Happy new year!

I hope you survived the holidays and that your year is off to a promising start.

With so much sunshine, Southern Oregon is known for its luscious and warm wines. And with so much rain, the northern regions of Oregon are known for their crisp and cool wines.

In many cases, the climate drives the choice of wine to grow. But in a few cases, wines are being grown at both ends of the state -- and this month, we're exploring the power of climate and terroir on wine.

That's right: This month, we are doing a battle of the varietals -- a Tempranillo and a Viognier each from down south and up north.

For reds, we're featuring two different Tempranillos -- one from Southern Oregon's Red Lily Vineyards and one from Dion Vineyards in the Willamette Valley. And for whites, we have two Viogniers -- one from Serra Vineyards in Southern Oregon and one from Et Fille Wines in Newberg.

In the end, both areas of Oregon produce outstanding wines — and we love to share them!