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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Racism must be fought with 'honesty and boldness,' OSF actor tells gathering ... Fireworks show features fiddler ... Police reports, June 30-July 1 ... Racism must be fought with 'honesty and boldness,' OSF actor tells gathering ... Fireworks show features fiddler ... Police reports, June 30-July 1 ... ROGUE WINE NOTES Rogue Wine Notes: Ashland accolade could use a grain of salt Comment By MJ Daspit For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By MJ Daspit For the Tidings Posted Jun. 15, 2016 at 6:59 PM By MJ Daspit For the Tidings Posted Jun. 15, 2016 at 6:59 PM » RELATED CONTENT • The 'Law of the Few' and Southern Oregon wine • Rogue Wine Notes: The long journey from roses to grapes • Oregon tempranillo takes center stage • Wine Enthusiast touts Ashland area as an international destination... » Social News Ashland has once again received recognition as one of the best destinations for wine tourism. Top Value Reviews is the latest organization to single out Ashland, naming it as one of the 30 top small towns for wine lovers in the U.S. According to information available on the organization’s website, “TopValueReviews.net is a data-driven, customer-centric, value conscious website featuring product reviews and rankings.” The May 2016 listing of top small towns for wine lovers includes 30 towns in 12 states. Ashland is ranked No. 15 behind such traditional wine tasting destinations as Napa, Sonoma, Healdsburg, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga. What may come as a surprise is that Ashland was also outranked by Harpersville, Alabama, and Suttons Bay, Michigan, spots you won’t find in the most recent edition of The World Atlas of Wine. There are more surprises in the specific write-up on Ashland. On the list of the editors’ favorite wineries are Ashland Vineyards and "Velocity Wine Cellars" (sic). Most people familiar with the local wine scene will note that Ashland Vineyards has not had a functional tasting room for several years, although the Oregon Liquor Control Commission states that the winery is still licensed and there is still an Ashland Vineyards website. Velocity Cellars never was a bricks-and-mortar winery. Rather, it was the private label of winemaker Gus Janeway, produced through custom crush arrangements. Janeway stopped making wine several years ago and opened Piccadilly Cycles, a bike shop, with co-owner Blaine Pickett. In any case, Velocity Cellars never was a traditional winery that tourists might visit. The write-up also errs in its claim that Ashland has over 100 wineries, 250 vineyards and 5,000 acres of grapes — figures more accurately associated with the Southern Oregon region as a whole. The Top Value Reviews ranking claims to be based on the editors having “found some of the best places in the country where wine lovers can experience unbeatable hospitality and wines as unique as they are delicious.” It seems likely that what the editors at Top Value Reviews “found” was low-hanging fruit on the internet, plucked at random and not verified by boots on the ground. Ashland freelance writer MJ Daspit is co-author of "Rogue Valley Wine." By MJ Daspit For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By MJ Daspit For the Tidings Posted Jun. 15, 2016 at 6:59 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501