24. Oregon

Question 1

What is the general climate of Oregon’s wine regions and what are the two contributing factors to this?

Answer 1

1) Cool to moderate
2) 42–46°N in latitude
3) Cold ocean currents and winds from the Pacific Ocean

Question 2

What are the characteristics of the typical soils found in most Oregon wine regions?

Answer 2

1) Free draining
2) Marine sedimentary, volcanic and loess

Question 3

How much annual rain does Oregon receive and when does it mostly fall?

Answer 3

1,000mm
Winter

Question 4

Oregon has a high proportion of organic and biodynamic vineyards. How is this possible?

Answer 4

The wind and dry summers reduce mildew and disease pressure

Question 5

What are the leading three grape varieties planted in Oregon?

Answer 5

1) Pinot Noir
2) Pinot Gris
3) Chardonnay

Question 6

What three Pinot Noir clones are common in Oregon?

Answer 6

Wadenswil
Pommard
Dijon

Question 7

Why is the Dijon Chardonnay clone well-suited to Oregon’s climate compared with the original plantings of Wente and clone 108, but disadvantageous in the face of climate change?

Answer 7

It’s earlier-ripening, which is beneficial in this cooler region, but can ripen too early in warm seasons

Question 8

Name a significant Oregon producer of Pinot Noir

Answer 8

Evening Land

Question 9

What AVA crosses the Oregon-Idaho border?

Answer 9

Snake River Valley AVA

Question 10

What are the two largest Oregon AVAs?

Answer 10

Willamette Valley AVA - 68%
Southern Oregon AVA - 25%

Question 11

What are the nine main sub-AVAs of Willamette Valley AVA?

Answer 11

1) Chehalem Mountains
2) Ribbon Ridge
3) Yamhill-Carlton
4) Dundee Hills
5) McMinnville
6) Eola-Amity Hills
7) Van Duzer Corridor
8) Laurelwood District
9) Tualatin Hills

Question 12

Explain the climate of Willamette

Answer 12

One of the coolest and wettest in Oregon yet with warm, dry summers with long hours of sunshine.

Question 13

Air rises from the warm interior of central Oregon and causes cool
coastal air to be pulled inland. In which four AVAs is this effect particularly strong earlier in the day?

Answer 13

1) Van Duzer Corridor
2) Eola-Amity Hills
3) Tualatin Hills
4) McMinnville

Question 14

Oregon’s summer months are dry, but many producers do not irrigate. Why? (2)

Answer 14

1) Legislation prevents all but the longest-established producers from using water from rivers

2) Many of Oregon’s grape growers only own small plots of land and irrigation would be expensive to install and maintain

Question 15

Describe the topography of Dundee Hills AVA

Answer 15

A series of volcanic hills running north to south with lateral ridges that run east to west.

Question 16

At what altitude are the vineyards of Dundee Hills AVA?

Answer 16

60m to 325m.

Question 17

Despite its higher altitude than most other Willamette AVAs, why is Dundee Hills warmer?

Answer 17

It is buffered to the west by the Coast Range and to the north by the Chehalem Mountains, sheltering it from cold wet conditions

Question 18

Dundee Hills AVA has the highest proportion of what soil type. Why is this important?

Answer 18

1) Red iron-rich clay formed from volcanic basalt

2) The clay is important in retaining water during the dry summers (as there is little or no access to
irrigation)

Question 19

At what altitude are vineyards planted in Chehalem Mountains AVA?

Answer 19

60-305m

Question 20

What is the highest sub-AVA of Willamette?

Answer 20

Laurelwood District AVA (500m)

Question 21

What soil type in Laurelwood District and Tualatin Hills AVAs is most common and thinnest at altitude?

Answer 21

Loess

Question 22

Ribbon Ridge AVA has a consistently warm dry growing area. Why?

Answer 22

Vineyards are relatively low in elevation and protected from the wind by surrounding
ranges

Question 23

The Pinot Noirs of Yamhill-Carlton District AVA are riper, fuller bodied and lower in acidity than those of many other sub-AVAs. What two reasons contribute to this?

Answer 23

1) South-facing slopes (altitudes 60–300m)
2) Sheltered nature of the AVA

Question 24

What contributes to the cool conditions of Van Duzer Corridor AVA and Eola-Amity Hills AVA?

Answer 24

A break in the Coast Range funnels in .Pacific Ocean winds during the afternoon

Question 25

What is a negative of Van Duzer Corridor AVA’s strong winds

Answer 25

Can disrupt flowering and fruit set

Question 26

What are two positives of Van Duzer Corridor AVA’s strong winds

Answer 26

1) Slows ripening
2) Reduces disease pressure

Question 27

Describe the conditions of McMinnville AVA (2)

Answer 27

1) Some sites are protected by the Coast Range rain shadow
2) Areas to the south are more influenced by the cool winds from the Van Duzer Corridor.

Question 28

Why is Southern Oregon warmer than Willamette?

Answer 28

It’s southerly latitude

Question 29

What two topographical features help cool Southern Oregon?

Answer 29

1) Mountains (both the altitude of sites and cool air descending at night)
2) River valleys that channel cool breezes during the afternoon and evenings.

Question 30

Southern Oregon’s dry-farmed vineyards are often planted to varieties commonly found in what French region?

Answer 30

Rhone varieties

Question 31

What are two key AVAs of Southern Oregon?

Answer 31

1) Umpqua Valley AVA
2) Rogue Valley AVA

Question 32

Pinot Noir still dominates plantings in Southern Oregon, but due to its warmer climate, what are two other widely planted black varieties?

Answer 32

Syrah and
Cabernet Sauvignon

Question 33

Northern Umpqua Valley AVA produces what four varieties?

Answer 33

Pinot Noir
Pinot Gris
Gewürztraminer
Riesling

Question 34

Central and Southern Umpqua Valley AVA produce what three varieties?

Answer 34

Syrah
Merlot
Tempranillo

Question 35

What two cooling influences affect Umpqua Valley and Rogue Valley AVAs

Answer 35

1) Altitude
2) River and its tributaries

Question 36

Which Southern Oregon AVA is higher?

Answer 36

Rogue Valley (up to 900m vs 400m)

Question 37

What sub-AVA can be found in Rogue Valley AVA?

Answer 37

Applegate Valley AVA

Question 38

What is the warmest and driest of Southern Oregon’s AVAs?

Answer 38

Rogue Valley AVA

Question 39

What five black varieties are common in Rogue Valley AVA?

Answer 39

1) Merlot
2) Cabernet Sauvignon
3) Syrah
4) Tempranillo
5) Pinot Noir

Question 40

What are three AVAs of Oregon that border and overlap with Washington in the north?

Answer 40

1) Columbia Gorge
2) Columbia Valley
3) Walla Walla Valley

Question 41

What AVAs of Oregon borders and overlap with Idaho in the west?

Answer 41

Snake River Valley AVA

Question 42

What is a sub-AVA of Walla Walla Valley AVA?

Answer 42

The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA

Question 43

How is origin labeling stricter in Oregon than federal requirements? (3)

Answer 43

1) By requiring 100 per cent of the
grapes to be grown in Oregon
2) 95 per cent of the wine to be from the stated appellation.
3) 90% of a variety if stated on the label

Question 44

What is the coolest part of Umpqua Valley AVA? In terms of north, east, south, west

Answer 44

The north

Question 45

Which five of Willamette’s AVAs are sheltered from ocean breezes?

Answer 45

1) Yamhill-Carlton AVA
2) Dundee Hills AVA
3) Ribbon Ridge AVA
4) Chehalem Mountains AVA
5) Laurelwood District AVA