What does a gal do with a beautiful fallow field and a love of fine wines? Plant a vineyard of course!
Cathy Rodgers knew nothing about planting and tending a vineyard. She only knew that she loved wines. With her love of wine and friendships within the Applegate Valley, Cathy took her dream of planting a vineyard on the RiverCrest Ranch estate and ran with it.
Early on in the planning process, Cathy reached out to Mark and Mike Wisnovsky with Valley View Winery and they graciously offered to help her with rootstock that would flourish at the RiverCrest Ranch estate. They introduced Cathy to Herb Quady with Applegate Vineyard Management and Quady North, who was an expert at planting and sustainably maintaining eco-conscious vineyards.
In 2010, RiverCrest Ranch vineyard was planted and for the next 10 years, Quady North utilized RiverCrest Ranch’s to create some spectacular wines for locals and tourists to enjoy.
In 2021, RiverCrest Ranch and Quady North partnered to offer on-premise wine tasting along the Applegate River for guests to come out and enjoy. RiverCrest Ranch offered a relaxing 11-acre pristine park like setting with a wine bistro overlooking the 4-acre vineyard, lavender field and walking trails through historic mine tailings. RiverCrest Ranch also offered a variety of board and yard games, including bocce, horseshoe, croquet, life size chess, and badminton.
RiverCrest Ranch was awarded a USDA rural farm grant in the fall of 2021 and embarked on the journey to produce its own custom crush boutique wines featuring the three primary varietals grown at RiverCrest Ranch.
In the Summer 2023, the first of the 2021 custom crush is coming of age, being bottled and will be released in the Fall of 2023.
Cathy Rodgers has always had a love for the outdoors, a feeling that fresh water invigorates and rejuvenates, and that an abundance of wildlife and wild flowers is nature's canvas to appreciate. In the early 90's, Cathy visited the Applegate Valley and found the most perfect swimming hole on a one lane dirt road along the Applegate River where she spent the day dreaming of having a backyard just the view she was soaking up. The next day, she drove up the Upper Applegate road heading to the lake, where she passed a property for sale - and lo and behold, what was in the backyard but the very same swimming hole she visited the day prior. RiverCrest Ranch became a reality that day and the Applegate Valley became Cathy's home.
P.O. Box 913, Jacksonville, OR 97530
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