A Visit to Cooper Ridge Winery

(literally 3/4 of a mile from my Airstream…)

Feb 23

I can see the vineyard and tasting room from my Airstream (almost). It’s less than a mile away. Owners Robin and Lesa Ray at Cooper Ridge bought the property in 1999 (it was a former walnut orchard) and they planted in 2009 with southerly facing slope and valley terroir. Indeed, their tasting room has a beautiful panoramic territorial view over the valley floor with a birds eye view of the vineyards and hills in the background. All fruit is estate farmed on 25 acres. As Owner Robin Ray indicates - California has 3200 different wine makers. The Umpqua Valley has 32. The scale is different but not unlike what Napa was like in the old days. Small family wine makers trying to make a go. Umpqua Valley wine is putting itself on the map and Cooper Ridge is no different.

They have 7 different varietals including Merlot, Viognier, Syrah, Tempranillo, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Pinot Noir. The Winery is named for the Ray’s son Cooper. The Ray’s are fortunate in that 80% of their wine is sold to their wine club and a few key resorts in the area including some on the Oregon Coast. The other 20% is available for retail at their tasting room. Annual case production is small (3500) by comparison to some (Abacela can be up to 7,000 plus when all vineyards are producing and even that is considered modest by Napa/Washington standards). But as we have all understood by now, that doesn’t mean a sacrifice in quality. Au Contraire….

The 2016 Pinot Noir I tasted was dark ruby in color with notes of strawberry, raspberry plum, and pepper with an earthy body and long lingering finish. One reviewer on Vivino after tasting the Pinot indicated that the future is bright for Pinot’s from this up and coming wine region. Indeed.

Their 2016 Tempranillo is not as tanic as the Abacela’s flagship offering and has a softer feel but still full bodied with hints of blackberry, tobacco, and mocha. Some would say they prefer the softer style to the heavier more tanic traditional style of Abacela’s Flagship Tempranillo. I say there’s plenty of room in the Airstream for all the different interpretations of Spain’s fab grape (Cicilian originally I believe).

Cooper Ridge - definitely worth a visit and right on my way home. A perfect place for a late afternoon sip and ponder moment to explore Umpqua Valley’s many noble offerings. I’ll take the 32 over the 3200 these days.