Dr. Earl Jones, Marshall County native and 1961 Murray State University graduate, was recently presented with the Oregon Vintner of the Year Award, known as ORVI. A 1990 MSU Distinguished Alumnus recipient, Jones, along with his wife Hilda and their children, are the founders, owners and operators of Abacela Winery in Roseburg , Oregon .

“I was extremely pleased to receive the 2009 ORVI and deeply honored to see my name included in the same sentence with the names of the previous ORVI recipients,” said Jones. “This is a new feat for the southern region, giving it both personal and regional significance.” The award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated significant achievements in building the Oregon wine industry and establishing its worldwide reputation.

  Jones, a retired physician, said his fondness for the wines of La Rioja led him to become a winegrower with the purpose of producing fine Spanish-style Tempranillo in America .

Abacela Vineyard and Winery boasts more than 60 acres under cultivation and annual production exceeding 10,000 cases of wine. The Jones family purchased 500 acres of rolling oak savannah in the Umpqua Valley in southern Oregon and established the vineyard and winery in the early 1990s. The name Abacela comes from the Spanish/Portuguese word abacelar , which means to plant a grapevine.

The April issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine awarded 95 out of 100 points to Abacela’s 2005 South Face Reserve Syrah and designated it an Editor’s Choice. From a historical perspective, 95 point wines are rare. Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator , two highly respected magazines among vintners, have tasted approximately 10,000 Oregon wines of which they rated only 20 wines from just 12 Oregon wineries at 95 points or higher.

“We’re thrilled to have grown and made Southern Oregon ’s first 95-pointer,” added Jones. “The rocky, south-facing slopes of our estate vineyards contribute greatly to wine quality.”

Jones continues to work tirelessly to enhance the scientific underpinnings of grape and wine quality and to extend the reputation of Southern Oregon wines. He has served as a director on the Oregon Wine Board, Oregon Winegrowers Association, Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Association and the Southern Oregon Winery Association.

Jones earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry from Murray State and received his medical degree from Tulane University in 1965. As a student at MSU he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Former clinical professor of dermatology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and a hospital consultant, he also collaborated with pharmaceutical companies in developing drugs to treat fungal infections. A generous Murray State supporter, Jones previously established the Clay and Treva Jones Memorial Scholarship at MSU in memory of his parents.

Jones is attending the Wine Tasting & Auction event at the Carson Center in Paducah on April 16.