Tag Archive for: wine

vineyard with mountains in background

Had any good wine lately? If so, you can thank the 21st Amendment for that.

On December 5, 1933, the United States Congress passed the 21st Amendment, putting an end to the Prohibition Era. Once again, Americans could buy, sell, and consume alcoholic beverage.

Now, more than eighty years later, many Oregonians have made the most of this change of heart by developing vineyards and wineries, putting our fair state on the map for quality wine. Which is why we suggest commemorating Repeal Day, not with a toast or a toddy, but with a trip to the library.

photo of vineyard overlaid with logos and title: Wine of Southern Oregon

hanlib.sou.edu/wine

Hannon Library has been documenting the history of wine production in Southern Oregon with an ever-growing collection of photographs, wine labels, books, journals, and other materials. A visit to our Special Collections department will yield hundreds of books about wine, viticulture, and enology. Or you can explore our digital collections online to see historical photos, wine labels, annual reports, and more.

Learn more about Hannon Library’s Wine and Viticulture Collection at our Special Collections website, and remember to celebrate our rights and freedoms responsibly.

Learn more about Repeal Day at www.repealday.org

vineyard

Bringing the beauty of Oregon wine creation to Hannon Library, Clink! A Taste of Oregon shows the history and process of Oregon’s prominent wine industry. This exhibit, from the Oregon Historical Society, features 12 banners displaying images and text narrating the story of grape growing and wine production in Oregon. In addition to the banners, there is an interactive iPad display where visitors can scroll through a digitized artifact catalog to observe images relating to the exhibit.

Southern Oregon, in particular, is home to some of the most varietal greg_jones_climatologistvineyards due to our hot summers and mild winters. SOU’s very own Dr. Gregory V. Jones, a professor of Environmental Studies, has made a huge impact in the Southern Oregon wine industry with his extensive research on how climate affects wine production. Due to his studies, the vineyards of Southern Oregon have grown immensely over the past decade, now producing upwards of 6,000 tons of fruit annually.

Also on display are excerpts from Hannon Library’s Wine of Southern Oregon collection. This collection documents the history of grape growing in the Rogue American Viticultural Area (AVA), which includes the Bear Creek Valley, Applegate Valley, and Illinois Valley. The collection combines many images of photographs, wine bottle labels, and price lists to display both the authentic and modern industry of Southern Oregon wine. Library patrons can explore Wine of Southern Oregon in person at Hannon’s Special Collections department, or digitally through the Southern Oregon Digital Archives.

This exhibit should not be missed! Visitors can view the exhibit on the third floor of Hannon Library, on display now through the end of November.

Sponsored by Maureen and Ed Battistella

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By Kate Mackie