Oregon Flashcards
Which Oregon AVAs are East of the Cascades? What else do they have in common?
Walla Walla Valley AVA
Columbia Gorge AVA
Columbia Valley AVA
Snake River Valley AVA
They’re all shared with neighboring states!
What is the climate of the Oregon wine regions west of the cascades? East of the cascades?
Maritime with some continental influence
True continental
What are the major & minor red varieties of Oregon?
Major: Pinot Noir!
Minor: Cab, Merlot, Syrah
What are the major & minor white varieties of Oregon?
Major: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris
Minor: Riesling
Where is Oregon located?
West US coast, 362 miles between WA and CA
On what parallel is the Willamet Valley located?
The 45th, along with Bordeaux & Piedmont
What’s unique about the landscape of Oregon wine country?
It’s lined with rivers, waterfalls, national parks, & conservation areas
What are Oregon’s important landmarks?
Rivers: Columbia, Willamette, Clackamas
Mountains: Coastal Ranges, Cascades
Other: Missoula flood plain
What influence did the Missoula Floods have on the Terroir of Western Oregon?
The Missoula floods carved out rolling hills & sheltered east-west valleys that keep the region cool & dry while protecting it from frost & hail, which extends the growing season & increases variety of grapes growers can cultivate.
Briefly sketch out the history of Oregon’s wine industry
1845: Henerson Luelling planted OR’s first vines
1964: First OR Pinot bottled for sale by Hillcrest Vineyards
1970: David Lett founds Eyrie Vineyards
1979: David Lett’s South Block Pinot receives international acclaim at the Paris Tasting
1984: First 4 OR AVAs are awarded: Willamette, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley, & Umpqua Valley
1987: Maison Druhin opens Domaine Druhin in Dundee Hills
What is the general style of Oregon reds?
A cross between California’s rich, ripe fruit, & burgundy’s elegant structure. Oak is well integrated & the wines tend to balance acid, tannin, & alcohol.
What is the general style of Oregon Chardonnay?
Oaked, but with good acid & balance.
What is the general style of Oregon Pinot Gris?
Rich, nutty, & slightly bitter in style, with a hint of residual sugar.
Are there sparkling wines in OR? What kind?
Yes, traditional method sparklers are common
Are Oregon vinterns experimental? What unites them?
Yes, they’ll experiment with different fermentation vessels, skin contact, blending, & traditional techniques, but they’ll still make a new world style of wine.
What are Oregon’s 4 major villages?
Portland, Salem, Eugene, Medford
What are the 3 Broad, Overarching AVAs of Oregon?
Willamette, Umpqua Valley, Southern Oregon
What are the subAVAs of the Willamette from N to S?
Tualatin Hills
Laurelwood District
Chehalem Mountains
Yamhill-Carlton
Ribbon Ridge
Dundee Hills
McMinnville
Eola-Amity Hills
Van Doozer Corridor
Mount Pisgah Polk County
Lower Long Tom
What are the subAVAs of Umpqua Valley?
Elkton
Red Hills Douglas County
What are the AVAs of Southern Oregon?
Umpqua Valley, Rogue Valley & Applegate Valley
What are the AVAs of Eastern Oregon?
Columbia Valley, Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla Valley, Rocks District of Milton Freewater, Snake River Valley
What are the signature soils of Oregon?
Jory: Basalt-based volcanic soils of Dundee Hills, known to make lighter, more elegant wines.
Willakenzie: Sandstone, tufa, & siltstone of Ribbon Ridge, known to make denser wines with more black fruit.
What is the Warmest & driest grapegrowing region East of the Cascades in Oregon?
Applegate Valley
How does Pinot express itself in Mcminnville & eola amity hills? Why?
More tannic in style than anywhere else in Willamette, because of the pacific winds flowing through the van doozer corridor.
What is unique about Chelham Mountains AVA?
their north-facing slopes are the coolest growing sites in the Willamette.
