2015 Foris Vineyards Winery Pinot Noir Cedar Ranch Rogue Valley Oregon 750 ml

Beyond Willamette Valley Pinot: A Southern Oregon Star

Conventional wisdom says that Oregon Pinot Noir begins and ends with the Willamette Valley. We’re here to tell you that conventional wisdom is wrong. And Wine Access members will back us up on that. 

“We were stunned by this wine—very fragrant notes of lavender and delicate berry jam taste. Great balance," read one rave about the Foris Cedar Ranch Pinot Noir. Another said the Foris “easily compares with bottles in the $30 range,” and one put it in even simpler terms: “Love this wine!” 

Sounds a lot like the hot-off-the-press review from Vinous, which praised the “impressive clarity and floral-driven persistence” of the 2015 edition of Foris Pinot Noir Cedar Ranch. This garnet-colored, cool-climate beauty from the breathtaking reaches of Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley bowled us over with its balance, which accentuated its profound brandied cherry, allspice, and earth notes. With an impressive depth that made it a Wine Enthusiast Editors’ Choice—and now garnered it the same score from Vinous—this Pinot epitomizes the kind of quality-to-price ratio we’re constantly seeking. 

If that’s not convincing enough, just ask the critics: Founder Ted Gerber’s winery, in addition to putting the Rogue Valley on the wine map, has earned a slew of Wine Enthusiast “Best Buy” and “Editors’ Choice” selections, as well as three impressive appearances in the Enthusiast’s Top 100 lists! 

In the 1960s, when Ted was supposed to be studying political science at Cal State Hayward, he was more likely to be found working on fermentation science (read: home winemaking). After graduating, Ted began to purchase grapes from a grower in Gilroy, California, whose advice was to move to Oregon, where getting a start required only “a strong back and a little money.” So Ted and his late wife Meri purchased a property in southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley. 

The site they chose, situated in the rugged Siskiyou Mountains, is just 25 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and seven miles north of the California border—a half-day drive from the Willamette Valley. But Ted had little doubt about the Rogue Valley’s alpine climate and ancient volcanic soils, and he staked his winemaking fortunes on the area’s potential as a top-flight site for cool-climate wines. In the years since, countless other vintners have rushed in, tearing up fruit orchards to make way for wine grapes.

But don’t just take it from us—many thrilled Wine Access members have rated our last Foris Pinot Noir offers at just over four out of five stars. The message is clear: If you’re looking for top-flight Oregon Pinot, don’t limit yourself to the Willamette Valley, because Foris is not just a gem of Southern Oregon, but of the entire Northwest.