Southern Oregon is a red-hot wine region as people wise up to the fact that quality wine is being made there. If you enjoy stunning scenery, good food and compelling wines, here is a road map for your next wine getaway.

Tomaselli's Pastry Mill and Cafe, Elkton. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

Elkton

Elkton, population 198, is on the lower Umpqua River two-and-a-half hours south of Portland. I began my trip there with breakfast at Tomaselli’s Pastry Mill and Cafe. Tomaselli’s is a great place to eat, catch up on local gossip and peruse the selection of local wines. Be sure to ask the regulars for local wine tips as they are always eager to oblige.

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Brandborg Winery, Elkton. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

The area surrounding Elkton is cooler and rainier than neighboring wine regions, and this unique microclimate helps create pinot noirs that combine ripeness of fruit with elevated acidity. My favorite Elkton pinots include River’s Edge Winery’s Black Oak Vineyard and Brandborg Winery’s “Love Puppets.”

Wine:

River's Edge Winery, 1395 River Drive, Elkton.

Brandborg Winery, 345 First St., Elkton.

Dine:

Tomaselli's Pastry Mill and Cafe, 14836 Oregon 38, Elkton.

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The Umpqua River near Elkton. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

Grants Pass

Leave Elkton on Oregon 138 and follow it south along the Umpqua River to Sutherlin. Ready your camera for 31 miles of stunning scenery as you drive through old-growth forests and past diving ospreys, working farms, a funky grange hall and the Rochester covered bridge. Catch Interstate 5 at Sutherlin and head south.

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The classic cheeseburger and fries at Jimmy's Classic Drive-In, Grants Pass. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

At the first Grants Pass exit, drive straight past In-N-Out Burger to Jimmy’s Classic Drive-In on E Street. Wine tasting road trips require sustenance and Jimmy’s makes the best cheeseburger I have ever had.

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Troon Vineyard's winemaker, Stephen Hall (left), and general manager, Craig Camp. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

After lunch, head out on Oregon 238 to Troon Vineyard in the Applegate Valley. This 47-year old winery is transitioning to biodynamic farming as winemaker Stephen Hall makes Mediterranean-inspired wines. Troon has several excellent white wines made with the vermentino grape, and my favorite red is the tannat-malbec blend named Cuvée Pyrénées.

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The cheesery at Wooldridge Creek Winery. (Courtesy of Wooldridge Creek Winery)

The next stop is Oregon’s first combination winery and creamery: Wooldridge Creek Winery. Kara Olmo makes the cheese while her husband, Greg Paneitz, makes wine. Their wine and cheeses are also sold at Vinfarm, the Grants Pass tasting room and restaurant they co-own with Wooldridge Creek founders Ted and Mary Warrick. For a decadent treat, pair the Wooldridge Creek “Oso de Oro” chardonnay dessert wine with their Brie-style Noble Bloomy. In addition to wine and cheese, Wooldridge Creek makes its own charcuterie and pickled vegetables. This place is a picnic waiting to break out.

Wine:

Troon Vineyard, 1475 Kubli Road, Grants Pass.

Wooldridge Creek Winery, 818 Slagle Creek Road, Grants Pass.

Vinfarm, 111 S.E. G St., Grants Pass.

Dine:

Jimmy's Classic Drive-In, 515 N.E. E St., Grants Pass.

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Quady North's tasting room. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

Jacksonville

Follow Oregon 238 to the village of Jacksonville, where Peter Britt kick-started the southern Oregon wine industry by planting mission grapes in the 1850s. After years of his selling wine on the sly, in 1873 the Internal Revenue Service kindly asked Britt to make it official by opening the state's first commercial winery.

Southern Oregon now has over 150 wineries and one of my favorites is Quady North. Quady North is famous for its Rhone-inspired syrahs, but the excellent sparkling wines are also worth seeking out at the tasting room in Jacksonville.

Also, leave time for the Jacksonville Inn Wine Shop and its vast selection of local wines. Kimball Artisan Wines, a highly anticipated wine shop owned by Josh and Kaylyn Kimball, is scheduled to open April 16.

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Gogi's Restaurant, Jacksonville. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

For breakfast, I highly recommend the Mustard Seed Cafe. Its staff makes a cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting so good, the possibility it could take a year off your life is a fair trade. Numerous local winemakers name Gogi’s Restaurant as their favorite dinner spot. Gogi’s has a great local wine list and the bone-in grilled pork chop served with corn polenta is a memorable dish.

Wine:

Quady North, 255 E. California St., Jacksonville.

Jacksonville Inn Wine Shop, 175 E. California St., Jacksonville.

Kimball Artisan Fine Wines, 120 S. Third St., Jacksonville.

Dine:

Mustard Seed Cafe, 130 Fifth St., Jacksonville.

Gogi's Restaurant, 235 W. Main St., Jacksonville.

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Lindsey Bellefeuille pours wine at Hither Coffee & Goods, Ashland. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

Ashland

When you arrive in Ashland, go thither to Hither Coffee & Goods to revive your road warrior spirit. The espresso drinks are the equal of anything Portland has to offer, and the farm-fresh breakfast and dinner dishes never fail to impress. Hither also has an eclectic collection of natural wines guaranteed to satisfy even the most jaded palate.

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The view from the wine bar veranda at Belle Fiore Winery, Ashland. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

High up in a canyon between the Cascade and Siskiyou ranges are Ashland's most picturesque wineries: Belle Fiore Winery and Irvine & Roberts Vineyards. The wines are just as pretty as the view, as Rob Folin of Belle Fiore and Vince Vidrine of Irvine & Roberts are skilled winemakers with years of experience at Domaine Serene. My favorites on this trip were inky black twin towers of fruit: Belle Fiore's Montepulciano and Irvine & Roberts' pinot meunier.

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The tasting patio at Irvine & Roberts Vineyards, Ashland. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

Wine:

Belle Fiore Winery, 100 Belle Fiore Lane, Ashland.

Irvine & Roberts Vineyards, 1614 Emigrant Creek Road, Ashland.

Dine:

Hither Coffee & Goods, 376 E. Main St., Ashland.

My southern Oregon journey took 13 hours. Imagine how much fun you could have in a weekend.

Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine.