Oregon Flashcards
How long is Oregon’s Willamette Valley ?
Approx 150 mi
Name the AVAs of OR
Willamette Valley Chehalem Mountains Ribbon Ridge Yamhill-Carlton District Dundee Hills McMinnville Eola-Amity Hills Southern Oregon Red Hills Douglas County Umpqua Valley Elkton Oregon Applegate Valley Rogue Valley Columbia Valley (WA) Columbia Gorge (WA) Walla Walla Valley (WA) Rocks of Milton-Freewater Snake River Valley (ID)
Name Oregons AVAs that are shared with another state.
Columbia Valley (shared with Washington)
Columbia Gorge (shared with Washington)
Walla Walla Valley (shared with Washington)
Snake River Valley (shared with Idaho)
What are Oregon’s laws for varietally labelling? What are the laws for the appellation listed on the label?
Varietal wines from Oregon, with the exception of white and red Bordeaux varieties, major Rhône grapes, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Tannat and Tempranillo, must contain a minimum 90% of the stated varietal, rather than the standard 75%.
Oregon also maintains stricter state laws for labeling by region: a wine labeled by an AVA within Oregon must contain a minimum 95% of grapes grown in the respective appellation, rather than the 85% mandated by federal law.
Name the appellations comprising the warmest, driest growing regions in the state of Oregon (6) .
The AVAs of Umpqua Valley, Elkton Oregon, Rogue Valley, Applegate Valley, Walla Walla, and Red Hills Douglas County.
Which Oregon AVA has the highest elevation?
Chehalem Mountains AVA
What is the broad soil types of the Willamette Valley? How did they come to be?
A mix of Volcanic, Marine Deposits, Wind Blown Loess, and Missoula Flood deposits.
Willamette silt comes from ancient volcanic activity and the Missoula Floods - Glacial dams melted and refroze multiple times, depositing alluvial soils over older volcanic and sedimentary bedrock.
What is the soil type of the Willamette? How did it come to be?
Willamette silt from ancient volcanic activity and the Missoula Floods - Glacial dams melted and refroze multiple times, depositing alluvial soils over older volcanic and sedimentary bedrock.
Dundee Hills AVA soil type?
Jory, a well-drained volcanic topsoil. Almost uniform red-volcanic soils along these hills.
Ribbon Ridge AVA soil?
Willakenzie - a fine loam, ash-covered soil - marine deposits
What kind of Pinot Noirs are produced on Willakenzie soils vs Jory?
Willakenzie (marine deposits), in general, is renowned for a denser style of wine and darker fruit, whereas Jory (volcanic) soils provide more elegance.
Name a few other Oregon icons that moved to Oregon from CA, on the heels of David Lett
Charles Coury, Dick Erath, and Dick Ponzi
What label did David Lett produce?
Eyrie Vineyards
What Burgundy negociant purchased OR property after Lett won a competition against French Pinot Noir in 1975?
Maison Joseph Drouhin
Clones that were introduced to Oregon as Pinot Noir planting began? How has that changed over time?
Pommard, Wädenswil from UCDavis, mostly for cool-climate disease resistance. In the late 80s, Dijon clones were brought in from France creating new styles of Pinot to play with..
Typical aspect of sites in Willamette Valley, and how that is changing
Typically south/southeast, but moves towards north facing slopes may begin as climate warms.
Is chaptalization allowed in Oregon Pinot Noir? In California?
Yes in Oregon, No in California
Domaine Drouhin, Archery Summit, Eyrie, and Domaine Serene are found in which AVA?
Dundee Hills
Where is Shae Vineyard, Elk Cove, and Penner Ash located?
Yamhill Carlton District
What is the smallest AVA in Willamette Valley, home to Beaux Freres and Brick House?
Ribbon Ridge
What AVA is wholly within Chehalem Mnts?
Ribbon Ridge
What is the Van Duzer Corridor and what AVAs does it affect the most?
- McMinnville sits squarely in the mouth of the Van Duzer Corridor, a gap in the Coastal Mountains through which cool, constant Pacific winds blow.
- Eola-Amity Hills is also affected, sitting directly east. Wines exhibit a more rugged tannic structure, deeper color, and more pronounced acidity than in areas further north
What affect does the Van Duzer Corridor on grapes in the McMinnville AVA? On Disease? On final flavor of wine?
cold winds strip vines, reduce berry size and crop load, produces thicker skins, and creates general stress for the vine and grower.
Vineyard sites often occupy east-facing slopes in shelter from the west winds. Creates huge diurnal shift (40-50°) and drier microclimate.
The constant gusts fungal issues and create denser, more tannic Pinot Noir wines, loaded with darker fruit flavors and pigment.
Southernmost AVA in Willamette?
Eola-Amity Hills
Seven Springs, Jerusalem Hill, and Roserock Vineyards are located in the eastern edge of which AVA? Who owns each?
Eola-Amity Hills.
Seven Springs = Evening Land
Jerusalem Hill = Domaine Serene
Roserock Vineyards = Domaine Drouhin
Bethel Heights, Justice Vineyard, Temperance Hill are located in which AVA?
Eola-Amity Hills
Bethel Heights, Justice Vineyard, Temperance Hill are located in which AVA?
Eola-Amity Hills
In 1966, who planted the first commercial plot of Pinot Gris in North America? First Vintage?
David Lett (Eyrie Vnyds). 1970 first released vintage.
Evolution of Chardonnay in Willamette: What was first planted, and what trend has been moved to since the late 80s?
1st: Wente Clone from Spring Mtn Napa (David Lett, ‘65).
Today: most new plantings are Dijon clones (David Adelsheim, late 80s), but growers are increasingly exploring the potential of massale selections as the clones adapt to their new home in Oregon.
White grapes planted in Oregon, in order of prominence
1st) Pinot Gris
2) Chardonnay
3) Riesling
4) Pinot Blanc
White grapes planted in Oregon, in order of prominence
1st) Pinot Gris
2) Chardonnay
3) Riesling
4) Pinot Blanc
What are ‘Laurelwood’ Soil series?
A type of Loess soil, windblown and found on mountainsides. These reddish silt soils predate the last ice age and are often intermixed with basalt-derived soils and marine sediments.
What are ‘Woodburn’ soil series?
a type of Missoula Flood Deposit, very fertile and on valley floor.
These flood-borne sediments arrived as recently as 12,000 years ago, as the cyclical Missoula Floods roared through the Wallula Gap and the Columbia Gorge, spilling out into the valley. Today about 10% of the Willamette Valley’s vineyards are on these low-lying, deep, fertile soils; they compose the valley floor and are best purposed for other forms of agriculture.
Sub AVAs of Umpqua Valley
Elkton Oregon - coolest and wettest
Red Hills Douglas Co - jory soils, remote and not many vnyds
Oldest Estate Vineyard in Oregon
Hillcrest Vineyards in Umpqua, 1961, Richard Sommer, Pinot Noir.
Highest and Driest AVAs in Oregon west of the Cascades. Why?
Applegate Valley of Rogue valley. furthest south, sheer size of the Klamath Range limits maritime influence throughout much of the AVA as it creates a rainshadow
