S. Oregon wine conference looks at ways to expand local industry

NEAR GOLD HILL, Ore. -- Dozens of vineyard and business leaders from around the region gathered in Grants Pass Wednesday for a conference put on by the Southern Oregon Wine Institute designed to open the eyes of those in the tourism and wine industries to the possibilities of making Southern Oregon as well known across the country as the wine and tourist areas of Northern California.
 
"We must've tapped onto a nerve because there's certainly almost a hundred people here today who are finding that this is a discussion that they wanna have," says Chris Lake with the Southern Oregon Wine Institute.
 
The Southern Oregon Wine Institute was established in 2007 by Umpqua Community College.
 
"I truly believe that we'll become a destination wine area. All of Southern Oregon will," says UCC President Blaine Nisson.
 
"We need to create greater brand identity (for) this region, and not just the wine industry, but the total collective of what we have to offer," says Robert Trottman with Weisinger's Winery.
 
Nisson says UCC is also working with RCC, Southern Oregon Universy and Oregon State University on other education and training programs to develop the region's wine industry.