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.
As the first Southern Oregon custom crush facility, the Pallet Wine Company was founded in 2009 and has been an incredible asset to the winemakers of the Rogue Valley and all over Oregon. Located in downtown Medford, this full-service facility provides winemaking, storage, a laboratory, and education services to regional growers and wineries. Housed in the Cooley-Neff Building, this 21,000 square foot facility was transformed from its previous life as a warehouse for lumber and dry goods, to now becoming one of the most influential wine producers in the region.
The prime focus of the Pallet Wine Company is to ease production work for wineries who wish to focus on selling their brand. By taking wine grapes from wineries all over Oregon and producing wines in their state of the art facilities, the Pallet Wine Company helps wineries outsource their wine production. This would save wineries the costly investment of the machinery and facilities needed to produce and bottle their wines so they can focus on what they do best: growing their wine grapes to perfection.
Pallet has also been a resource for virtual brand owners looking for high-quality and consistent wines to produce a private-label. Some brand owners don’t own a winery or grow their own grapes, but are interested in stepping into the wine industry. Pallet Wine Company will source the grapes, produce the wine, and bottle it with their own branding for them to sell.
As simple as all that sounds, there is a lot that goes into that process. Pallet cares deeply about the quality of their wines, which means that each label goes through a series of questions and formulations to match each client’s vision to the end product. The Pallet Wine Company has quickly become the busiest custom crush facility in Southern Oregon, and has produced over 1,000 types of wines for clients both locally in the Rogue Valley and regionally across the state of Oregon. While the Pallet Wine Company specializes in working with wine brands and labels, they have also started offering small batch cases of custom wine labels for private events. Now anyone can order a case of wine for their next even with their own label to mark the occasion. Weddings, retirement parties, and birthdays can have a case of wine made with labels custom printed with the names and photos of those being celebrated. There are no limits to what the Pallet Wine Company can do for you!
Attached outside of the Pallet Wine Company, you’ll find a sweet little tasting room called the Urban Cork. Open Fridays and Saturdays from 3pm to 7pm, the tasting room gives you an opportunity to experience wine unlike many other tasting rooms. This gem is a perfect place to sample the variety of different wines in one place. Choose from 120 wines from wineries all over Oregon, and you might just find a new favorite!
If you’d prefer the wine to come to you, you might consider joining Urban Cork’s member wine club. With three levels to choose from, you can enjoy 4, 6 or 12 bottles to be delivered to you each quarter, as well as additional discounts. What a nice way to make sure your wine cabinet never goes dry. Included in your membership is first access to new wine releases, exclusive wines and two-for-one tastings. Sounds like a sweet deal!
The District Wine Bar is one addition that is set to open in downtown Medford this Summer! Currently under construction, this classic lounge is going to be an impressive new hot spot in the Rogue Valley wine scene. Set to be an elevated wine experience, the District Wine Bar will be complete with marble finishes and outdoor seating. This will be the perfect stop before the going to the theater or meet your friends here for a glass of wine before dinner. Here you will be able to enjoy delicious wine and food pairings inside a new high-end downtown destination. The space will have both indoor and outdoor seating, with large rolling glass doors to combine the spaces on beautiful days. Beside the wine bar is the grassy lawn and beautiful landscaping that is meant to immerse you in it's own lush and green private grounds experience that is the City Center Wine District.
Here you'll find the best view of the iconic wine mural painted by renowned artist Eidan Gidon. This work of art took him 4 days to complete when he was traveling on his way from Los Angeles to Seattle. He stopped in the Rogue Valley to visit his friend, and left behind a masterpiece on the side of what used to be a blank wall. Determined to get this mural painted, the owner of the City Center Wine District, Linda Donovan went to the city to get the permit, but the timing was too tight to get the permit approved. Instead, she was told, "Linda, it better be good." And boy, it did not disappoint! This mural is a focal point for the new District Wine bar, adding an impactful backdrop to the space. This lounge will add a new upscale cosmopolitan element to downtown with possibilities for private events, concerts and more!
One particularly unique space in at the Pallet Wine Company includes the Barrel Room. This underground space is a hidden gem with an intimate classic vibe. The Barrel Room provides a compelling backdrop for weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries with space for up to 70 guests! This perfect event space is one-of-a-kind in downtown Medford making it so convenient for guests and vendors to come together. You can choose to have your event staffed by the incredible team at Urban Cork.
One of the many cool spaces inside the City Center Wine District includes Finnegan’s Lounge, an intimate space with lots of natural light. This lounge can accommodate up to 25 people for a small gathering. This space's historic feel has the charm to elevate your next small event to the next level. Situated right next to the Pallet Wine Lab, you can gaze into the the space where the magic truly happens. Named after the owner's beloved dog, Finnegan's lounge offers the perfect space for a private party in the middle of Downtown Medford.
