To Plant a Grape Vine

Abacela began in 1995 with a question that would transform the lives of an ordinary, young family: Why doesn’t America make a world-class Tempranillo, the star of Spain’s famed Rioja wines?

It is a saga scripted by two trailblazing scientists who despite having zero winemaking experience left secure careers and trekked 2700 miles west with kids in tow. For the last 25 years, Earl and Hilda Jones have devoted their lives to rigorously testing their hypothesis that Roseburg, Oregon is a North American crossroads where an ideal climate and site intersect for Tempranillo.

The winery name stems from the word “Abacelar,” an archaic Latin-Spanish verb meaning “to plant a grape vine.” In Abacela’s case, it means much more. The Joneses have not only accomplished their initial Tempranillo dream but established 15 total grape varieties in their Fault Line Vineyards, creating a cornucopia of wines and critical acclaim for the Umpqua Valley.