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Southern Oregon's burgeoning wine industry is igniting palates — and not just for juice.

The region's abundant farmland produces fruit, vegetables, internationally recognized farmstead cheeses, beef, poultry, bison and myriad other ingredients that contribute to a true chef's table of fresh, locally raised foodstuffs.

This coalition of wine and food has helped put the Umpqua, Rogue, Applegate, Illinois and Upper Rogue Valley appellations firmly on the map.

Who are the pilgrims who venture to Southern Oregon in search of gustatory delights? They fall into three main categories, surmises Liz Wan of Applegate Valley's Troon Vineyard, where the just-opened VinoLab offers "a culinary exploration of the art of food and wine pairing."

"For the Millennials (born between 1980 and 1995), the popularity can be attributed to cost and curiosity," she explains. "These 80 million young men and women are a very important up-and-coming demographic for the food-and-wine world."

Unstoppable "information junkies who know exactly what they want," these newbies ask questions and aren't afraid to source exotic ingredients from their cell phones while at the winery in order to re-create a wine pairing at home.

"They have no issue with spending money, but they are also really savvy," Wan says. "They realize that creating a few appetizers paired with delicious wines can provide a party on a budget without worrying about big bar tabs or how to get home."

The second-most visible group on the food-and-wine pairing scene is families looking for affordability and convenience. "They utilize food shows to enjoy the restaurant experience at home as a budget-friendly approach," says Wan. Parents listen to pairing suggestions, then hop online to print out grocery lists and recipes.

"They put the kids to bed and unwind or have friends over so the kids get a movie and pizza while the parents enjoy some nice pairings," Wan says.

Elders — those in the autumn of their lives who have traveled and experimented with food and wine for decades — search out exciting new experiences.

"In many cases they crave the flavors and menu items of yesteryear or of a special place," says Wan. "And they were required to take home economics courses in school, so they are not strangers to the kitchen and often have the patience to achieve the perfect pairing."

Southern Oregon's winemakers, winery owners, grape growers, chefs and restaurant owners have a history of working together to showcase the region's quality comestibles, says Kara Olmo, a partner/winemaker at Wooldridge Creek Vineyard & Winery in Grants Pass, who teaches classes like "crafting a wine-fine meal." That's why the kitchen at Wooldridge Creek brims with local meat, cheeses and produce from the Mud Puddles community supported agriculture (CSA) program.

"This ensures that we have a selection of local foods to prepare and serve with our wines," Olmo says. "And increasing demand for our agricultural products is the best way for us to keep our farmland for farming."

It also starts a culinary conversation, and that's the key to keeping the region's food and wine scene well seasoned.

"Exploring these concepts of food and wine pairing helps people master a certain set of words, a vocabulary that gives them the confidence to talk about food and wine," says Chris Lake, director of the Southern Oregon Wine Institute at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg. "Once you have those common terms under the belt, the whole world of wine tends to pop open."

This vocabulary revolves around sensory perceptions: Smell, taste, feel. It's often learned at vineyard tasting rooms, restaurants or even house parties, where a group of people, possibly including a wine aficionado, is gathered.

"What makes food and wine pairings so exciting is when someone is bringing the food and wine to you, describing it and discussing flavor profiles as you taste and smell," Lake says. "The only way this vocabulary becomes alive and becomes part of you is to tie the experience into it."

Such dialog teases out the sensory components of a pairing and allows people to remember details. So the next time they're discussing wine, they can refer to a specific peppery flavor they tasted in a syrah from Umpqua Valley. Suddenly others understand what is sought, and a rich conversation ensues, perhaps comparing the Umpqua wine with Syrahs from the Rogue and Willamette valleys and even those from Australia.

"It's a global competition we're in with our Southern Oregon wines," says Lake. "And it's in the continued descriptions and definitions of our wine — and how it pairs with our regional foods — that will help us sit closer to the front of the stage."

From there, it's straight to the spotlight for the region's many spectacular food and wine pairings.

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