The Umpqua Valley of Oregon is one of the most interesting American Viticulture Areas in the Pacific Northwest. Winegrowing began here in the 1880’s, and the region became one of the first AVA’s in Oregon. Of the 23 wineries in the region, several have produced internationally acclaimed wines and, of those wineries, Abacela shines brightest. With numerous accolades from wine experts (Jancis Robinson, Mario Batali, Wine Enthusiast, etc) and probably the most impressive collection of 90+ wine ratings in Southern Oregon, Abacela is my number one pick of wineries to visit in the Southern Oregon AVA’s.
Abacela’s owners, Earl and Hilda Jones, are as impressive as their wines. Wine has always been an important part of their lives and the driving force behind many of their travels. An MD and former Chair of the Dermatology Department at Emory University, Earl applied his prodigious research skills to the subject of wine and specifically Spain’s celebrated red grape of Tempranillo. With the help of their son who holds a PhD in Atmospheric Science, the Jones made an in-depth analysis of why Tempranillos from the Rioja and Ribera appellations of Spain are markedly superior to any other Tempranillos in the world. They learned that it primarily boils down to climate and, to make a long story short, discovered that the Southern Umpqua Valley has an almost identical climate to those famed Spanish appellations.
The Jones’ then studied the Valley and narrowed down the best vineyard locations which, for Tempranillo, meant sunny hillsides with rocky soils. They settled on their current location in the Southern Umpqua Valley and named their new project Abacela, which in old Spanish means “They plant a grape vine”. (It’s surprising that no other Spanish wine producers had already thought of that!)
When I arrived at Abacela, I was charmed by the beautiful views, the spacious tasting room and the knowledge and friendliness of the tasting staff. From my prior research, I knew I wanted to try the Tempranillo. What I was not expecting was the quality of all their other offerings. Their Albariños, Rosés and several varieties of reds are all excellent and affordable, with collectively the highest QPR’s (Quality to Price Ratio) you are likely to encounter in any one winery. Some of my favorites:
2017 Albariño. A Gold medal winner with bracing acidity, floral aromas and a palate of crisp green apples, zesty citrus and a trace of almonds. 9/10, $21
2017 Grenache Rosé. Double Gold winner. Light berry, watermelon and citrus on the nose and the palate. Perfect balance between acidity and fruitiness. 9/10, $18
2014 Barrel Select Tempranillo. Rich dark fruit, with a wonderful background of mocha, spice and smoke. Velvety tannins and a beautiful finish. 9.5/10, $33
2015 Garnacha. A bright medium-ruby in the glass, with a light fruity bouquet. Light and refreshing but complex, with flavors of plum, berry and a touch of sweet spice. A delicious summer red with light tannins and nice acidity. 9.2/10, $29
2015 Tannat. This is not a wine seen often in the US, coming primarily from Madiran France and Uruguay. This version is more fruit-forward than the old-world versions and the tannins are softer, making this wine very drinkable while young (not generally the case for Madiran bottles). Not only is this varietal delicious, it is one of the healthiest wines out there thanks to very high levels of anti-oxidants! I tasted dark fruits with hints of pepper and sweet tobacco (one of my favorite red wine flavor notes) backed by a structure of rounded tannins. 9.2/10, $30
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