An Introduction the Secret’S Out: Oregon Is an Extraordinary Place for Wine
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AN INTRODUCTION THE SECRET’S OUT: OREGON IS AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE FOR WINE. “I can’t help but conclude that Oregon is right now the single most exciting winemaking area in the United States.” - ERIC ASIMOV New York Times 2017 2 CONTENTS Industry History ...........................................4 Oregon Wine at a Glance .......................10 REGIONAL SPOTLIGHTS Willamette Valley ....................................12 Southern Oregon .....................................13 Columbia Gorge .........................................14 Walla Walla Valley ....................................15 Plan Your Trip ..............................................18 3 INDUSTR ISTORY INDUSTR ISTORY Like veterans of the Oregon Trail who came here with grit, determination and a sense of daring, Oregon’s winemakers are pioneers — bucking trends, setting new ones and working collaboratively to raise the bar. 4 INDUSTR ISTORY The Great Migration North Oregon’s early wine pioneers are part dreamers and part determined trail blazers, unconcerned about what the critics say can’t be done. This has been the history of the Oregon wine industry, characterized by an often-irrational determination to prove the skeptics wrong and do the “impossible.”INDUSTR ISTORY THE FIRSTS 1961 winemaker Richard Sommer planted Riesling, Oregon’s first Pinot noir and Chardonnay. 1965 - 1968 David Lett, Charles Coury and Dick Erath were the first in the Willamette Valley to plant Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Chardonnay, and Riesling. In just 50 years, Oregon has evolved into a world-class winegrowing region with more than 700 wineries. It will always be a place where small, handcrafted wines dominate, where collaboration and community are ingrained in the culture. 5 INDUSTR ISTORY E 1970 The Willamette Valley's now-famous founders were once intrepid explorers - the Erath, Sokol Blosser, Adelsheim, Campbell and Ponzi families establish their first vineyards. 1961 1973 After a long dry spell following Oregon Senate Bill 100, the Land Prohibition, Richard Sommer Conservation and Development Act, launches the modern era of passes, protecting agricultural land Oregon winegrowing with from suburban sprawl. plantings at HillCrest Vineyard in the Umpqua Valley. Thanks to forward-thinkers from the blossoming Oregon wine industry, hillsides perfect for wine grapes were included in the protection. 1965 1977 Defying conventional wisdom, but convinced that Oregon’s winemakers join Burgundian varieties were together to propose adoption of better suited to Oregon than the strictest wine labeling California, UC Davis classmates regulations in the country. These David Lett and Charles Coury innovative regulations protect separately make their way to the purity of variety and source Oregon and root the first of wines produced in Oregon. Pinot noir vines in the Willamette Valley. 1972 The Wisnovsky family revives Peter Britt’s historic property, establishing the first commercial vineyard and winery in the Rogue Valley. The family honors Britt’s legacy by retaining the original name of Valley View. 6 INDUSTR ISTORY 1980 1988 Burgundian vigneron Robert Drouhin Following the 1987 purchase sponsors a blind tasting rematch of of 30 acres of land in the the 1979 Olympiad, reconfirming the Dundee Hills by the highly evaluation of The Eyrie Vineyards 1975 respected Drouhin family of Pinot noir. Burgundy, France, Veronique Drouhin makes Domaine The inaugural Steamboat Conference Drouhin Oregon’s first vintage. takes place with winemakers 1983 convening to learn from each other, share best practices, offer constructive Nine Willamette Valley vintners 1991 critiques and “improve the breed” of get together to form the Yamhill In recognition of some of Pinot noir. This event, held in the County Wineries Association and the most important Umpqua Valley, has become an open their winery doors for the people in the industry, 18 annual tradition and celebration of first “Thanksgiving Weekend in Oregon wineries join Oregon’s spirit of collaboration. Wine Country,” now a beloved forces to plan the annual tradition. ¡Salud! Wine Barrel Fourth-generation farmer Casey Auction, raising funds to McClellan helps his dad plant Seven The Willamette Valley is officially provide free healthcare to Hills Vineyard, one of the first “on the map,” approved as migrant vineyard workers. commercial vineyards in the Walla Oregon’s first American Walla Valley. Viticultural Area. 1982 1984 1985 When Umpqua Valley vintner The Umpqua Valley Expert judges pick H. Scott Henry notices a rapid becomes the first AVA Willamette Valley Pinot decline in fruit quality in his in Southern Oregon to noirs as the top three vineyard, he takes matters gain approval. wines at the Burgundy into his own hands and Challenge, conceived by designs an innovative Two AVAs spanning the confident Oregon vine-trellising system to give Oregon-Washington winemakers and hosted grapes greater sun exposure. border are established: at the International Wine The Scott Henry Trellis The Columbia Valley Center in New York. 1979 System is soon adopted by and the Walla Walla vineyards around the world. Valley. Wine Spectator and The Stunning results come in New York Times pick up from the Gault-Millau Lonnie Wright purchases and the story of Oregon’s Wine Olympiad in Paris: revives The Pines, a success. The Eyrie Vineyards 1975 century-old Zinfandel South Block Reserve vineyard on the Oregon side Pinot noir places in the of the Columbia Gorge, top 10 in a blind tasting sparking a rebirth in among the finest winegrowing in that region. Burgundies. 