Blog

Our blog includes updates from the vineyard and winery, wine features, specials, products and much more. Elkton, Oregon is a special place and we like to brag about it from time to time. 

I Walk the Vine

Every year we try to have some live music at the vineyard, and this year I'm getting things rolling a little early. Why? Because the band we're bringing in is so great and so fun, you are going to want ample time to plan. Without further ado, I am pleased to announce our 'big' summer show:

From their website:

“James Garner’s Tribute to Johnny Cash celebrates the life and music of the Man in Black with strong conviction and stunning accuracy. Garner and his band faithfully recreate Cash’s biggest hits, such as Folsom Prison Blues, I Walk the Line and Ring of Fire, and incorporate historical accounts and personal anecdotes about America’s most beloved singing storyteller in this not-to-be-missed musical event. The show is a fun, classy and toe-tapping trip down memory lane honoring Johnny Cash’s life and music, and the boom-chicka-boom sound of his signature backing band, the Tennessee Three.”

I have the pleasure of knowing James, as we worked together at my first job out of college. If another person exists who knows more about and is a bigger fan of Johnny Cash than James, then I'd sure like to witness the two of them compare notes. Since his childhood, James has studied the life and music of Johnny Cash. That's why he calls this a tribute show. James doesn't just cover songs; he weaves in stories from Johnny's life; he provides rich background to the songs he performs; he even personifies Johnny both with deep vocals and the classic "boom chicka boom" sound, as well as in his dress and manner. I'm telling you, this is a performance you want to attend.

So here is the plan: I'm going to put tickets on sale for $20 a piece. I recognize that this is a higher ticket price than our typical vineyard show, but this is a bit more than our regular gig. I'll offer Early-bird pricing at $15 for a couple weeks after putting the tickets on sale. I'll also offer you, my devoted reader, a $5 discount code to use at checkout. That code is: bradleyblog. (Wine club members, use your club password from the members' only page to receive $10 off.)

Gates will 'open' for the show at 7pm on Saturday, August 13 and I'll introduce the band at 7:30. I'm offering a first come, first served free camping package, as long as you contact me ahead of time to reserve the space. Tents are easy and can really go anywhere on the property. RV and camper space is limited, as is power hook-up (and there is no dump site on the property). 

Tomaselli's will have their mobile wood-fired pizza oven on site, so we all would prefer that you don't bring outside food/drink. But if you bring a picnic, I guess that's okay too :). You will want a blanket or camping chairs as this will be a concert on the lawn. We'll also be selling Bradley Vineyards wines, select beers - I'm thinking about getting a keg or two depending on attendance- bottled water and soft drinks.

Okay now with all this said, I'm going to ask a favor of you. James's band is doing very well, is booked constantly, and is traveling a long way to come play in Elkton. I'm hoping that by launching this event early, together you and I can help bring lots of people out for this special show (and frankly I want to surprise him with a big, enthusiastic crowd).

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to:

  1. Buy a ticket or several for you and your friends!
  2. Tell your friends and family about the show and encourage them to get tickets!

Any Facebook shares, Tweets, Retweets, Instagram posts, Snapchats, etc. we can get, we'll take! With your help, this could truly be one of the most fun events of the summer!

For tickets click HERE

With that, I'll leave you with a playlist starting with James introducing and playing one of my favorite Cash tunes, Hey Porter.

 

 

 

#WhereIsElkton?

The single most-asked question at wine festivals and events is, "Where is Elkton?" So I thought it would be handy to have a blog post that answers that question. I have also embraced a hashtag another local business owner (Randi Jo Fabrications) created. 

I'll start off by showing precisely where Elkton is on a map:

The gold-colored line that runs north/south is Interstate-5. As you can see, Elkton is not on I-5. This is one of the main reasons even native Oregonians often don't know where Elkton is located. In fact, it appears that the pin is smack-dab in the middle of nowhere. That's because it kind of is, which is why Elkton is so cool.

Travel Oregon has the state divided into 7 distinct regions: (1) Greater Portland, (2) Mt. Hood/The Gorge, (3) Central Oregon, (4) Eastern Oregon, (5) Southern Oregon, (6) Oregon Coast, and (7) Willamette Valley. If you were to mark those divisions on this map, Elkton would fall almost precisely on the joint of (5), (6) and (7). The climate in Elkton is much more similar to that of the Willamette Valley and Oregon Coast, (rainy, cool temps, foggy); Southern Oregon tends to be more arid and hot than Elkton. This is why Elkton, Oregon is it's own distinct American Viticulture Area - technically, we are in Southern Oregon, but we're growing grapes that thrive in cool climate regions.

Now there are some people who do in fact know where Elkton is. At least 95-99.5% of these people know it because they passed through on the way to the coast (the remaining .5-5% either knew someone from Elkton, or has family here). It's true, we are halfway between I-5 and the Oregon Coast on Highway 38, and a lot of ATV riders and dunes enthusiasts pass through town. Recently I had a customer share with me that Hwy 38 is her favorite coastal connection. The reasons she listed were: (1) It's very scenic (2) There are lots of passing lanes and (3) There are no major mountain passes or twisty-turny roads. Now if you aren't familiar with all the coastal connection highways of Oregon, (first of all shame on you) this customer really nailed it on the head. The passing lane situation in particular is a huge win because of all the RVs, Trailers and semis that take these routes. So for future travel planning, if you are hopping over to the coast from I-5 be sure to go via Hwy 38.

Until #whereiselkton is trending on Twitter, or some site posts 'Oregon's 10 Best Routes to the Oregon Coast,' I imagine us Elktonites will continue to answer the question to Oregonians and tourists alike. But not to you. You are one of the elite few who can now boast, "I knew about Elkton before Elkton was a thing."

And you can take that to the bank.

Tyler