasting flight consisted of three white wines (two Viogniers and a Sauvignon Blanc) and two reds (a Vionillo and a Tempranillo). I was a bit disappointed as they were out of their Malbec which is normally on their tasting flight as well. They had sold out, and the new Malbec was scheduled to be released in late May or June.

Overall, Dana Campbell is an excellent place to spend an afternoon of wine tasting. The wines are good, the staff is friendly and the views cannot be beat. This is a place I plan to return to many times.

The Whites
2010 Viognier – A fruit forward wine with a touch of residual sugar and pit fruits flavors.

2011 Viognier – Citrus on the nose and drier than the 2010. Wonderfully long finish.

2012 Sauvignon Blanc – Nectarine and grapefruit on the nose and palate. Dry with a smooth finish.

The Reds
2010 Vionillo – 58% Tempranillo and 42% Viognier. The red/white blend makes for a light red wine that combines the Viognier fruit flavors with the earthiness of the Tempranillo.

2010 Tempranillo – An easy drinking, yet complex, wine with ample amounts of dark fruit complemented by tobacco and earthy flavors.