7 INDUSTR ISTORY 2006 In 2002, winegrowers in the Willamette Valley collaborated to submit their applications for six new AVAs together in a single envelope in an act of collegiality and respect for each other's unique characteristics. By 2006, all six north Willamette Valley AVAs 1997 are approved. A group of Oregon vintners join up to form eco-certification LIVE (Low Impact Viticulture 2001 2017 and Enology). Today, nearly 300 Oregon Recent blockbuster vintages wineries and vineyards The Portland urban winemaking have produced what critics and have committed to scene is born in an inner southeast winemakers alike are calling meeting requirements industrial park, as Renee Neely and “Oregon’s Golden Era,” in which for third-party Laurie Lewis launch Hip Chicks Do quality is at an all-time high, certification of their Wine in an old warehouse. There demand comes from around the sustainability practices. are now nearly twenty wineries operating within Portland. globe, and our community is as strong as ever. 2002 2004 2016 Southern Oregon AVA is established, A Chardonnay and Pinot Eco-friendly Carlton encompassing the previously authorized noir from the Willamette Winemakers Studio regions of the Umpqua, Rogue and Valley receive the coveted opens, embracing the Applegate Valleys. number two and three Oregon spirit of spots on Wine Spectator's collaboration as the The Columbia Gorge AVA is established, Top 100 Wines list. state's first co-op winery joining the Columbia Valley and Walla Walla facility. There are currently Valley as winegrowing regions shared with 13 winemakers working at Oregon’s northern neighbor Washington. the Studio. Oregon seemed inhabited by folks who often were of a stubbornly independent and even renegade character, never uite convinced of the perceived wisdoms and blessings of the wider world... all remaining in or coming to Oregon to seek or pursue some insistent, uncontrollable and potentially soul-wrecking passion. - CHANG-RAE LEE, ood ine 8 MICHAEL CLAYPOOL, OWNER/WINEMAKER CLAY PIGEON WINERY Image: John Valls Photography 9 PREDOINANT SOILS Volcanic, Missoula flood sediments, loess, cobbles OREON AT A LANCE WINE GROWING REGIONS O OREO WASINTON V ER 7 RI BI A C OLU M 5 14 16 PORTLAND PACIIC OCEAN 2 3 SALEM 6 4 1 5 7 IDAO COAST RANGE 18 11 0 9 CASCADE RANGE 8 SISKIYOU MTS 12 13 CALIORNIA NEADA 1. Willamette Valley 6. McMinnville 11. Elkton Oregon 16. Walla Walla Valley 2. Yamhill-Carlton 7. Eola-Amity Hills 12. Rogue Valley 17. The Rocks District 3. Chehalem Mountains 8. Southern Oregon 13. Applegate Valley of Milton-Freewater 4. Ribbon Ridge 9. Umpqua Valley 14. Columbia Gorge 18. Snake River Valley 5. Dundee Hills 10. Red Hill Douglas County 15. Columbia Valley A OR O I USA 45 CA 10 OREON AT A LANCE At 45°N, extra sunlight enables long, even ripening during the growing season. Crisp, cool nights help grapes retain their refreshing acidity, resulting in world-class wines and CLIMATE full varietal character. DAYLIGT ORS AVERAGE GROWING SEASON TEMPERATURE °F (°C) N N 576 CAPAGNE 142C 5 COLUMBIA GORGE COOL + RS 5 RS 5 9 WILLAETTE VALLEY BRGNDY ----------------- SOTERN OREGON HO WALLA WALLA VALLEY NAPA VALLEY S S 687 SMMER IER ALENTEO 204C Pinot noir is the predominant variety grown in Oregon; however, the state's diversity of geography and microclimates make it well-suited to VINEYARDS many different varieties. All Others COLUMIA VALLEY All Others COLUMIA Syrah 11% NORTH GORGE WILLAMETTE <1% WALLA WALLAY Cabernet14.4%2% VALLEY COLUMIAVALLEY GORGE, 2% WALLA WALLA Syrah WILLAMETTE 57.6% OTHER4% BORDER 2% VALLEY SOUTH REGIONS Riesling2.2% WILLAMETTE Riesling 72% VALLEY 9.9% 3% 2.6% Varieties72Varieties 72of of wine wine grapes grapes 10.0% Chardonnay Chardonnay areare grown grown in Oregonin Oregon 6% 5.6% SOUTHERNUMPQUA OREGONVALLEY 30,43528,034 ACRES ACRES 6.6%22% (12,317(11,345 HA) HA.) SNAE PLANTEDPLANTED RIVER Acres28034 planted with TO VINETO VINE <1% PinotPinot gris gris vinifera vineyards ROGUE 12.9%13% VALLEY PinotPinot noir noir 15.5% 62.3%64% The attention and care given by Oregon’s grapegrowers and winemakers from vine QUALITY to bottle are reflected in its consistently high-quality wines. A CONITY O SALL ARTISAN PRODCERS GARDIANS O TE VINE 1% 70 20 47 of fine wine of Oregon Oregon's share of of vineyards produced in wineries Wine Spectator's are certified the U.S. is produce fewer 90+ scores on sustainable from Oregon than 5,000 domestic wine in cases per year 2015 and 2016 hat makeshat the makeswines so the good wines Start so with good the Start vines withwhich the seem vines to likewhich Oregons seem to like Oregons combinationcombination of soils of and soils climate.