We are regularly wineswinging in the Umpqua Valley of Oregon, and Trella Vineyards is among the wineries we recommend if you are in the area. We’ve been watching their progression since their first vintage. In collaboration with Terry Brandborg as winemaker, they bring joy to our tasting buds year after year.
Trella Vineyards Story
The Williams Family moved to Roseburg in 2007, and while wine tasting, they began making friends with local winemakers and grew to appreciate the potential of the wines of Umpqua Valley.
They rapidly evolved from wine neophytes to sophisticated consumers and were “bitten by the wine bug,” which led to the founding of Trella Vineyards in 2011.
The Williams bought an 80-acre hillside parcel at the base of the Callahan Mountains in Umpqua Valley and planted a small vineyard in 2012-2013.
The vineyard is planted in Oakland-Nonpareil-Sutherlin soils and Abegg gravelly sandy loam. The area receives 41-43 inches of rain per year, with summer temperatures in the low 80s and 2200 growing degree-days.
The guiding viticultural principle of Trella Vineyards is sustainable farming. They utilize natural cover crops to minimize erosion, drip irrigation to reduce water waste and establish habitats for natural predators such as owls and bats for a thriving ecosystem that leads to balance in the vineyard.
Since 2015 the winemaking team has been led by Terry Brandborg of Brandborg Winery, and his artful expertise has yielded excellent Trella wines.
Tasting Trella Wines
We tasted a wide range of wines on our visit, from light whites like the 2016 Pinot Gris and 2017 Grüner Veltliner (native German grape) to the 2020 Peony Rosé of Pinot Noir 2018 Barbera (native Italian).
Our favorites of the flight were three wines. We recognized Terry’s skillful winemaking style in the 2017 Gewurztraminer. Its sweet aromas of tropical flowers, lychee, vanilla, peach, and Sauternes-like were followed by flavors of baked peach drizzled with honey, savory bee pollen, and almond croissant filling, creating a pie-like off-dry sensation on the palate.
The 2020 Pugilist from Baco Noir was a rare wine and a pleasant surprise among red wines. Baco Noir is a French-American 19th-century hybrid grape that found its new home in America. While originally from France, it’s cultivated most successfully in New York, Ontario, and, lucky for us, Oregon.
We had subdued expectations from Pugilist, considering the 2020 growing season challenges and forest fires during harvest. Yet, it seduced us with brambly black cherry, blackberry, and plum aromas. It was juicy and fresh on the palate with flavors of black plum and Montmorency cherry compote complimented by savory spice notes.
The third favorite 2017 Hummingbird from Pinot Gris was a dessert wine. It’s a delightfully sweet white wine with floral, peach, nectarine, and honeyed aroma and flavors. Hummingbird is like dessert in a bottle and can be enjoyed on its own or be a great companion to Brie or Roquefort cheeses.
Why Visit Trella Vineyards
There are a few reasons to taste wines at Trella Vineyards if traveling in Southern Oregon.
Trella offers a wide range of quality wines, from light whites to full-bodied reds and dessert wines, so everyone can find something to like. They offer wines from uncommon grape varieties and an excellent value between price and quality.
Finally, the tasting room is located in Roseburg, Oregon, just minutes off the I-5 highway. It could be a dedicated visit or a pleasant stop on your trip to or from California or anywhere else.
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We did not receive any compensation or free wine for writing this article.