ESTATE-GROWN WINES AT LONG WALK VINEYARD

It’s been a long and winding road for Tim and Kathy O’Leary, owners of Long Walk Vineyard on the grounds of Valley View Orchard at 1800 N. Valley View Road. The couple met at Stanford University while pursuing individual careers and sharing lifelong interests in sports, music, wine and travel, and they got married in 1989. Their two children, Brian and Margaret, followed in 1991 and 1994.

“Ashland was a frequent getaway spot for us starting in college,” Kathy said. “So when we were looking for an antidote to the growing congestion and pace of life in the Bay Area, we purchased our home in Ashland in 2000. It came with stunning views, a great front porch, 50 acres of land, and a long-standing local tree fruit business: Valley View Orchard. We have continued to operate the orchard business since then, while converting it quickly from conventional to organic. With the help of my sister Linda Donovan, who is a successful local winemaker, we planted 11 acres of wine grapes on the property starting in 2002, and Long Walk Vineyard was born.”

The dream of owning a vineyard was sparked on their honeymoon, which included visits to many great wineries in the South of France.

“Our plan for the property always included planting a vineyard,” Kathy said. “We started with our favorite grape varietals that would grow beautifully in the mineral rich soils of the Rogue Valley. Now, every year we see single varietal bottlings of Cinsaut rosè, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache, Carignane and Zinfandel as well as a red blend made to represent the vintage called Field Notes. All of the wines use organic estate-grown grapes. The Long Walk Vineyard Tasting House opened to the public in late 2018.”

The Tasting House is a refurbished farm building, containing many repurposed materials from the property, including 100-year-old barn wood and tin panels from a building used to house farm animals. The Tasting House takes full advantage of the beautiful views of the vineyard and orchard, the surrounding hills and mountains, and the city of Ashland.

LWV’s customers, wine club members and their guests can expect high quality, estate-grown wines, and a classic wine-tasting experience at the Tasting House, with a seated flight of LWV wines to sample while enjoying the bountiful natural beauty of the property. A thoughtfully curated and very tasty charcuterie and cheese board, featuring products from the organic orchard and from local food artisans, is available to enjoy with the flight at an additional cost. The tasting experience is crafted around learning about LWV’s history, grape varietals, and distinctive characteristics of the property, while tasting through a current selection of wines. LWV also offers bottle purchases for enjoyment on-site or takeaway.
“We have also created a wonderful private tour and tasting experience that we think is the equal of experiences found more often in the famed Willamette Valley and Napa wine regions,” Kathy said. “It begins with a glass of wine and a privately hosted walk through the vineyard and orchard, followed by a seated tasting experience, and includes a custom food board to accompany and enhance the wines. At only $45 per person, this is a must-try, high-end experience.”

Kathy and Tim not only own Long Walk Vineyard, they also enjoy long walks. They just returned from their second Camino de Santiago walk, this time in Portugal and Spain; last year in France and Spain.

“Our Labrador retriever, Darcy, is an ongoing fixture of the property, and she never fails to bring smiles to children and adults alike, “Kathy said. “This year our son Brian’s Labrador puppy, Addie, joined the family; she is a mini-Darcy with a personality all her own. Double trouble, and double fun. The secret sauce of Long Walk Vineyard, though, is our amazing employees, some of whom have been part of the business from the very beginning. Their dedication to producing the highest quality product and offering customers an amazing, caring experience is second to none.”

For more information, the phone number is 541-552-0534. You can also see them at longwalkvineyard.com and on Facebook and Instagram.