Plaisance Ranch

This was the best winery experience I have ever had! Suzi and Cooper (the affable family dog who was smiling at us) met us at the door when we pulled up. Suzi invited us in to taste lovely wines. She shared stories with us about how both her’s and her husband’s deep roots in the community go way back, over 100 years! Suzi told us about how the land was initially a dairy. Along with making award winning wines, the Ginets grow hay, raise cattle and grow grape vine root stock. They were both such great hosts and they were also very humble. I cannot wait to return to drink/​buy more great wine, and hang out with some great people.

A recent visit to the area brought us out to Plaisance Ranch, not for the beef but for the wine, this winery is a working ranch and has been since 1858.
We were in Grants Pass having lunch at a great little bistro that we found and during the course of conversation with our server and over the meal she made a couple of recommendations to us of must stop places and knowing we were looking for a great winery — she suggested only one and it was Plaisance. We took her advice, and we are so glad that we did.
This is one of the very best wineries in the Applegate valley area. A true boutique winemaker, all small batch runs in both whites and reds. And, quite honestly one of the very best Merlot’s I have ever sampled or tasted, I even kidded with the owners that I did not drink Merlot and boy was I pleasantly surprised, full bodied and complex with a rich cherry-​berry smokey spice and a very dry finish, not what one typically expects from this red.
The tasting room is cozy and inviting, and only a very small portion of this operation. Something you quickly realize while on the tour of the huge facility. The day of our visit, Suzi and Joe (the owners) were both on hand and it felt more like sharing and drinking with friends more than a standard winery tour. Both are down to earth, and very approachable and you can tell from talking with them that this place is a true labor of love.
We sampled a variety of both whites and reds, and I quickly learned that «Papa Joe» is serious about his wines. Something he and I both had in common was a great appreciation for full bodied reds. So after all the others had left and it was just he and I in the tasting room, we built a case of one of a kind world class reds for me to take back to nor-​cal and add to our cellar’s stash.
All of the reds we sampled were amazing and a couple that we didn’t sample, but Joe recommended went into my case — a pair each of the Merlot, Cab Franc and Ranch Red. As well as a pair each of the 2011 Rouge Prestige and a real private stash of the 2012 Mourvedre’ (pronounced: Mo-​Ved-​ra) that he had in his personal library. I finished off the box with the 2012 Syrah — Papa Joe’s Private Stash. All of these reds are solid, full bodied, well aged and finely crafted wines.
So, after about a two hour leisurely visit and roughly $ 300 later — with my splendid box of reds in hand, we parted ways with our new friends and as well having a deeper appreciation for southern Oregon wines.
This winery/​working ranch is well worth a stop and whether you are a wine aficionado or novice — you will most likely enjoy this winery stop. I know my wife and I had a great visit and we plan to return to resupply and see what else Papa Joe has stashed.
A solid 5 stars and worth the trip out to Williams.
281

I hate to leave such a blasé review for a local place but honestly, I’ve had far better beef at half the price elsewhere. They don’t offer anything fresh — all beef is frozen SOLID. The flavor of the steaks was okay but they were tough and chewy. The sausage tasted old and the ground beef was about as bland as it gets. Not impressed. Plus, the people running the place were not very friendly.

A wide selection of good wines, a cozy tasting area, and a warm reception by the owners make this a great stop on the Applegate Valley wine trail.