Oregon Flashcards
Who are the main owners of Oregon wine business
Oregon is dominated by smaller, family-owned businesses, some of which are fifth-generation still farming their ancestors’ original land.
Which soil types are found in most Oregon regions?
Loess
Volcanic
Marine sedimentary
Describe an typical Oregon Pinot Noir
- will generally have medium (+) acidity
- medium to medium (+) tannins
- often high alcohol
- flavours range from red cherry and raspberry fruit to black cherry and plum
- They can be good to outstanding in quality.
Describe an typical Oregon Pinot Gris
- tend to be medium to full bodied,
- medium to medium (+) acidity
- have pear peach and melon fruit sometimes with a nutty or honeyed note
- often good to very good in quality and mid-priced.
Although Southern Oregon has a warmer climate than Willamette Valley, there are still some cooling influences. Describe the sources of the cooling influences found in Southern Oregon.
Cooling influences come from a combination of cool air flowing down mountains at night (the Coast Range, the Cascade Range and the Klamath Mountains), river valleys funnelling Pacific breezes (either the Umpqua River gorge or the Rogue River valley) and altitude (in the case of Rogue Valley AVA - situated at 250-950 m).
True or false?
Local legislation prevents most Oregon producers irrigating from rivers, so most producers choose not to, despite the dry summers.
This is true. Producers would have to build infrastructure on their land to collect rainwater, so most choose not to.
List the Willamette Valley AVAs
- Dundee Hills AVA
- Chehalem Mountains AVA
- Ribbon Ridge AVA
- Yamhill-Carlton District AVA
- Van Duzer Corridor AVA
- Eola-Amity Hills AVA
- McMinnville AVA
Describe the growing enviroment in Dundee Hills AVA
The AVA is made up of a series of volcanic hills running north to south with lateral ridges that run east to west. Vineyards start 60 m above the valley floor up to 325 m. This results in vineyards at higher altitudes than the rest of Willamette Valley, helping to retain acidity. The temperature is warmer than other AVAs because it is buffered to the west by the Coast Range and to the north by the Chehalem Mountains.
Describe the growing enviroment in Chehalem Mountains AVA
Defined by a ridge in northern Willamette Valley. It is 20 miles in length and 5 miles in width, stretching from southeast to northwest. It includes several discrete spurs, mountains and ridges. Vineyards are planted between 60 and 305 m, with the highest point of the ridge at almost 500 m serving as a windbreak.
Describe the growing enviroment in Ribbon Ridge AVA
The smallest AVA in the Willamette Valley, being an island-like ridge that rises to around 200 m from the Chehalem Valley floor in the west of the Chehalem Mountain AVA. Vineyards are relatively low in elevation and protected from the wind by surrounding ranges creating a consistently warm and dry area.
Describe the growing enviroment in Yamhill-Carlton District AVA
A south-facing bowl containing a series of horseshoe-shaped eroded hills composed of ancient sedimentary soil. It is in the north west of the Willamette Valley and sits in the foothills of the Coast Range, which forms a rain shadow over the entire area.
Describe the growing enviroment in Van Duzer Corridor AVA
Towards the south west of the Willamette Valley. Here, a break in the Coast Range funnels in Pacific Ocean winds during the afternoon, cooling the vineyard in what would be the warmest time in the day.
Describe the growing enviroment in Eola-Amity Hills AVA
A ridge of north to south hills of shallow rocky volcanic basalt over sedimentary soil. Like the Van Duzer Corridor AVA, many of the vineyards are influenced by the cool ocean winds. However, there is a greater variation in altitude and range of aspects which impact on how much the winds affect the vineyards.
Describe the growing enviroment in McMinnville
Located between the Yamhill-Carlton AVA to the north and Van Duzer Corridor AVA to the south. Some sites are protected by the Coast Range rain shadow, whereas areas to the south are more influenced by the cool winds from the Van Duzer Corridor.
What are the top three most planted grape varieties in the Walla Walla Valley AVA?
Syrah
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
