Oregon Wine + Food charts the history of this region's celebrated terroir through the stories of forty renegade winemakers and eighty recipes from some of the best chefs across the state. More than fifty years ago, an eclectic crew brought their big dreams to an offbeat state. In a region mostly known for its vast forests, volcanic peaks, verdant valleys, and rain? - so much rain - they wanted to plant grape vines. Despite a choir of skeptics from more established wine regions, this fearless collective stayed true to its vision. Oregon, it turns out, is climatically one of the best places to grow grapes on the planet. It experiences coastal influences from the Pacific Ocean and long hours of sunlight in the summer growing season without intense heat, making it perfect for wine grapes to slowly ripen and develop highly complex flavors. Everything from Albarino to Zinfandel can grow and thrive here, but Pinot Noir remains ever-popular since it was first planted over fifty years ago. And if you take a road trip through the windswept and waterfall-saturated Columbia River Gorge or down to the mountainous and deeply forested Applegate Valley, you'll find grape growers in these areas cultivating an array of lesser-known varieties, from Mencia to Vermentino.

Wine is a universal language - an expression of time, place, and memories best shared around the dinner table. And as we well know, wine and food are the great connectors. Oregon Wine + Food brings together the stories of forty renegade winemakers accompanied by eighty recipes from some of the state's leading chefs. The recipes focus on ingredients abundant in the Pacific Northwest - fresh seafood, seasonal vegetables, native plants, and wild mushrooms - that can be enjoyed and procured by home cooks everywhere. Some recipes are personal favorites shared by the winemakers; others come from a kindred group of chefs who are just as dedicated to celebrating and preserving the region's bounty. Oregon Wine + Food is a culmination of stories from Oregon's wine country that can be shared around the table. It is designed for anyone interested in wine, food, and community.