Oregon's Wine Country: The Willamette Valley

A Brief History of Winemaking in Oregon
Pinot Noir and Other Varietals
Red Wine, White Wine … Green Wine?
Willamette Valley Wineries
Wine In the City
Resources
Annual Events

Prime growing conditions and favorable clay-loam soils have fostered Oregon’s rapid emergence as one of the world’s finest wine-growing regions. Gourmet magazine described Portland as “the Burgundy of America, rich in produce, laden with seafood, and blessed with fabulous wines.”

Most of Oregon’s nearly 400 wineries are located in the temperate, marine-influenced climate of the interior valleys. A 30-minute drive from downtown Portland puts travelers on the doorstep of the scenic Willamette Valley wine country. The success and popularity of Oregon’s wines can in part be attributed to location — the valley sits on the same latitude as France’s Burgundy region.

Running south 150 miles (241 kilometers) from Portland’s Columbia River to the Calapooya Mountains outside Eugene, the Willamette Valley is the largest of Oregon’s 16 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). Named for the river that flows through it, the Willamette Valley contains the largest concentration of wineries and vineyards in Oregon and includes six subappellations: Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill-Carlton District and Chehalem Mountains. The Willamette Valley is home to 200 wineries and 10,000 acres (4,047 hectares) of wine grapes.

 

A Brief History of Winemaking in Oregon

The first wine grapes were planted in the Willamette Valley in 1847, but it wasn’t until the late 1960s that Oregon’s modern winemaking tradition began. That’s when a number of maverick winemaking students from University of California, Davis, decided to try their luck growing Burgundian varieties in Oregon rather than California. Between 1965 and 1968, David Lett, Charles Coury and Dick Erath — independent of one another — settled in the northern Willamette Valley. Lett and his wife, Diana, founded Eyrie Vineyards in 1966, planting Oregon’s first Pinot noir and Chardonnay, as well as the first Pinot gris vineyard ever planted in America. Still going strong, Lett has now been making Pinot noir from a single vineyard longer than any other winemaker in the United States.

Charles Coury operated Charles Coury Winery, Vineyards and Nursery outside Forest Grove, Ore., from 1965 to 1978. The current owner, David Hill Vineyard, still makes wine using grapes from the vines Coury planted.

Dick Erath founded Erath Vineyards in 1967. From 1972 on, his Pinot noirs won awards and helped expand the Willamette Valley’s reputation as America’s new wine country. Involved in every step of the process, from nursery propagation to bottling, Dick Erath embodied the image of Oregon winemaker as farmer, craftsman and artisan. In 2006, Erath sold the winery to Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. As part of the sales agreement, initial funding was provided for a charitable foundation to advance viticultural and enological science and education in Oregon.

Dick Ponzi left behind an engineering career to found Ponzi Vineyards in 1970. After many research trips to Burgundy, Dick and his wife, Nancy, purchased 20 acres on a small farm just southwest of Portland, in Washington County. In addition to earning acclaim for their New World Pinot noir, Dick and Nancy were instrumental in the development of Oregon’s wine industry, lobbying the state legislature to allow tasting rooms on agricultural land. Together, they helped found the Oregon Winegrowers Association and the Oregon Wine Advisory Board (currently known as the Oregon Wine Board), and Nancy co-founded some of the state’s most prominent wine events, including the International Pinot Noir Celebration.

These first pioneers were followed in the early ‘70s by a wave of mostly young urban professionals and their families seeking a life in wine. These early Oregon winegrowers shared the common experience of limited financial resources, often working other jobs to make ends meet. They also gathered often, and shared information as they adapted and invented techniques to deal with the uncharted terrain of viticulture in Oregon. They experimented in the vineyards with clones, spacing, and trellising; participated in county land-use planning to preserve prime hillside land for agriculture; wrote and promoted strict wine labeling regulations for Oregon; and obtained state funding (based on self-imposed grape taxes) for wine grape research. The growers took their role seriously, realizing that they were building the foundation of Oregon’s modern wine industry. At the same time, they were setting some of the highest standards of any wine region in the world.

