DISCOVER MEDFORD'S CITY CENTER WINE DISTRICT

By Samantha C. for Travel Medford

You might know that the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon is home to over 80 wineries, and has a wide range of varietals for everyone to enjoy. But you might be surprised to learn more about this hidden gem in downtown Medford called the City Center Wine District. This up and coming wine mecca is growing into an all encompassing wine experience. From wine making, to wine tasting, to event spaces and lounges, the City Center Wine District is something to have on your radar for all things wine. This full city block in downtown Medford consists of Pallet Wine Company, The Urban Cork Tasting Room, the new up and coming District Wine Bar, as well as private event spaces.

New City Center Wine District Ready to Pop

© Megan Steffen, Untapped Media Inc.

By Paula Bandy for The Mail Tribune

The first — and currently the only — urban winery in downtown Medford combines passion and purpose as it expands into the new City Center Wine District.

The full city block in downtown Medford consisting of Pallet Wine Co., the original custom crush facility; The Urban Cork tasting room showcasing 130+ Pallet crafted wines; another newly completed wine production facility, and soon, a second urban tasting room, will offer up an unpretentious intersection of quality wine, industrial vibe and urban culture.

“I’m all in with downtown Medford,” says Linda Donovan, founder, owner, winemaker and visionary of the new district. “I firmly believe all downtown areas should have a lot of places to gather — really inclusive gathering spaces.”

The attitude is industrial, but with the wine, the brio of the mural and the calm of natural spaces compose a harmonious palate of art to complement the extensive pallet of wine offerings.

Private Label

Have you ever thought about having your own personal wine? Your favorite varietal made and bottled just for you, with your own personally designed wine label gracing the bottle. What a romantic notion you think, as your heart skips a little beat, and then, you roll your eyes, thinking, well that’s impossible. Actually though, it is possible, and probably easier than you think.

The City Center Wine District is available for your special events, be it, private, corporate, fundraising, wedding, basically any type of party or business gathering. And with these events you have the opportunity to create your own private label wine. In the past, Pallet Wine Co. has produced wine for weddings featuring a picture of the married couple on the label. They’ve also done private labels for fundraising and auctions, along with other celebratory events. Pallet does all the permits, printing, and application of labels to the bottles. All you have to do is enjoy it!

While being welcome to bring in your own caterer, another way they make your event easier is by offering fine foods, such as prosciutto wrapped pears, meatballs, cheese platters, etc., to pick and choose from off a menu. Pallet Wine Co. of course offers their exclusive choice of 150+ wines from their custom crush clients, L. Donovan, and District Bar wines.

With currently four venues available - The Urban Cork, featuring the wines of Pallet Wine Co. Finnegan’s Lounge, the intimate space with big windows adjacent to the winery, the ‘old world style’ Barrel Room within the custom crush building, and the large, open barrel room and tank pad, there is a variety of choices for events. But with the opening of the new District Wine Bar, which, along with wine, will be offering specialty cocktails, espressos, savory salads and food plates, Linda Donovan, founder, owner, winemaker, and visionary, will be literally ‘upping the bar’ and offering a sophisticated and urban chic downtown space with 5 distinctive venues for your special gathering. There is even the possibility of being able to move between the areas for some events.

Pallet Wine Company opened in 2009 as the first custom crush facility in southern Oregon. The Urban Cork opened in 2016 as the first (and still only) specialty wine bar in downtown Medford. After purchasing the rest of the block, which was vacant, she built a new barrel room and tank pad with 9 large stainless steel tanks. For the past couple of years her vision of another wine bar, The District Wine Bar, has meticulously come into fruition. She will be holding a couple of soft openings in April for wine club members, and invited guests.

“I firmly believe all downtown areas should have a lot of places to gather - inclusive gathering places,” Donovan says.

So now that you know City Center Wine District is not just for winemaking, and a wine shop, but where you can create your own favorite bottle of wine, and also gather for special occasions, uncork that private label and celebrate!

Espresso, please

“What if I can do espresso martinis?” thought Linda Donovan while she was envisioning her new wine bar. The interior was designed, exterior planned, new L. Donovan District Wine in bottle, building materials sourced, and timeline moving forward. There were some hitches like supply chain issues, availability of contractors, finding the right people to work alongside and produce her vision, but ultimately it just provided additional time to think it through. And that’s when ‘espresso’ became the liaison word from ‘wine bar’ to ‘specialty cocktails.’ 🍸

 So, she went online and purchased a charming, and beautiful espresso machine.

 The Espresso Story

The history of the espresso machine in question is a fascinating journey that begins in the bustling environment of a Dunkin Donuts shop. This particular machine, once a cornerstone of the coffee-making process in the store, was witness to countless early mornings, busy afternoons, and the comings and goings of customers who relied on it for their daily caffeine fix.

 As a central fixture in the daily operation of Dunkin, the espresso machine bore witness to the camaraderie among the staff and the familiar faces of regular patrons. Its stainless steel exterior showed the signs of its hard work, displaying the occasional scuff and scratch from years of faithful service.

After handily serving the Dunkin establishment for many years, the espresso machine was replaced with a newer model, and its future became uncertain. It was then put up for sale at an online marketplace, where it caught the eye of an enthusiastic coffee aficionado who couldn't resist the allure of owning a piece of history from a beloved coffee shop.

 The machine, once celebrated for its reliability and high-quality espresso, was now on its way to a new home, where it was eagerly anticipated. However, upon the arrival of the electrician to set it up, the shocking discovery was made – all the interior wires, 96 to be exact, had been deliberately severed, rendering the machine inoperable.

 This revelation sparked a mystery that led to questions about the machine's past. Who could have intentionally sabotaged a beloved piece of coffee-making history? Was it an act of revenge, a misguided attempt at sabotage, or perhaps a result of negligence?

 As the story unfolded, the history of Dunkin 🍩 espresso machine became a tale of mystery, nostalgia, and unexpected twists. It serves as a poignant reminder of the emotional connections we form with objects and the powerful role they can play in our lives.

 And not to disappoint you, another machine was found, so the bar will still be offering espresso and martinis,

 The District Wine Bar

Although not yet officially open, and not yet serving cocktails, private events have already been happening in the new space and, by all accounts, people love it. The most common comment is “Medford needs a place like this. We’re in need of a higher-end and quality experience, where you can dress up a little, but still be comfortable with casual,” Nicky…says.

Filled with natural light and marble throughout, the bar features large garage doors opening up to a grassy area, and view of the vibrant wine mural. Loungy seating inside, and delightful umbrella tables on the patio next to the railroad tracks offer choice seating with all of it embodying the outdoors. The urban space is softened with seating by the bioswale, plants in big pots, and room to roam. Nicky, the tasting room manager, says, “We’re keeping it industrial down here.” Industrial, yes, with a keen metropolitan twist.

 Along with cocktails, wine, and espresso, Donovan says, “The bar will feature really nice salads, and a few finely, elevated dishes.”

 Downtown is about to get the urban bar it’s been waiting for. The District Wine Bar which is part of the whole block that is City Center Wine District, is part past, part current, and part future. Watch for more information on opening dates coming soon.

 We can’t wait to serve you the best Espresso Martini in the valley, and tell you the rest of the story.