Oregon Wine
From LoveToKnow Wine
To drink a glass of Oregon wine such as Pinot Noir is to be transported. Suddenly, you are in the Willamette Valley. It is fall, and the breeze smells of burning leaves. The last fresh fruit of the season, rich and concentrated, is available at roadside stands in the country. Above, the sky is grey, vaguely threatening rain. These qualities of smoke, damp earth, mushroom, bing cherry, raspberry, and cranberry are characteristic flavors of an Oregon Pinot Noir, and they vividly mirror the land from which they come.
Putting Oregon on the Map
When Eyrie Vineyard’s 1975 Pinot Noir placed third at a French-sponsored tasting Olympiad in 1979, shockwaves ran from Paris to the virtually unheard-of Willamette Valley. Was this little region in Oregon really a contender to world-famous Pinot Noir from Burgundy? French eyebrows raised in astonishment: surely it was a mistake.
Robert Drouhin, a leading wine merchant from Burgundy, staged a rematch in 1980. The Eyrie Vineyard Pinot Noir again placed, this time taking second. Oregon’s reputation as a player on the global wine market was secured. It is telling that, in 1987, Drouhin bought land in the Dundee Hills of the Willamette Valley and became neighbors with the Eyrie Vineyard, making Domaine Drouhin Oregon the first French investment in Oregon.
Making Wine in Oregon - A High-Stress Job
Making wine in Oregon is not for the faint of heart. Winemakers here are faced with a number of challenges, including a rainy climate, limited hours of sunshine, cooler temperatures, and the threat of frost in spring and fall, when the grapes are most vulnerable. It is an edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting business. Ironically, it is the constant stress of the climate that creates such elegant and restrained wines.
If Oregon’s grapes – primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – were provided with every advantage, including loads of sunshine and warmth, adequate but predictable rain, and fertile soil, they would grow plump with ripeness and yield fruit-driven, full-bodied wines with a high alcohol content. (Ripeness equals sugar in the grapes, which translates to alcohol in the wine.) Instead, Oregon’s cool climate requires these grapes to struggle in order to mature, systematically extracting what they can from each day, from each hour of sun and warmth. It is an arduous process which has the potential to yield wines with incredible finesse and sophistication, complex and focused fruit flavors, higher acidity, and low to moderate alcohol. It’s as though the hours spent struggling to ripen pack a greater nuance of flavor into the wine.
Not all grape varieties thrive in this kind of stress. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay happen to be early-ripening grapes. This means that they can grow in cooler climates, like the Willamette Valley and Burgundy, and still achieve maturity. Some Oregon wine grapes take longer to ripen than others, like Cabernet Sauvignon, and need more sun during the growing season in order to mature. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Zinfandel are grown in the warmer regions of Oregon, like the Rogue Valley and Walla Walla, where they have the necessary sun and warmth to reach full maturity.
Other factors affecting the quality of Oregon’s wine include the age of the vines (older, established vines are generally better) and the type of clone planted. There is a range of clones available for each vine variety, each with different characteristics. Experimentation with French clones of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes is producing excellent results as well as a diversity of wine styles. Also, winemakers believe that delicate handling of the grapes during harvesting and in the cellar contributes to the quality of the wine, particularly for Pinot Noir.
Summary of Oregon Grapes, Regions, and Vintages
Listed below is the rest of the story: the grapes, winemaking regions, and vintages that are uniquely Oregon.
Major Grapes Grown in Oregon
- Pinot Noir
Oregon’s flagship grape has a well-deserved reputation for achieving greatness. Almost every winery in the state grows it. In good years, it makes earthy, smoky, wines that are smooth and elegant.
- Chardonnay
The leading white grape in terms of production, Chardonnay ranges in the styles of wine it produces. New French clones are motivating Chardonnay to strive for Burgundian heights.
- Pinot Gris
The same grape as Pinot Grigio, this relative of Pinot Noir is quickly reaching celebrity status among drinkers of Oregon’s wines.
- Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
Highly dependent on the microclimate, these grapes only succeed in the warmer areas of the state.
Wine Regions in Oregon
Oregon’s recognized winemaking regions, or American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), include the Willamette Valley (pronounced wil-LAM-it), Umpqua Valley, Columbia Gorge / Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Rogue Valley, Applegate Valley, and Illinois Valley.
Recent Oregon Vintages
2005 – Despite one of the driest winters and wettest springs in recent history, it looks like this year is great for Oregon’s grapes. Winemakers believe this could be a magical year, producing wines with lower alcohol and an ideal flavor profile.
2004 – Late season rain cooled the grapes after intense summer heat, creating wines that are plump but restrained.
2003 – A good but not great vintage, with below-average acidity, high alcohol, and ripe to overripe fruit.
2002 – Balanced, richly concentrated wines for winemakers who survived the heat, rain, and hail.
2001 – Some elegant wines, but mostly soft and simple.
2000 – A marvelous vintage, with Pinots full of concentrated red and black fruits and smooth, supple tannins.
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