The world took note of Oregon wine when David Lett’s 1975 Eyrie Vineyard’s South Block Reserve Pinot noir ranked in the top three — beating out numerous French wines — in an international tasting held in Paris in 1979 (the Gault-Millau Olympiades du Vin). Willamette Valley wines created another stir in 1985, when a blind tasting in New York compared approximately 15 of the top 1983 Oregon Pinot noirs with a similar number of high-quality French Burgundies of the same vintage. Not only could the experts not distinguish Oregon from Burgundy, the five top-rated wines were all from Oregon.

The word about Oregon wine was out and the ‘80s brought new wineries, vineyards and out-of-state investment to the Willamette Valley. In 1988, Robert Drouhin, then head of Burgundy’s legendary Maison Joseph Drouhin wine company, started vineyards and a winery in the Red Hills of Dundee, declaring that there were only two places in the world he would grow Pinot noir — Burgundy and Oregon.

Fostered by the strong relationship between Oregon and Burgundy, the state’s wine producers have pioneered the greening of the industry. In 1999, Oregon became the first American region certified by the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control (IOBC), the official European certifying agency for sustainable agriculture (See “Green Wine,” below, for more information).

The Willamette Valley became an official AVA in 1984. Today, it is recognized as one of the premier wine-producing areas in the world. This evolution has occurred in just 40 years. The state is now home to 15 approved winegrowing regions and 395 wineries producing wine from 72 grape varieties. Oregon is second in the United States in number of wineries, and fourth in the country for gallons produced. The growth and acclaim haven’t resulted in inflated egos, though. Oregon wine producers are renowned for their down-home attitude and accessibility. Most growers and winemakers think of themselves as farmers, tending their own vineyards, and it is often noted that a visitor to an Oregon tasting room is likely to enjoy a vintage poured by the winemaker him- or herself.

 

Pinot Noir and Other Varietals

While more than 40 varietals are grown in Oregon, Pinot noir is the state’s signature grape. Extolled in the film Sideways, Pinot noir is widely considered to produce some of the world’s best wines. At the same time, it is one of the most complex varieties, presenting difficulties both in cultivation and fermentation.

Producing a broad range of bouquets, flavors and textures, Pinot noirs tend to be of light to medium body with aromas of black cherry, raspberry or currant, frequently accented by a pronounced spiciness suggesting cinnamon, sassafras or mint. The grape is also highly reflective of its terroir, with different regions producing very different wines. According to Professional Friends of Wine (www.winepros.org), “Oregon Pinots are usually fresher than their California counterparts, with higher acidity, and often more intensely fruity than Burgundies.”

Fast approaching the popularity of the Pinot noir, Oregon’s Pinot gris has reached celebrity status in its own right. In 2000, it eclipsed Chardonnay as the top white grape variety grown in Oregon. The New York Times observed in 2007, “Oregon Pinot gris is one of the least-talked-about, best-value wines on the market today.”

All things being equal, Oregon’s ratio of white wine to red wine production is 50-50, with the state’s top five varietals being Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. In addition to its award-winning Pinot noir, Oregon also consistently earns top honors for other such cool-climate varieties as Dijon clone Chardonnay and Pinot blanc.

 

Red Wine, White Wine … Green Wine?

A leader in sustainable viticulture, Oregon has long been committed to ecologically sensitive winegrowing. According to the Oregon Wine Board, 25 percent of the state’s vineyards are certified sustainable, organic or biodynamic, and 36 percent of the Oregon wine industry adheres to environmentally friendly practices.

In 1997, Willamette Valley vintner Ted Casteel of Bethel Heights Vineyard established Low Input Viticulture and Enology (LIVE), a voluntary program providing vineyards and wineries with official recognition for sustainable agricultural practices. Oregon became the first American region certified by the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants (IOBC), the official European certifying agency for sustainable agriculture, in 1999. This recognition gives LIVE the authority to certify Oregon vineyards. More than 60 Oregon vineyards are LIVE-certified, assuring consumers that definable environmental standards are observed.

