LOCAL SPOTLIGHT
Titan of the Rogue Del Rio Celebrates 25 Years Medford, OR | May 2, 2023 | Written By Paula Bandy, Oregon Wine Press T his year, Rob and Jolee Wallace, along with their staff, celebrate the 25th anniversary of Del Rio Vineyard Estate . Many of their current employees
about his prior knowledge of growing grapes, he replied, “I had no experience in grape production but I have been farming my entire life—the roots go down and the green goes up. Give them water and fertilizer, and they grow.” Grow they did. The tasting room opened in 2001, the year of their first harvest. Without their own label, Del Rio sold the wines of those who purchased their fruit.
have been there for 10 years to two decades. Some, like Lindsey Zagar, remember when it was Del Rio Pear Orchards. After all the orchards were removed and “the hillside was just dirt,” she, as a child, wondered what would happen with it. She watched as the first vineyard was planted. “The original plan,” says Zagar, now marketing manager at Del Rio Vineyards in Southern Oregon, “was to focus solely on farming… but then there were so many grapes. Rob traveled to the Willamette Valley. Convinced of the quality of its grapes, his intuitions and work paid off, not only promoting Del Rio Estate but moreover the entire Rogue Valley AVA. This place has transformed tremendously under his watch. He’s selling a lot more than little bins of grapes now.” Today, Del Rio grows about 25 percent of all Rogue Valley grapes. The historic building housing the tasting room originally held the Rock Point Hotel. A stage stop built in 1864, it remains one of the oldest structures in the area. Fourth generation farmers in Arbuckle, California, the Wallaces were longtime friends of Traynham. They began working with him at the new vineyard in 2000. A year later, they became equal business partners. Previously, Rob had farmed “thousands of acres, mostly tomatoes, rice and row crops– my whole life was spent in California.” When asked
Owner Rob Wallace (left) pictured with winemaker Jean-Michel Jussiaume (right) during the 2022 harvest. Photo provided.
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The Business Review | June 2023
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