Oregon Flashcards
Who first planted Pinot Noir in Oregon in 1966?
David Lett (Eyrie Vineyards)
Name two prominent Pinot Noir producers based in Willamette Valley
Domaine Drouhin
Eyrie Vineyards
What type of wine businesses tend to dominate in Oregon?
Mostly small family businesses, numbers of which continue to rise
At what latitude do you find most vineyards in Oregon state?
42 to 46 degrees north
What lowers disease pressure in most Oregon vineyards?
Winds and dry summers
What percentage of vineyards in Oregon are certified sustainable?
47%
Name four sustainability programmes that are run in Oregon
Oregon Tilth (organic)
Salmon Safe
LIVE certified sustainable (Low impact viticulture and enology)
Deep Roots Coalition
Name the three most planted grape varieties in Oregon
Pinot Noir (57% of plantings) Pinot Gris Chardonnay
What are the three most used clones of Pinot Noir in Oregon?
Wadenswil
Pommard
Dijon
Why might producers use different clones in different sites across Orgeon?
There is better ability to match different clones to different sites and styles
Which Chardonnay clones tend to do better in warmer years in Oregon?
Clone 108
Wente
The introduction of earlier ripening ____ Chardonnay clones has increased clonal diversity and ability to match site and style.
Dijon
Is use of whole bunches in fermentations for Pinot Noir in Oregon increasing or decreasing?
Is use of new oak for maturation and fermentation increasing or decreasing?
Increasing
Decreasing
Give a typical tasting note for an Oregon Pinot Noir
Ripe fruit, red cherry, raspberry, black cherry, plum Medium (+) acidity Medium to medium (+) tannin High alcohol Good to outstanding Premium
What winemaking techniques might Oregon producers use to make a fruity style of Pinot Gris?
Whole bunch press
Cool fermentation
What winemaking techniques might Oregon producers use to add complexity and texture to Pinot Gris wines?
Skin contact
Old barrels (oxygen ingression)
Lees contact
What styles of Pinot Gris are produced in Oregon?
Dry and off dry (although dry is currently more popular)
Give a typical tasting note for an Oregon Pinot Gris
Pear, peach, melon, nutty, honeyed
Medium to medium (+) acidity
Medium to full body
What wine making techniques are typically employed to produce premium Oregon Chardonnays?
Whole bunch press
Fermentation and maturation in oak (mostly older)
Full malo
Lees contact, no stirring (low levels of reductive sulfur give struck match aromas)
Give a typical tasting note for an Oregon Chardonnay
Lemon, peach, cream Medium (+) acidity Medium (+) body Good to very good Mid priced to premium
What is the name of the largest AVA in Oregon containing 68% of the region’s vineyards?
Willamette Valley AVA
How many sub AVAs in Willamette Valley AVA?
7
How many hectares under vine in Willamette Valley AVA?
9,900ha
What borders Willamette Valley AVA to the west?
What effect does this have?
Coast Range Mountains
Provides shelter, although various parts of the valley are still affected by ocean winds
Willamette Valley AVA is one of the ____ and _____ areas in Oregon.
Wettest and coolest
Willamette Valley AVA is close to some Oregon’s largest cities - why is this a benefit?
Tourism
Air rises from the warm interior of Oregon and draws in cool coastal air, promoting breezes.
The effect of this is strong early in the day in the AVAs of ___ ____ _____, ____ ____ ___ and ________
Van Duzer Corridor
Eola Amity Hills
McMinnville
How does lack of humidity in the growing season in Willamette Valley AVA affect the temperatures here?
Is irrigation common?
Temperatures rise and fall quickly
Although rainfall is low in Willamette Valley AVA during the summer, irrigation is uncommon because priducers are small and the cost of installation is high
When does rain tend to fall in Willamette Valley AVA?
In autumn and winter - summer drought can be an issue
Describe the weather during the growing season in Willamette Valley AVA
Warm
Long sunshine hours
Can be quite dry
What types of soils are found on the valley floors in Willamette Valley AVA?
What grapes are grown here?
Fertile loam soils
Mostly Pinot Gris
Some Pinot Noir, but vigour must be managed with tall training systems e.g. Scott Henry
What types of soils are found at higher altitudes in Willamette Valley AVA?
What grapes are grown here?
What training systems are typically used?
Mix of marine and sedimentary soils
Pinot Noir dominates
Smaller cordon trained or replacement can pruned vines with VSP trellising
Describe the soils found in Dundee Hills AVA
How do these affect the vines grown here?
Jory loam soils
Iron-rich clay formed from volcanic basalt
Good at retaining water - means vines won’t shut down during dry summers
Is Dundee Hills AVA warmer or colder than other AVAs in Willamette Valley?
Why?
Warmer
Sheltered by the Coast Range to the west
Chehalem Mountains to the north shelter from cold and wet conditions
At what elevations would you find Dundee Hills AVA vineyards?
60 to 325m
Higher elevation fruit retains more acidity
At what elevations would you find Chehalem Mountains AVA vineyards?
60 to 305m
Describe the soils, aspects and altitudes found in Chehalem Mountains AVA
There is diverse range, leading to diversity in style
Which is the smallest Willamette Valley sub AVA?
