Many Douglas County Wineries Reopen For Business

Many Douglas County wineries reopened on May 15 after the county was approved for Phase One Reopening by the governor. It was a welcome sight amongst local wineries and tasting rooms who had been shuttered for almost two months. The wineries that reopened on May 15 include Abacela, Becker Vineyard, Cooper Ridge Vineyard, Delfino, Ferraro Family Vineyards, Hillcrest Winery & Distillery, Lexeme, Melrose Vineyards, Mustard Seed Cellars, Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards, Spangler Vineyards, Trella Vineyards and Triple Oak Vineyard. "It’s been a challenging and yet encouraging couple of months," Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards owner Stephen Reustle said. "We’ve been blessed by the support we’ve seen from our community, and now I’m happy to say... the tasting room is open again. We have implemented many new protocols for ongoing health and safety. We’re here Monday thru Saturday with bottles open, ready to pour your favorite glass of wine." These wineries will be opening on May 22 Brandborg Vineyard & Winery, Bradley Vineyards, Girardet, JosephJane Winery and Spire Mountain Cellars. Oregon winery tasting rooms have been closed for on premise tasting and consumption since March 23 with the governor’s “Stay Home, Save Lives” Executive Order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Like restaurants, winery tasting rooms must observe social distancing guidelines. Oregon wines enjoyed an uptick in sales according to Nielsen data for the weeks of March 14, 21 and 28, which showed that Oregon wine was up 52% in retail sales, outperforming the total table wine category, which was up 41%. Local wineries are ready to get back to business and welcome customers into their tasting rooms. With health and safety at the forefront a slower pace is paramount in reopening wineries. Consumers should call each winery for further information and details before visiting. Many tasting rooms will be accepting reservations to ensure safe seating. Photo of Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards.