From four wineries gathering under one roof to the launch of our Founding Tourism Partner program, the Illinois Valley Wine Trail is beginning to show what can happen when a destination comes together.
Something is happening in the Illinois Valley.
When the Illinois Valley Wine Trail officially launched on June 20, 2026, it began with a simple idea: bring our four local wineries together and make it easier for visitors to discover the wine being grown and made right here in our corner of Southern Oregon.
But from the beginning, the vision was bigger than wine.
And in just a few short weeks, we’ve already had a glimpse of what that bigger vision could become.
For Media: Download the official Illinois Valley Wine Trail press release [PDF]
A Wine Trail in Every Valley
The Illinois Valley is part of the Rogue Valley AVA, an enormous wine-growing region spanning approximately 1.14 million acres and encompassing three distinct river valleys: the Bear Creek Valley, Applegate Valley and Illinois Valley.
The Rogue and Applegate valleys have long had organized wine-tourism routes helping visitors discover their wineries.
Now, the Illinois Valley does too.
With the creation of the Illinois Valley Wine Trail, visitors can experience an organized wine trail presence across each of the Rogue Valley’s three valleys.
That feels especially significant in 2026, as the Rogue Valley celebrates being named the #1 Wine Region in the United States in USA TODAY’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
And here in the Illinois Valley, we’re just getting started.
Our founding winery partners are:
Augustino Estate & Vineyards
Bridgeview Vineyards & Winery
Deer Creek Vineyards
Foris Vineyards
Four very different wineries. Four different experiences. One valley.
And, increasingly, one destination.
Then Something Pretty Remarkable Happened
On August 8, we hosted Blackberry Nights at Pappy T’s Pub & Grub in Cave Junction.
The evening was designed as more than a wine dinner. We wanted guests to experience a little piece of the Illinois Valley in one place: local wine, food, artists, makers, musicians and community.
But Blackberry Nights became important for another reason.
For the first time, representatives from all four Illinois Valley Wine Trail wineries were together in the same room.
That deserves a moment.
These wineries have been part of the Illinois Valley for years. Some have histories stretching back decades. Each has built its own wines, identity, customers and story.
But on that Saturday night, they weren’t simply four individual wineries.
They were the Illinois Valley Wine Trail.
Guests moved through a multi-course dinner featuring wines from each winery. Our winery representatives introduced their wines and shared their stories. Local artists and makers brought another layer of the valley into the experience.
And suddenly, the larger idea behind the Wine Trail wasn’t theoretical anymore.
We could see it.
Wine Is the Invitation
A visitor may initially come to the Illinois Valley because they discovered one of our wineries.
Wonderful.
But what happens next?
Maybe they have lunch.
Maybe they wander into a shop.
Maybe they discover a local artist.
Maybe they visit the Oregon Caves.
Maybe they find somewhere beautiful to stay and turn an afternoon excursion into an overnight trip.
Maybe they come back.
That is where the Illinois Valley Wine Trail becomes more than a collection of wineries.
Wine is the invitation. The Illinois Valley is the experience.
And that’s why our next chapter involves a lot more than wine.
Introducing the 2026 Founding Tourism Partner Program
This week, we officially launched the Illinois Valley Wine Trail Founding Tourism Partner Program, opening the Trail to businesses and organizations that help create the visitor experience.
That includes lodging, restaurants and cafés, recreation providers, shops and boutiques, artists and galleries, farms and local producers, wellness businesses, entertainment, professional services and many others.
Because visitors don’t experience destinations in categories.
They experience places.
They remember where they ate. The little shop they stumbled across. The person who told them where to go next. The cabin where they stayed. The hike they took. The bottle of wine they brought home.
Our job is to begin connecting those experiences.
What We’re Building
Tourism Partners become part of the destination-marketing network surrounding the Wine Trail.
Depending on partnership level, that can include website visibility, business profiles, social media promotion, newsletter inclusion, storytelling opportunities, event promotion, visitor referrals, collaborative campaigns and reporting.
And in 2027, the visitor experience gets even more interesting.
Qualifying Tourism, Destination and Founding Presenting Partners will have the opportunity to participate in the expanded Illinois Valley Wine Trail Passport by offering an exclusive perk to Passport holders.
The idea is beautifully simple:
A perk creates a reason to visit.
A visit creates an opportunity to earn a customer.
And a redemption gives us a way to begin seeing the Trail at work.
Instead of simply telling visitors there are wonderful businesses throughout the Illinois Valley, we can actively give them reasons to discover them.
And We’re Inviting Local Leaders to Help Shape What Comes Next
Four Founding Presenting Partner positions will represent major pieces of the Illinois Valley visitor experience:
Lodging · Food & Beverage · Recreation & Experiences · Shopping, Arts & Community
Founding Presenting Partners aren’t simply receiving additional visibility.
They’ll also be invited to participate on the Illinois Valley Wine Trail Advisory Council, bringing the perspective of local businesses into conversations about the Trail’s long-term direction, visitor experience, collaborative marketing and community impact.
Because if we’re going to build a destination, the businesses helping create that destination should have a voice in the conversation.
We Don’t Compete for the Visitor
There is one idea at the heart of all of this:
We don’t compete for the visitor. Together, we complete the experience.
A winery benefits when its guest finds a wonderful local restaurant.
A restaurant benefits when that guest decides to stay overnight.
A lodging property benefits when its guests discover something to do the following morning.
A shop benefits when visitors spend another hour downtown instead of getting immediately back on the highway.
And the Illinois Valley benefits when someone who might have simply driven through decides there is enough here to stop.
Enough to explore.
Enough to stay.
And eventually, enough to come back for.
That’s the destination we’re beginning to build.
Blackberry Nights gave us our first opportunity to see what it looks like when our wineries come together.
The Founding Tourism Partner program is our invitation to the rest of the Illinois Valley to join them.
One valley. Many experiences.
And this is only the beginning.
Become a 2026 Founding Tourism Partner
If your business helps visitors experience the Illinois Valley, there’s a place for you on the Trail.
Explore the partnership levels, download the 2026 Founding Tourism Partner Handbook, and learn how your business can become part of the visitor experience we’re building together.
Explore Tourism Partnerships → https://illinoisvalleywinetrail.com/partner/
For Media
The official press release, including background information and media contact details, is available for download below.
Download the Press Release [PDF]
Illinois Valley Wine Trail
Wine is the invitation. The Illinois Valley is the experience.
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