Page 96 - Southern Oregon Magazine Winter 2015
P. 96
th Stage Cellars Porscha Schiller In 1989, when Don and
Don and Traute Moore Traute Moore planted their
original 20 acres of wine
grapes in the Wagner Creek
sub-basin (which has some of the
oldest soils in Oregon), “their
intention wasn’t to keep add-
ing vineyards,” admits their son,
Michael. But they did. Today,
Quail Run Vineyards farms 285
acres with 230,000 vines—which
amount to as many miles as to
the moon! They have recently
acquired another 145 acres and,
after plantings are completed,
will have approximately 375,000
vines—enough vines that, if in
miles, would go to the moon and
more than halfway back.
With 13 distinct vineyards
planted, three more under devel-
opment, 28 varieties of grapes and
a family estate label, South Stage
Cellars, they actualize a “world
of wine” within their vineyards.
Embracing the mesoclimates of
the Rogue Valley, the variety of
wines made from their grapes are
showcased in the vineyard-based
tasting room in Jacksonville. They
also farm sustainably and are
LIVE certified.
Traute and Don Moore When Michael Moore joined his
family’s farm in 2008 (having
worked as a documentary film-
maker until then), he recognized
the depth of knowledge and skills
of Quail Run’s vineyard crews,
who together had over 200 years
of experience. Moore learned
Spanish, and when he took over
managing the vineyards in 2011,
he turned to his crews to learn
how to grow grapes. Today, he
“engages the crews in all aspects
of decision making.” He says his
Austrian grandfather was a fol-
lower of Rudolph Steiner, the
founder of biodynamic farming,
and even though Quail Run is not
biodynamic, Moore believes the
overall principles of biodynamic
Don and Traute Moore Traute Moore planted their
original 20 acres of wine
grapes in the Wagner Creek
sub-basin (which has some of the
oldest soils in Oregon), “their
intention wasn’t to keep add-
ing vineyards,” admits their son,
Michael. But they did. Today,
Quail Run Vineyards farms 285
acres with 230,000 vines—which
amount to as many miles as to
the moon! They have recently
acquired another 145 acres and,
after plantings are completed,
will have approximately 375,000
vines—enough vines that, if in
miles, would go to the moon and
more than halfway back.
With 13 distinct vineyards
planted, three more under devel-
opment, 28 varieties of grapes and
a family estate label, South Stage
Cellars, they actualize a “world
of wine” within their vineyards.
Embracing the mesoclimates of
the Rogue Valley, the variety of
wines made from their grapes are
showcased in the vineyard-based
tasting room in Jacksonville. They
also farm sustainably and are
LIVE certified.
Traute and Don Moore When Michael Moore joined his
family’s farm in 2008 (having
worked as a documentary film-
maker until then), he recognized
the depth of knowledge and skills
of Quail Run’s vineyard crews,
who together had over 200 years
of experience. Moore learned
Spanish, and when he took over
managing the vineyards in 2011,
he turned to his crews to learn
how to grow grapes. Today, he
“engages the crews in all aspects
of decision making.” He says his
Austrian grandfather was a fol-
lower of Rudolph Steiner, the
founder of biodynamic farming,
and even though Quail Run is not
biodynamic, Moore believes the
overall principles of biodynamic
