6/30 Encore: Andrew Apodaca talks with Chris Lake of the Southern Oregon Wine Institute!

About Chris Lake:

Born and educated in California, Chris Lake’s career began in 1990 when he was hired as a cellar worker for the Santa Barbara Winery. Chris worked in Santa Barbara for three years, learning to make award-winning wines from some of California’s best cool climate vineyards.

In 1993, Chris and his wife Gretchen left Santa Barbara to attend California State University, Fresno. Chris received his Bachelors in Plant Science and then took a position at the university as a viticulture research assistant. His career in viticulture research took Chris from Fresno to Arkansas when, in 2000, he took a position as a research assistant with Dr. R. Keith Striegler at the University of Arkansas.

In 2004, Chris left his university position to become the viticulturist and assistant winemaker for Wiederkehr Wine Cellars in Altus, Arkansas. At Wiederkehr, Chris farmed 200 acres of European, American and French-American hybrid grapes in addition to assisting in the production of 40,000 cases per year for the family run winery. Chris left Wiederkehr in 2006 to become the viticulturist and winemaker for Stone Bluff Cellars in Haskell, Oklahoma where he took the production from 1200 to 3000 cases in two years.

Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon hired Chris to become the first director of the College’s Southern Oregon Wine Institute in July of 2008. The Institute is a division of the college that delivers an instructional program in Viticulture and Enology to serve students from a seven county area in southern Oregon.

“Chris Lake not only has the entrepreneurial experience of a commercial wine maker,” said UCC President Blaine Nisson announcing Lake’s appointment, “but he also has published extensively and worked in viticulture and enology programs in academic settings. That’s a combination we expect will be vital to our new program here in southern Oregon.”

Since Chris took the Director’s position, the Institute has enrolled 60-75 students per year in its two year Viticulture and Enology degree. Chris continues to lead the Institute as it completes the construction of a 24,000 sq. ft. teaching winery and event center on the college’s campus. In 2011, Oregon Winepress named the Southern Oregon Wine Institute as it’s Organization of the Year saying that “In a few years, the college’s Southern Oregon Wine Institute has grown … to providing the industry with vital lab services, access to cutting-edge research and invitations to confab at Wine Cluster Conferences. But perhaps most important, SOWI is set up to produce ready-to-work employees.”

6/23-Encore Presentation Andrew Apodaca talks to Diane Clerihue Smith

Diane Clerihue Smith - Oregon Wine Country Tours

Diane Clerihue Smith is a wine and food enthusiast who runs Oregon Wine Country Lifestyles a catering and events business specializing in wine country cuisine. She teaches wine & food pairing cooking classes and writes several wine columns as The Girl on Grapes focusing on the Umpqua Valley, Oregon AVA. A recent transplant from northern California wine country Diane moved to Southern Oregon and the Umpqua Valley specifically for the wine. She is dedicated to sharing her passion for Umpqua Valley wines and the wine country lifestyle.

6/16-Encore Presentation Andrew Apodaca talks to Kernin Stienhauer

Kernin Stienhauer - Seven Feathers Casino & Resort

About Seven Feathers

In 1992, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians opened the Cow Creek Bingo Hall. Today, Seven Feathers is a full Nevada-style casino with 1300 Slot machines, Table Games, live Poker, Keno and Bingo. Seven Feathers features 68,000 square feet of gaming space, including non-smoking casino areas, and is Southern Oregon’s largest facility of its kind. More than 1 million guests visit Seven Feathers Casino Resort annually.

Seven Feathers Hotel amenities include 147 deluxe guest rooms, indoor heated pool, two hot tubs, sauna, fitness center and locker rooms. Other hotel features include full concierge service, continental breakfast, complimentary morning newspaper, free access to fitness and recreation facilities, cable television, Pay-per-View movies, in-room hair dryer, coffee service, and complimentary valet parking as well as turn down and room service. Other services include adjoining rooms, rollaway beds and cribs, at no charge.

The current expansion adds 154 new hotel rooms, a day spa and a 250-seat buffet within the confines of a new 5-story hotel which will be located directly behind the existing. Other highlights include two outdoor courtyards, an expanded video arcade and a glass walkway connecting the hotel to the gaming floor.

Treat yourself to fine dining in the Camas Room, enjoy traditional favorites 24-hours a day in the Cow Creek Restaurant, or take a seat in the Stix Sports Bar's great atmosphere complete with full-service bar, 19 televisions and a tasty variety menu. Unwind in the Cabaret Lounge with a full-service bar where you can watch top notch entertainment seven nights a week.

Seven Feathers is known for bringing great entertainment to the area from country, oldies, rock & roll, specialty concerts and comedy shows. Also sporting events such as boxing, rodeo and pool tournaments. Check the events page for current and upcoming listings.

Shop the Gift Gallery, it’s full of apparel, Native American art, beautiful home décor, sundries and much more.

If you're snowbird, spend the night at the nearby Seven Feathers RV Resort or if you're here for a brief visit, try our day use lot.

6/9-Encore Broadcast Andrew Apodaca talks with Jean Kurtz

Jean Kurtz - The Director of the Roseburg Visitors and Convention Bureau
Jean serves as Director of the Roseburg Visitors & Convention Bureau and has been in the position for 16 years. She's been promoting the area for many years – positioning it as the “Land of Umpqua” which has an area that goes from the high Cascade Mountains near Crater Lake National Park from the east, to the Pacific Ocean to the west. Roseburg is the “heart” of the land, where visitors can receive all the services they need for their vacation.
Jean is originally from the east coast (New Jersey) but fell in love with the wide open spaces of the west and in particular the lush, green open spaces of Oregon. The lifestyle is relaxed, the people are friendly and there are outdoor recreation opportunities everywhere. She personally loves to travel and explore new places. Her first introduction to the west was visiting Yellowstone National Park – and she moved out west in 1975 soon after her visit to the west.

Roseburg and several surrounding communities provide a glimpse into the past as you enjoy visiting their historic structures and districts. A descriptive brochure of Historical Tours of Roseburg homes and buildings is available at the Roseburg Visitors & Convention Bureau. Our Self-Guided Tour Map will help you plan your Historic Tour of the Land of Umpqua.

Roseburg is a good hub and spoke destination - Crater Lake is 104 miles east - access via scenic byway. The Oregon Coastline is 90 miles to the west. Tour local wineries - Oregon's only drive through exotic animal park that includes a restaurant for lunch.

6/02-Andrew Apodaca previews his trip to Europe

This week the host of What’s Cookin on Wine Oregon Report Andrew Apodaca will be providing listeners a preview of his June trip to Europe’s Wine country. Andrew will discuss his planned itinery and the guests he plans to have on the show. He will be interviewing winery owners, winemakers, and restaurants serving world class wines that will give the audience an in depth look at the worlds oldest wine regions through the eyes of the owner of one of Oregons newest and fastest growing wineries. Don’t miss this exciting and informative show and be prepared for a June What’s Cookin on Wine Oregon Report that will truly excite the senses.