Valley View Winery Review
Address: 1000 Upper Applegate Rd. Jacksonville,Oregon 97530.
Phone Number: 800-781-9463
Tasting Hours: 11:00-5:00 and by appt.
Region: Southern Oregon AVA, Rogue Valley AVA, Applegate Valley AVA, Oregon
Reviewer: Liesa Morrow-Bratcher
Review Date: 3/9/2014
Reviewer: Liesa Morrow-Bratcher
Rating: 4
The Review
Valley View Winery is Southern Oregons oldest winery. It was originally founded by Peter Britt in the 1850s. It ended in 1906 after his death. The vineyard was then replanted by the Wisnovsky family in 1972, and winemaker John Guerrero has been with the winery for over 20 years.
Upon arrival at Valley View Winery, the first thing you will notice is the vines. There are numerous rows, and behind them is an old, weathered barn that reads Valley View Winery. It is a beautiful sight. The tasting room at the front of the property is a newer building but blends in well.
Entering the almost empty tasting room on a cloudy, rainy day, we were greeted by a gentleman at the tasting bar and presented a choice of two tastings, a traditional white/red flight or a dessert flight. We chose the traditional flight and found Valley View’s staff to be knowledgeable and attentive, discussing the wines and the region with enthusiasm.
The open and airy tasting room has some seating areas with comfy chairs and an oversized couch by the window. There is also seating on the patio for better weather days. Valley View displays many wines for purchase and has a wide selection of wine-related gifts. The wines are bottled under three labels: Pioneer, Anna Maria (named after the family matriarch), and Valley View. On the day of our visit, they were pouring Anna Maria wines.
All in all, the time at Valley View was pleasant. The wines are good, with the Chardonnay, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon all being gold medal winners. I would recommend going later in the year so that you could enjoy the beautiful vines full of fruit, although the clouds didnt keep us away. Valley View is a solid winery in the Applegate Valley; you’re probably not going to be blown away, but you’ll be hard pressed to find anything negative to say.
The Whites
2012 Anna Maria Sauvignon Blanc Grapefruit and citrus aromas with a hint of apple. Crisp and nicely balanced with a touch of sweetness.
2009 Anna Maria Chardonnay A crisp Chardonnay with flavors of pear and vanilla (but not over-oaked) and a smooth finish. (I preferred the Anna Maria over the Valley View Chardonnay, which I have had before)
The Reds
2009 Anna Maria Pinot Noir Primary flavors of cherries and raspberries with subtle notes of vanilla and spice and a silky finish.
2008 Anna Maria Tempranillo This fully estate grown wine has flavors of plum and berries. It has a soft texture and a toasty, oak finish.
2010 Anna Maria Cabernet Franc Fruit forward flavors of plums and raspberries. Light tannins with a long, toasted oak finish.
2008 Anna Maria Cabernet Sauvignon This wine is big and bold with currant, blackberry and plum flavors and a long finish.