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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Barbershop-style singers help local schools ... Water plant upgrade to increase water bills ... Giving back to the givers ... Barbershop-style singers help local schools ... Water plant upgrade to increase water bills ... Giving back to the givers ... VITICULTURE Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house Comment By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 20, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 20, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Southern Oregon's wine industry has pumped new life into an array of agriculture and urban settings in recent years. The latest is in north Medford, where one of the Rogue Valley's biggest agriculture names is plunging into viticulture. The Naumes Family, best known for being one of the largest pear growers in the county, plans to open a custom crush winery in the former Rogue River Orchards packing house between Central Avenue and the railroad. Naumes Crush & Fermentation is expected to be up and running in time for the 2015 harvest, processing up to 200 tons in its first season. "We've been considering it for the last two or three years and think there is a real need," said Mike Naumes, president of Naumes Inc.  Naumes Crush & Fermentation will join custom-crush facilities along the railroad in central and south Medford. Pallet Wine Co. opened in 2009 and Barrel 42, located in the old SOS packing plant, cranked up last year. Linda Donovan, who does custom-crush work a half-mile down the CORP track at Pallet Wine Co., said the Naumes family's entrance into the wine industry demonstrates its growing strength. "Mike and Laura Naumes see the potential of the wine industry here," Donovan said. "They have some fantastic equipment going in. They're farmers, and they see the future of Southern Oregon wine, and it's very exciting they are jumping in." Naumes Inc. acquired the 5-acre site with multiple outbuildings in 1985. It sits just west of Medford Fabrication and adjacent to the McAndrews Road overpass. So far, Naumes has planted 60 acres of pinot noir, chardonnay and grenache grapes on east-facing hills once covered by a Granny Smith apple orchard and a blight-ridden pear grove. The original 15 acres off Carpenter Hill Road will render its first crop this fall. "We have another 23 acres on the drawing board for next year and a maximum of 200 acres in the future," Naumes said. While winery equipment may not cost quite as much as putting in a new pear-packing house line, the equipment — including an optical sorter to ensure the right grape is processed — will cost between $1.2 million and $1.4 million. Rather than produce for its own wine label, Naumes said, the plan for now is to sell grapes to other labels, perhaps to someone who would in turn have them processed in the new winery. Interviews took place last week, and Naumes hopes to hire a winemaker by May. "We're still a very young industry here," Donovan said. "As long as more vineyards are going into the ground, we're expanding. Southern Oregon is vast, and there are a lot of great places to plant grapes. There are some big vineyards going in, and hopefully we can keep the fruit here rather than just send it up north like we have for the past 15 years." Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or  [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at  www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 , and read his blog at  www.mailtribune.com/ Economic Edge . By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 20, 2015 at 12:01 AM » 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... 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