Here are some more details about Oregon’s green wine industry:

• In 2009 the Oregon Wine Board created the Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine designation. Wines bearing this logo are certified by an independent third party to have been made using responsible agriculture and winemaking practices.
• Sokol Blosser Winery was the first winery in the nation to receive the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Sokol Blosser’s barrel cellar is Silver LEED-certified.
• The Willamette Valley is also home to the first Gold LEED-certified green winery in the United States: Stoller Vineyards.
• Forty Oregon wineries are certified Salmon Safe, meaning that they work to improve water quality and biodiversity in important salmon watersheds. More than half of those certified are in the northern Willamette Valley.

For more information on the organizations and certifications listed in the preceding section, visit:

International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants – www.iobc-wprs.org
Low Input Viticulture and Enology – www.liveinc.org
Oregon Wine Board – www.oregonwine.org
Salmon Safe – www.salmonsafe.org
United States Green Building Council – www.usgbc.org

 

Willamette Valley Wineries

The lush countryside outside of Portland provides an ideal destination for day-tripping wine enthusiasts — and invites longer stays as well. Less than an hour from downtown, myriad vineyards, wineries and tasting rooms beckon. As noted above, the Willamette Valley is home to more than 200 wineries — only a fraction of which are included here. To find more wineries, visit the Oregon Wine Board website at www.oregonwine.org.

Wineries are concentrated in and around the towns of Newberg, Dundee, Dayton, Carlton, McMinnville, Amity and Yamhill. Heading south from Portland on the Pacific Coast Highway (99W), Rex Hill Vineyards in Newberg marks the entrance to wine country. Rex Hill is a favorite stop for sampling Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Chardonnay, Riesling and Merlot.

The town of Dundee is home to nationally recognized names like Sokol Blosser — noted for pioneering organic farming practices in the production of Pinot noir and Pinot gris — and Argyle Winery, which pours its signature sparkling wines in a historic tasting room right in the heart of town.

To the southwest, Domaine Drouhin, founded by the Drouhin family of Burgundy, sits high in the Red Hills north of Dayton. Here, award-winning Pinot noirs and Chardonnays are created in Oregon’s first building designed specifically as a winery. At nearby Amity Vineyards, Oregon wine pioneer Myron Redford offers Gamay noir in addition to the Pinot noirs he’s crafted for more than 35 years.

To the west of Portland, additional wineries are clustered in Washington County. Beaverton’s Ponzi Vineyards, founded in 1970, is regarded as one of the masters of New World Pinot noir. Taste organic, biodynamic wines at nearby Cooper Mountain Vineyards. In Hillsboro, the county’s oldest winery, Oak Knoll, produces Pinot noir and other varietals, as well as Frambrosia Oregon Raspberry Wine — a nod to its origins as a fruit winery. The Willamette Valley winery closest to Portland is Helvetia Winery, housed on a site where wine was first made in the late nineteenth century.

The “Sip 47 Wine Route” is a collection of some 20 wineries accessible via Oregon Route 47, approximately 25 miles (40 km) west of Portland. These include Elk Cove Vineyards, which produces award-winning Pinot noir and Pinot gris, as well as the less common Pinot blanc. Apolloni Vineyards in Forest Grove produces traditional Pinot noir and Italian-style wines, following the practices of the LIVE sustainable viticulture program. Established in 1982, Montinore Estate is known for Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Muller-Thurgau, all crafted according to strict biodynamic farming practices. Patton Valley Vineyard produces hand-crafted, estate-grown Pinot noir using LIVE-certified sustainable farming practices.

For more information on the wineries listed in the preceding section, visit:

Amity Vineyards – www.amityvineyards.com
Apolloni Vineyards – www.apolloni.com
Argyle Winery –www.argylewinery.com
Cooper Mountain Vineyards – www.coopermountainwine.com
Domaine Drouhin – www.domainedrouhin.com
Elk Cove Vineyards – www.elkcove.com
Helvetia Winery – www.helvetiawinery.com
Montinore Estate – www.montinore.com
Oak Knoll Winery – www.oakknollwinery.com
Patton Valley Vineyard – www.pattonvalley.com
Ponzi Vineyards – www.ponziwines.com
Rex Hill Vineyards – www.rexhill.com
Sip 47 Wine Route – www.sip47.com
Sokol Blosser – www.sokolblosser.com

 

Wine In the City

Oenophiles can also get their fix within Portland’s city limits.

