Oregon Flashcards
What 3 winemakers followed David Lett?
Two Dicks and two Daves
—David Lett- Father of Oregon wine 1965 (along with Charles Coury in 1965; interests lie in modernizing production and providing everyday appeal, while Lett was more artisanal and introspective)
—Dick Erath planted his first vineyard in 1969.
—Dick Ponzi founded Ponzi Vineyard in 1970.
—David Adelsheim-David Adelsheim planted his first vines among the Chehalem Mountains in 1972
What are the exceptions for varietal labeling in Oregon? What is the min %?
- min 75%
- Exceptions:
- White and Red Bordeaux
- Major Rhone
- Zinfandel
- Sangiovese
- Tannat
- Tempranillo
What are the sub-AVAs of the Willamette Valley?
- Chehalem Mountains
- Ribbon Ridge
- Dundee Hills
- Yamhill-Carlton District
- Eola-Amity Hills
- McMinnville
- Van Duzer Corridor
All located in the NW sector of Oregon between Portland and Salem.
What are the two warmest, driest AVAs in the state of Oregon?
- Walla Walla Valley
2. Southern Oregon AVA
What AVA is located within Umpqua Valley?
Elkton Oregon AVA
Red Hill Douglas County AVA
What are the differences in climate between Elkton Oregon AVA and Red Hill Douglas County AVA? Where are these AVAs located?
- Elkton Oregon AVA is cooler and wetter
- Both located in Umpqua Valley AVA
What AVA is shared between Oregon and Idaho?
Snake River AVA (A single vineyard is planted in Oregon)
What AVA shared between Oregon and Washington is centered in Oregon?
Columbia Gorge
What AVAs are located in the Southern Oregon AVA?
- Umpqua Valley
- Elketon Oregon
- Red Hills Douglas County
- Rogue Valley
- Applegate Valley
What is the min % in Oregon for AVA labeling?
min 95% (Federal min is 85%)
What is the varietal min % for most varieties in Oregon?
min 90%
What soil characterizes the Dundee Hills AVA? Ribbon Ridge? How do they compare?
- Dundee Hills AVA - Jory - provides more elegance
- Ribbon Ridge AVA - Willakenzie - a denser style wine with darker fruit
What soils were deposited by the Missoula Floods in Oregon?
Willamette Silt
-Woodburn is the primary series
What wine from Oregon first achieved outstanding results in a French competition?
1975 Eyrie “South Block Reserve” Pinot Noir
When and where did Joseph Drouhin purchase property in Oregon?
1987 adjacent to Eyrie
When did David Lett plant Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley?
1966
Oregon AVA's (18) Willamette 6 Southern Oregon 5 4 along northern border 1 in the east
Willamette Valley +6 Chehalem Mountains Ribbon Ridge Dundee Hills Yamhill-Carlton Eola-Amity Hills McMinnville
Southern Oregon Elkton and Red Hill Douglas County within, Umpqua Valley Applegate Valley within, Rogue Valley
Walla Walla Valley (shared with Washington) The Rocks of Milton-Freewater Columbia Valley (shared with Washington) Columbia Gorge (shared with Washington) Snake River Valley (shared with Idaho)
What are the three major wine growing regions in Oregon (N-S)?
Willamette Valley
Umpqua Valley
Rogue valley
How long is Willamette Valley?
120 miles from Portland past Eugene in the south.
What two features is Willamette valley between?
Cascade Mountains and the Coastal Range.
Who was the first to see the potential for Pinot Noir in Willamette Valley?
David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards and Charles Coury.
What is “South Block Reserve”?
Bottling from David Lett’s Eyrie Vineyards. 1975 “South Block Reserve” Pinot Noir achieved outstanding results in French competition and brought vindication to the efforts of these early Oregon.
Who purchased property in Dundee Hills in 1987?
Joseph Drouhin, Burgundy négociant
Describe Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
a steppingstone between California and the Côte d’Or: lighter in style and earthier than the former, riper and more forward than the latter. The cool, temperate climate of the valley invites further comparisons to Burgundy, and vintages are more variable than in Sonoma or Santa Barbara.
Willamette Valley AVA?
Est?
Between which two mountains?
Contains which other AVAs?
- AVA est. 1983
- broad valley sandwiched between Coast Range on west and Cascades on east
- contains Dundee Hills, McMinnville, Eola-Amity Hills, Ribbon Ridge, Chehalem Mountains, Yamhill-Carlton District
Rocks of Milton Freewater
It is named for the city of Milton-Freewater, Oregon, and a unique alluvial fan resulting in rocky soils with “baseball sized” basalt cobbles covering the earth, and is notable as being “the only AVA in the United States whose boundaries are defined by the soil type”, Unique wine flavors are said to result from the mineral composition, hydrology, and temperatures of the rocks
-Soils draw comparison to Chateauneuf-du-Pape
What is Jory? Where is if found? Style produced?
Well-drained soil series of volcanic origin, common in the “red hills” of the Dundee Hills AVA. Tasters often ascribe a lighter color and a more red fruit profile; more elegant than the the denser Willakenzie soils. The Nekia series, a shallower volcanic soil, is also common in the area.
What is Willakenzie? Where is it found? Style produced?
Marine sedimentary soil on the valley’s westernmost slopes, found in areas such as Ribbon Ridge. Tasters often ascribe wines produced on marine sedimentary soils as typically noted as darker in color and fruit profile.