Demand for Grape Growing Land Continues

by Pete Belcastro, 541 621 7036
Our state is an agriculture wonderland.  Our lands provide soil that grow and produce vast quantities of products.  In the Rogue Valley that has mostly been pear orchards, but lately vineyards are sprouting all around and no let up is in site.
On the Feb 8 Real Estate Show, Terry Sweet, a broker with REMAX Ideal Brokers joined on the show and we talked at length about the wine industry in Jackson County, where its heading and what its doing now.  It all ads up to demand for land for growing more grapes in the biggest thing going on.
Keep it in perspective, Oregon has 569 wineries — 20 or so in the Rogue Valley.  Washing has 689 and California 3,600 of them.  But, according to Sweet, California has no more room to expand so now large wine groups like Kendall Jackson, Gallo and looking to Oregon for new land to develop into new vineyards taking advantage of Oregon soils to produce top quality wines.
Land here in Oregon goes for about $25,000 per acre, in California and Washington its much, much higher, if you can find it but land for sale is rare in those areas.
Sweet believe even small acreages will be in demand as wine growing areas.  I believe it, look around.  Pear orchards are disappearing and being replaced with wineries and grapes.  Its all agriculture and its all contributing to our economy.  We’re just in the infancy as wine becomes more and more a Jackson County product of world class fame.  It can happen.
Willamette Valley wines are famous as Pinot; the Umpqua Valley known for its Merlot and its blends, while the Rogue Valley’s Cabernet are getting a reputation of their own as well.  Oregon is a great grape growing region that’s only going to get larger and we’ll benefit from in as Jackson County’s wine area expand in the future.