Weisinger Family Winery

I first met Eric Weisinger in 1988. I know, a long time ago. We were both approximately 19 years old, and Eric ended up dating one of my best friends for a period of time. I remember knowing about the family winery in Ashland, and I’d had occasion to breeze through Ashland on my way south from Eugene to San Francisco, always noting the town’s peculiar mystique. But it’s one of those funny twists of fate that Eric ended up taking over the family winery, and that thirty one years after I first met Eric, my husband Johnny and I would end up buying a B&B in Ashland — only to fall even more in love with all that Ashland has to offer, including… wine!

1988 is not only the year I first met Eric, it’s also the year of Weisinger Family Winery’s first crush — although their story goes back another ten years, to 1978, when Eric’s father, John Weisinger, first decided to plant an acre and a half of Gewürztraminer. The vines came from a friend of John’s who convinced him to give this crazy idea a try, Frank Wisnovsky, the founder of Valley View, the first winery in the Applegate area. And in June of that year, when Eric must have been about 9 or 10, John informed Eric and his sisters that their summer project was to put in a vineyard — the first to be planted in the Ashland area. For the following decade, the family grew grapes and made homemade wine, until John retired from his ministry, and the winery was officially born.

So, the history of Weisinger’s is one of friendship and family from the very beginning. That’s one of the things that makes the winery special, the sense that it is integrally wound up in the history and relationships of the area. There is a marvelous interview with Eric through the Oregon Wine History Archive from about ten years ago that I highly recommend if you want to take an even deeper dive into the Weisinger story — you can listen HERE, or read the transcript HERE.

Now, Weisinger’s Family Winery is known for its beautiful tasting room, right in Ashland overlooking the hills, and for its Tempranillo, Syrah, Malbec, and Pinot Noir, as well as Viogner, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and their heritage Gewürztraminer and Bordeaux blends. Each of their wines comes from a single vineyard located on their estate or within 5 miles, which seems appropriate, since the winery is such an homage to relationship and place. They even have a marvelous port that we sampled on the day this photo was taken, when Eric joined us for a little chat — the first time I’d seen him in over 30 years.

If you have a free afternoon, I highly recommend visiting their tasting room, sitting on the deck with those marvelous views, and treating yourself to a tasting flight. From May to September, the tasting room is open daily, but year round, you can visit Wednesday through Sunday. Find out more about their location and hours HERE. And enjoy a toast to family, fine wine, and the sense of heritage and place that makes Ashland so special.

Deep Dives: Cocorico

“We wanted the name to be a little French, but not too French. Fancy and high-end was not the vibe we were going for.” says Grace Borsi, half the genius behind one of our favorite restaurants in Ashland. “Cocorico, French for ‘cock-a-doodle-doo,’ was the obvious choice.”

It’s new enough you may have not tried it yet. Nate and Grace Borsi opened their dream restaurant in August of 2022, and since then have exceeded their own expectations. In addition to attracting tourists, the restaurant is a local favorite, always a good sign.

Nat was born in Périgueux and at age 9 moved to Gap, a city of about 40,000 in the Hautes-Alpes region of southeastern France. “My mom is an incredible cook,” he said. “She grew up in Valenciennes outside of Lille where they use a lot of butter and cream. My maternal grandmother would use a pound of butter for each dinner for seven people!”

But Cocorico isn’t that kind of French restaurant. The feel is casual-chic (it’s in the old site of Amuse for you old-timers), and the food has an inventive, “foodie,” farm-to-table kind of flair that draws on both French and American fare.

Nat and Lola met while working together at a Seattle restaurant, and became an item 5 months before Nat’s visa ran out. Now married, they spent some time in Aix-en-Provence before returning stateside to open their first version of Cocorico at the Green Springs Inn & Cabins, 20 miles east of Ashland.

Cocorico has a little something for everyone, some vegetarian appetizers than can be modified to vegan, always one, sometimes two vegan entrees, and plenty of fabulous meat and vegetable dishes, from a delicious tangine to perfectly prepared market fish to bone-in pork chops to the best carbonara I’ve ever had. And after dinner? Try an aperitif with your dessert. As Grace says, “We still have our amazing baker who specializes in classic, nostalgic, old-fashioned desserts.”

Cocorico welcome walk-ins but you may want to reserve your table in advance. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 8:30 p.m., they have both indoor and patio seating. To view the menu and book a table, go to cocoricorestaurant.com. The restaurant does not have a phone, but reservations also can be made by emailing bonjour@cocorico.cafe or you can stop in to make one in person and get a preview.

Let us know if you like it as much as we do!

p.s. The quotes, some of the facts, and the image for this post were taken from a great article about the restaurant in the Rogue Valley Times — check out the whole article here: https://www.rv-times.com/go_rogue/vines-tines-cocorico-turning-a-dream-into-a-thriving-french-bistro/article_ed4a6b68-f829-11ee-a0de-d320ed47ce1e.html

Day Trips: The Applegate Valley

Located less than an hour northeast of Ashland, the beautiful and historic Applegate Valley offers a host of activities for a special day out — from wine tasting to hiking to paragliding to poking around a craft fair or farmer’s market.

Start your exploration at the Wander Applegate website to get the lay of the land: https://wanderapplegate.com/

TO GET THERE take the scenic HWY 238 which starts after Jacksonville: Directions HERE.

Here are Chanticleer’s TOP PICKS for things to do in this rural paradise:

WINE TASTING: Applegate Valley wine country is a thriving AVA with over 18 wineries and over 70 varieties of wine. Here are our top three pics, but it was hard to choose! For more options, check out the Applegate Valley Wine Trail.

Troon Vineyards offers ground-breaking, award-winning wines, right in our backyard. Troon is only the fourth farm in the world to achieve Gold Certification as a Demeter Biodynamic Certified and Regenerative Organic Farm. Wine Enthusiast named them a 2022 finalist for American Winery of the Year.

Red Lily Vineyards has great wines in a truly idyllic setting. Sip your glass by the river, or check out their Summer Concert Series, every Thursday from 6-8 p.m.

Dancin Vineyards is your first stop on the way to the valley, or your last stop coming home, where you can sip top-notch wines paired with a gourmet meal. Set on a bluff between Ashland and Jacksonville, Dancin offers a sophisticated, European setting. Check out their Sunday brunch or live music.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES:

HIKING: Check out the panoramic views along East Applegate Ridge Trail for a moderate hike through oak savanna, mossy forests, and 360 degree views of the Siskiyou Mountains.

PARAGLIDING: You might mistake the winged creatures hovering above Woodrat Mountain for eagles as you make your way to your first wine stop, but no, those are paragliders. For the brave of heart, check out Sundog Paragliding School which offers reasonably-priced one or two day lessons.

APPLEGATE LAKE offers fishing, paddleboarding, and kayaking on clear waters surrounded by wilderness, hiking and wildlife. Check-in at Hart Tish Park general store to rent gear and stock up for a day on the water.

FARMER’S MARKETS and crafts fairs abound in the valley. Try one of these: Williams Farmer’s Market on Mondays from 5-7:30pm during July and August, the Applegate Evening Market at Longswords Vineyard Wednesdays from 5-8pm May through October, and Murphy’s Outdoor Market on Fridays 9am-1pm next to the Hidden Valley Market.

FOOD: Hungry after a long day? Grab lunch or an early dinner at the charming, wood-fired pizzareia in Applegate aptly-named the Applegate Country Club, set amid homey flower gardens and serving terrific pizza, salads, ales and wines.

We’ve only scratched the surface here. Be sure to tell us about your favorite Applegate Valley find and we’ll add it to the list!