Ribbon Ridge
Ribbon Ridge AVA rises to around ____m from the ____ Valley floor in the west of the ______ mountains, forming an island-like ridge
200m
Chehalem Valley floor
Chehalem mountains
Describe the growing conditions in Ribbon Ridge AVA - what factors contribute to this?
Consistently warm and dry growing area
Surrounding ridges provide shelter
Describe the soils in Ribbon Ridge AVA.
How does this affect vines growing here?
Deep, but nutrient poor sedimentary soils
Vigour is controlled but soils have much needed moderate water holding capacity
Concentrated ripe grapes
Describe the topography and soils of Eola Amity Hills AVA
A ridge of north to south hills
Shallow, rocky, volcanic basalt over sedimentary soils
What helps to slow ripening of grapes in Eola Amity Hills AVA?
How does topography affect this?
Cool ocean winds
A range of aspects and altitudes means some sites are more windy and cool or sheltered and warm than others
Yamhill Carlton District AVA is in the ______ of Willamette Valley AVA in the foothills of the ____ range, creating a ____ _____.
North west of Willamette Valley
Coast Range
Rain shadow
Describe the topography, aspect and soils of Yamhill Carlton District.
How does this affect the vines grown here?
South facing bowl of horseshoe shaped eroding hills (up to 300m)
Warm, free draining sedimentary soils
Vines produce riper, fuller bodied fruit with lower acidity
What cooling influences are there in Van Duzer Corridor AVA?
How does this affect growing conditions here?
Break in the coast range funnels in cool afternoon breezes
Slows ripening
Lowers disease pressure
Earlier in the season can affect flowering and fruit set
Can cause stomata to shut and slow ripening
Describe the soils found in Van Duzer Corridor AVA
Marine sediment loam and silt.
Shallow and well draining
McMinnville AVA is situated between ____ ___ AVA to the north and ____ ____ ____ AVA to the south, and is influenced by both.
What influences do they bring
Yamhill Carlton AVA to the north
Van Duzer Corridor AVA to the south
Yamhill Carlton AVA: rain shadow
Van Duzer Corridor AVA: winds
How many hectares under vine in South Oregon AVA?
3,265ha
How does the temperature in South Oregon AVA compare with Willamette Valley AVA? Why?
Warmer - more southerly latitude
What are the four most planted varieties in South Oregon AVA?
Pinot Noir
Pinot Gris
Syrah
Tempranillo
What cooling influences are there in South Oregon AVA?
Mountains (descending air and altitude)
River valleys channel in cool breezes in the evening and afternoon
Is irrigation practiced in South Oregon AVA? Why?
Yes - many producers were formerly ranchers with permission to use river water
Describe the soils typically found in South Oregon AVA.
Marine sedimentary soils and volcanic soils with high clay content - good water holding capacity
Some areas have more free draining alluvial soils
When does most rain fall in South Oregon AVA?
Winter - the growing season is dry, meaning irrigation is often essential
Umpqua Valley AVA sits at the junction of which mountain ranges?
Coast Range
Cascade Range
Kalmath Mountains
Describe the climatic conditions in the north of Umpqua Valley AVA.
What grapes are grown here?
Cooler than in the south (but still warmer than Willamette Valley)
Cool breezes ofd the Umpqua River gorge
Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling
Describe the climatic conditions in the centre and south of Umpqua Valley AVA.
What grapes are grown here?
Warmer than in the north
Syrah, Merlot and Tempranillo
What is the warmest and driest growing area in Oregon?
Rogue Valley AVA
How might Rogue Valley AVA receive some cooling influence?
Altitude: from Kalmath Mountains and Cascade range
Cool afternoon breezes drawn in off the Pacific and up the Rogue River Valley
What grapes are grown in Rogue Valley AVA?
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo and Pinot Noir
Which two AVAs extend from Oregon into Washington state?
Walla Walla Valley AVA
Columbia Gorge AVA
Is Walla Walla AVA near to or far from the coast?
How does this affect growing conditions here??
Far
Climate is arid and continental, with dry hot summers
What grapes are grown in Walla Walla Valley?
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah
How does climate vary from east to west in Columbia Gorge AVA?
The east is warmer and drier (inland)
Winds off the gorge cool the area in the west more.
The west is also wetter
In Oregon labelling laws, ___% of grapes and ____% of wine must be from the stated appellation.
Wines from multistate appellations may follow either state’s labelling laws, but ___% of wine must be from the 2 states
100% of grapes and 95% of wine
100% of wine must be from the 2 states
In Oregon labelling laws, the stated variety must be ___% of the final wine. The remainder need not be listed
90%
In Oregon labelling laws, estate bottled wines must be made ___% from grapes grown in the winery’s AVA and fully finished at the estate
100%
How many wineries are there in Oregon?
Around 800
What percentage of Oregon wine is made from estate-grown fruit?
52%
What percentage of production is sold direct to consumer?
What are the main routes to market for this?
25%
Tasting rooms, wine clubs and website sales
___% of Oregon wine is sold in state, via ___ and ___
___% is sold elsewhere in the USA
16% of Oregon wine is sold in state, via RETAIL and HOSPITALITY
60% is sold elsewhere in the USA
What percentage of Oregon wine is exported?
Where are the biggest markets?
2.5%
Canada, UK and Japan
