Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region on the West Coast of the United States, one of the few places outside Burgundy with a world-class reputation for its Pinot Noir. Both Oregon and Burgundy lie on the 45th parallel.
Data on Organics & Biodynamics in Oregon: See here.
Capital city: Salem. Cities: Portland.
Terroir: The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon’s northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho (Olen & Skinkis, 2017). There are five main wine grape production regions: the Columbia Gorge, Willamette Valley, eastern Oregon, southern Oregon and central Oregon. The Willamette Valley produces 73 percent of Oregon’s wine grapes and grows several cool climate grape cultivars, with Pinot Noir accounting for 60 percent of production (Olen & Skinkis, 2017).
Irrigation: Vineyards in the Willamette Valley can typically be grown without irrigation after the first 5 years of establishment (Olen & Skinkis, 2017).
Wine regions: Applegate Valley AVA. | Chehalem Mountains AVA. | Columbia Gorge AVA. | Columbia Valley AVA. | Dundee Hills AVA. | Eola-Amity Hills AVA. | Jackson County. | Laurelwood District AVA. | McMinnville AVA. | Ribbon Ridge AVA. | Rogue Valley AVA. | Southern Oregon AVA. | Umpqua Valley AVA. | Van Duzer Corridor AVA. | Walla Walla Valley AVA (shared with Washington State). Willamette Valley AVA. | Yamhill-Carlton.
Wine grapes: Blaufrankisch. | Melon de Bourgogne. | Pinot Noir.
Wineries
Certified Biodynamic: Brick House Vineyards. | Brooks. | Cooper Mountain Vineyards. | Cowhorn. | Jacob Hart Vineyard. | Johan Vineyards. | Keeler Estate. | Kelley Fox Wines (for Biodynamic grape purchases). | King Estate. | Maysara Winery & Momtazi Vineyards. | Montinore Estate. | Winderlea.
Certified organic: Cattrall Brothers Vineyard. | Celilo Falls. | Chateau Lebeau Vineyards. | Cinagro Inc. | Columbia Blossom. | Cornucopia Vineyards. | Croft Vineyards. | Epyllion Vineyard. | Evesham Wood Vineyard. | Golden Cluster. | Sokol Blosser. | Upper Five Vineyard.
Other: Abacela. | Beckham Estate. | Bergström. | Bow and Arrow. | Kelley Fox Wines. | Lingua Franca. | Minimus Wines. | Ovum Wines. | Troon Vineyard.
Bibliography
Beau Olen and Patricia Skinkis, ‘Vineyard Economics: Establishing and Producing Pinot Noir Wine Grapes in the Willamette Valley, Oregon,’ by Beau Olen and Patricia A. Skinkis (Oregon State University Extension Service, October 2018).
Norm Roby, ‘Pacific States’, Decanter, September 2001, p.38-39.