Hip Chicks Do Wine in southeast Portland is a boutique microwinery that specializes in no-cellaring-required bottles. Portland’s newest urban winery, the Portland Wine Project, is a partnership between Boedecker and Grochau cellars, formerly based in Carlton, Ore. The winemakers live in Portland and decided to bring their operation to the heart of the city. Opened in fall 2008, this full-fledged winery is located in industrial Northwest Portland, with a tasting room open by appointment.

You can pick up a bottle of wine from Oregon and beyond — and enjoy weekly tastings — at Cork on Northeast Alberta Street, or sip local vintages at more traditional wine bars like Noble Rot or the Pearl District’s Vino Paradiso. Downtown Portland’s Oregon Wines on Broadway offers a generous selection of Northwest wines, with an emphasis on Oregon Pinots — all available by the taste, glass or bottle. Perfect for visitors, this shop is not only close to downtown hotels, its staff is well-versed in shipping and packing bottles so they make it safely home.

For more information on the businesses listed above, visit:

Cork: a bottle shop – www.corkwineshop.com
Hip Chicks Do Wine – www.hipchicksdowine.com
Noble Rot – www.noblerotpdx.com
Oregon Wines on Broadway – www.oregonwinesonbroadway.com
Portland Wine Project – www.boedeckercellars.com
Vino Paradiso – www.vinoparadiso.com

 

Resources

Chehalem Mountains American Viticultural Area (AVA) – www.chehalemmountains.org
Dundee Hills AVA – www.dundeehills.org
McMinnville AVA – www.mcminnvilleava.org
Oregon Wine Board – www.oregonwine.org
Willamette Valley Visitors Association – www.oregonwinecountry.org
Willamette Valley Wineries Association – www.willamettewines.com
Yamhill-Carlton District AVA – www.yamhillcarltondistrict.com

 

Annual Events

All festivals are held in Portland unless otherwise noted.

Portland Seafood and Wine Festival – February
Scheduled smack dab in the middle of the Dungeness crab season, this festival celebrates both the bounty harvested from the Pacific Ocean and the state’s vineyards, with more than 50 Northwest wines available for tasting. www.oregonseafoodfestival.com

Spring Beer & Wine Fest – March/April
This adults-only beverage exposition celebrates regional wines, handcrafted microbrews and spirits. Dozens of Northwest wineries, microbreweries and distillers offer samples of their wares. www.springbeerfest.com

Celebration of Syrah – April
This springtime festival is held at McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, Ore., just 20 minutes east of Portland. More than 50 domestic and international Syrahs are represented by winemakers and distributors from the Pacific Northwest, Australia, France and beyond. www.celebrationofsyrah.com

Taste of the Nation Portland – April
One of the city’s premier food and winetasting events, this annual adults-only gourmet extravaganza features more than 70 Oregon chefs and restaurants, plus 40 wineries and microbreweries. www.portlandtaste.org

Portland Indie Wine Festival – May
Sniffing, swirling and sipping, an esteemed panel of national wine experts annually select 40 lucky wineries to present at the Portland Indie Wine Festival. The festival showcases rising-star wineries whose annual production is less than 2,000 cases. Festival-goers not only get to taste jury-selected wines, they can also buy wines on-site and have their purchases shipped direct (state-of-residence regulations permitting). www.indiewinefestival.com

Winetasting Weekends – Memorial Day weekend and Thanksgiving weekend
Memorial Day Weekend has become an institution at Oregon wineries. For three days, wineries both big and boutique open their doors and bottles for eager tasters. While some wineries offer tastings year-round, others open their cellars only during this holiday weekend and its fall counterpart.

International Pinot noir Celebration – July
More than 60 Pinot noir winemakers from around the world take part in this event in McMinnville, Ore., located in the heart of the Oregon wine country. This limited-attendance event (small numbers give attendees more one-on-one time with the vintners) features three days of seminars, tastings, tours and fabulous food paired with, naturally, Pinot noir. Founded in 1987, the IPNC has become so popular and prestigious that tickets are now distributed by lottery. Forty-five minutes from downtown Portland. www.ipnc.org