The Red Blanket

Ed Schieffelin, a famous prospector from the Applegate Valley…apparently found the motherlode, marked it with a red blanket, but died before ever digging up. If you want to grab a pick, head lamp and shovel…the gold strike of the red blanket still has not been found. The search for this famous claim begins at Red Lilly Vineyard. owner and wine maker Rachael Martin has done a lot of research in to the life of ed Schieffelin. She says “he was from the area and went prospecting in Oregon as kid, but really made it big in tombstone Arizona”.

Schieffelin was actually more well know in Arizona…he was the first to strike it rich in tombstone and is actually given credit with the naming of the city, but while the facts are great in Arizona it’s back in Oregon where the legend begins. Martin says.”he said he found the biggest gold strike to date and marked it with a red blanket, for hundred years fortune hunters flooded days creek, in search of the gold.” I went searching for the gold, but like all others before me failed to locate element number 79. Though I didn’t find the gold…I did locate the one red blanket treasure everyone can enjoy today. Martin describes the wine as “100 percent Tempranillo…it’s something a miner would drink… fruit forward…earthy character. ”

Those who visit Red Lilly vineyard, will here the legend…an perhaps someday one of them…will find Schieffelin’s famous strike.

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