Page 78 - SOUTHERN OREGON MAGAZINE FALL 2019

feature | the beauty issue
Drink Pink
Visit our Historic Tasting Room ~ Open Daily 11am to 5pm
52 N River Road, Gold Hill, OR 97525
EXIT 43 on I-5 | 541.855.2062
76 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | fall 2019
Mary weren’t interested at first, but changed their minds—a decision
none regret twenty years later.
With Kara’s earlier experience in advocacy and policy, they battled to
the federal level, enabling them to be the first in Oregon, and likely the
second in the U.S., to sell wine on tap.
Wanting to add food to Wooldridge’s offerings, Kara tapped into her
culinary school background. She put together the creamery and bat-
tled those legal intricacies as well. The Crushpad Creamery produces
organic cheese, served with onsite-prepared charcuterie. Soon, her
milk goats will live in their own barn at Wooldridge.
TRAUTE MOORE, SOUTH STAGE CELLARS
Thirty years ago, Don and Traute Moore stumbled into their future acci-
dentally. The couple—Don a retired physician—farmed oranges and
avocados in Morro Bay, California. While vacationing, their car was bro-
ken into. Having heard Ashland was “nice,” they headed north and had
the window fixed, attended a Shakespeare play and found themselves in
a real estate office. The Realtor pushed a 20-acre parcel (15 in grapes) in
Talent. The house with its large deck and valley view is still home today.
The vineyard was wild, but Traute knew they could learn to grow
grapes. Starting in 1989, assisted by local vineyard owners and later
bringing in experts, they did. Over time, they introduced new grapes
and became one of the region’s largest growers. Staff and crews work
closely, with some vineyard employees claiming 20-25 year tenures.
Don farmed, while Traute handled mechanical aspects. “He doesn’t
managed the vineyard for years (a position son Michael now holds).
know which end of the screwdriver to use,” she says, laughing. She
Through observation, attending agricultural shows and reading broadly,
she experimented and adapted. The use of trellising systems is one
example, and the Moores were among the first in Southern Oregon to
use grow tubes.
Today, Traute oversees South Stage Cellars tasting room in Jacksonville.
Though past retirement time, Traute Moore won’t be heading to a rock-
ing chair anytime soon!
HILDA JONES, ABACELA WINERY
In 1992, Hilda and Earl Jones—a lab tech and physician respectively—
viewed what would someday be lush vineyards, a winery and an elegant
tasting room. Then, however, the land offered dry grass, rutted cow
paths and a collapsed cattle barn. Two years later, they moved from
the Gulf Coast to that rugged site, their 12- and 4-year-old children
in tow. Hilda’s first job was taking out cattle fences. Although they had
researched extensively, they appreciated the camaraderie shared by
local wineries. Upon announcing they would plant Tempranillo, some
folks thought that meant temporary. Far from it! After establishing the
vineyard, they built the winery.
The land, with its hilly terrain and breathtaking views, sits on an inactive
fault line and hosts a gigantic boulder pushed from deep in the earth.
They have 76 acres in grapes, with a back 300-acre savannah, a wildlife
refuge abutting Wild Life Safari.