World-of-WineWorld of Wine Festival at Bigham Knoll Campus August 21-24

By now, you’ve likely heard that Southern Oregon’s wine region is one of the fastest-growing in the nation, right? You may have even heard that our area has grown from 23 wineries to 80+ in just seven years? And maybe you’ve even tasted some exciting, local wines from grape varietals such as Albarino, Viognier, Roussane, Tempranillo, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and others.

The 2013 World of Wine Festival is back in Jacksonville from August 21-24 and is a MUST for anyone who enjoys wine, food, learning about our wine region and having a flat-out fun time! Jacksonville’s Bigham Knoll Campus (525 Bigham Knoll Drive) is once again hosting the multi-day festival, with lots of the events happening in the Big Tent located on the field.

This year, WOW offers-up new events including a winery awards dinner and a Riedel wine glass seminar along with sensory classes, a Welcome Reception and the Grand Tasting finale. Also new this year, the Southern Oregon Wine Conference will hold its annual meeting at the Bigham Knoll Campus in the events auditorium, complete with lectures, presentations and panel discussions.

The wine judging part of WOW kicks-off earlier than usual this year on August 8 & 9. More than 50 Southern Oregon wineries will be entering roughly 200 reds and whites, all vying for medals. Of the participating wineries, nearly 28% are located in the Applegate Valley, 5% are from the Illinois Valley, 50% are in the Rogue Valley and 19% are from the Umpqua Valley.

WOW is very proud that its 2013 judging panel is comprised of three MW’s—Masters of Wine, THE HIGHEST standard awarded to judges in the world. With only 30 such MW’s in the world, this year’s competition will be even more exciting. The 2013 MW judges are Peter Marks, Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan and Christy Canterbury. All have received multiple national and international awards in recognition of their tasting abilities, raising the level of this year’s wine tasting competition. The blind tasting competition on August 8 & 9 will be followed by an awards dinner on August 9 from 6:00-9:00pm at Historic Hanley Farm, just outside the Jacksonville city limits. During a multi-course dinner served-up by the Jacksonville Inn, guests will be the first to hear the results of the wine competition before anyone else, including the media. Tickets for this special event are available for $125 and are very limited, so order now.

2012 World of Wine Festival TentDuring the week of August 21-24, to-be-announced off-site winery tours will be offered while all other WOW activities will be held under the giant white tent on the Bigham Knoll lawn.

On Wednesday, August 21 from 5:30pm-8:30pm, an informal, low-key Welcome Reception ($25) provides guests, winery owners, industry representatives and sponsors a first chance to meet, mingle and taste Southern Oregon wines under the tent.

On Thursday and Friday, August 22 & 23, highly-popular beginner and advanced Wine Sensory Classes ($30) offer wine novices and experts alike an opportunity to learn about wine from a panel of experts. Well-known wine experts will delve into a variety of topics from climate, terroir, to varietal characteristics and so much more.

On Thursday, August 22, from 6:30pm-8:00pm, a NEW Riedel Wine Glass Seminar ($75) is a must-attend event. (Riedel rhymes with needle) Taste wines from 4 different Riedel Vinum glasses while learning about the world-famous stemware and the effect glassware has on a wine’s flavor, bouquet, balance, taste and finish. The best part…attendees get to keep all 4 glasses, with a retail value of $100+.

The 2013 Grand Tasting caps-off the World of Wine Festival on Saturday, August 24 from 6:00pm-9:00pm under the big white tent at Bigham Knoll. Ample parking with volunteers guiding guests to specially-designated parking areas is available. This fun, casual affair, attended by 600+ guests last year, offers a fun-filled time to taste every 2013 award-winning wine along with plenty of tasty food from the Jacksonville Inn and other caterers. Limited Grand Tasting tickets are only $75. The Grand Tasting also features a chance to bid on incredible silent auction items with auction proceeds benefiting two deserving Rogue Valley non-profits—The Medford Food Project and 4-H.

For more information and to order tickets, visit www.worldofwinefestival.com.