Oregon Pinot Noir

Oregon Wine Making

It may come as a shock, but the state of Oregon has been producing wine for over a century now. It was in the 1960's when modern wine making became a part of the Oregon agriculture and now there are over 300 wineries in the Willamette Valley alone. Speaking of the Willamette Valley, this American Viticulture Area (AVA) produces the most Pinot Noir of all the Appellations in the country. Pretty impressive.

The Pinot Noir Grape

The Pinot Noir grape is nicknamed the "heartbreak grape" for good reason. She's a finicky one, that Pinot. Here's why:

• Thin skin – The thin skin on the Pinot grape makes it difficult for the fruit to fully ripen. It needs just the right climate and temperature to mature. If the weather is too hot, the wine ends up flabby, too cool and it ends up thin or lean.
• Growing season – Pinot grapes must have a long and cool growing season in order to mature and fully ripen.
• Mutation – This is also referred to as being "genetically unstable." Sounds scary. Basically, the mutation of grapes means that its characteristics change on a genetic level. When this happens, the wine is inconsistent.

Growing Pinot Noir in Oregon

Oregon's climate for growing Pinot Noir, especially in the Willamette Valley, is perfect. Oregon's major wine growing regions are divided by the Cascade Mountains. The Willamette Valley lies to the west of this mountain range, which is why the weather stays relatively cool -- the climate the Pinot grape loves.

Oregon Pinot Noir List

Note that it has been made clear that not every AVA can grow a great Pinot (nope, not even in California), but here is a list of highly rated Pinot Noir from Oregon:

About the List

Use the above list as a starting off point in your exploration into Oregon Pinots. If the wine on the list is a little too pricey for you, here's a helpful hint: most of the Pinots above come from the Willamette Valley, so look for other, less expensive bottles of Pinot produced in the same region. There are over 300 wineries in the Willamette Valley and just about every single one produces a Pinot, so you should have no trouble finding a moderately priced bottle.

A Final Word About the Ratings

It's always nice to see what the experts have to say when you are trying out a new wine. If you do a little research, you will find that the wine experts are still in love with California. Yes, California does produce some fine wines, no doubt about it. Does the warm and sunny state produce a better Pinot than the cool climate of Oregon though? That's questionable. Conduct a little experiment of your own: buy a bottle of California Pinot Noir and a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir in the same price range from the same year. Do a blind tasting by having someone else pour you a glass of each and then, decide for yourself.