Colors of Provence Rhone River Cruise, April 17 - 24, 2025, with Aurora "Rori" Coria of Coria Estates

Coria Estates

“No two vintages are the same; which provides us with a unique and expressive wine each year.This makes the entire process of making wine exciting, mysterious and ever changing.” – Aurora

Aurora is the daughter of Luis and Janice Coria, the owners of Coria Estates. Rori, as her family and friends call her, grew up helping her folks working in the vineyard and behind the scenes in the administrative side of owning a 60 acre vineyard. She didn’t always know she wanted to be a winemaker, but when her mom prompted her with the question, “Maybe it’s time to start our own label?” At that moment the choice was so obvious! Rori was working in Public Health in Portland, Oregon at that time; which had been her first passion; but that conversation with her family was the beginning of an entire life change. Rori decided to go back to school and study Winemaking, and in a few short years, Coria Estates had their first crush under label in 2013!

Rori started her career in winemaking in 2011. She studied at the Northwest Wine Studies Center, and has interned at Oregon wineries, as well as studied winemaking and worked a vintage abroad in Tasmania, Australia. She believes in being hands off stylistically in the winery and letting the fruit speak for itself. She believes that if you manipulate a wine too much, you lose the natural essence of the fruit you started with.

Rori now has a 4 year old son, Simon, who is quickly becoming Assistant Winemaker, and ‘helps’ mom during harvest! Her passion for wine has grown and is now producing upwards of 15 different styles of wine each harvest; from Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon to Sauvignon Blanc! She is always learning and feels that every harvest is an opportunity to try something new, whether it’s new yeast, a new varietal or different oak barrels, it’s a chance to learn and grow.

You are cordially invited to join me on this beautiful voyage up the Rhone River Valley. We’ll explore the wine, cuisine, villages and cities of Provence and southeastern France. There is an optional and very worthwhile 3-night pre-cruise tour of Aix-en-Provence, a haven for artists and writers for three centuries.

Bon Voyage!
Aurora