LOCAL WINERY CAPITALIZES ON “MICRO” APPEAL

Bend’s Volcano Vineyards offers a classic example of a new industry trend—the “micro-winery.” Much like its forerunner, the microbrewery, a micro-winery does a smalllot production. “We produce the wine just minutes from the vineyards at state-of-theart facilities,” said Liz Ratcliff, who coowns the business with her husband, Scott. “This lets us invest in finding and securing long-term contracts with the finest grapegrowers from several different regions. It’s a win-win situation.”

All of Volcano Vineyards’ wines are available at the Volcano Vineyards’ Tasting Room, on Brooks Street. The charming downtown shop offers a wide assortment of wines sold by the bottle or case. The tasting room, open Wednesday through Sunday, also has a kid-friendly area. Available for special events as well.