Oregon Breakdown

Question 1

The Growing Environment and Grape Growing

Answer 1

4th largest wine producing state in the US. 15 distinct AVAs wholly within the state and 4 across borders (19 AVAs total)

Willamette Valley, the wettest region, gets just over 1,000 mm on average per year, of which only approximately 200 mm falls from April to September.

Willamette Valley AVA - seven sub-AVAs: Dundee Hills, Chehalem Mountains, Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill-Carlton District, Van Duzer Corridor, Eola-Amity Hills and McMinnville

Southern Oregon AVA (2nd largest growing region) - Pinot Noir is still the most planted (40%) then Pinot Gris, Syrah and Tempranillo. Umpqua Valley AVA (including the Elkton Oregon AVA and Red Hill Douglas County AVA) and the Rogue Valley AVA (including the Applegate Valley AVA).

Oregon has 3 multistate AVAs on its northern border that extend into Washington – Columbia Gorge (many varieties), Columbia Valley, and Walla Walla Valley (40% cab).

One multistate AVA on its eastern border with Idaho - Snake River Valley AVA

Question 2

Winemaking

Question 3

Wine Regions

Question 4

Wine Laws and Wine Business

Answer 4

Origin labeling is stricter in Oregon than federal requirements by requiring 100 per cent of the grapes to be grown in Oregon and 95 per cent of the wine to be from the stated appellation.

If a variety is stated on the label, it must comprise a minimum of 90% of the wine; the remaining 10% does not need to be listed on the label.

Wine labelled as ‘estate-bottled’ must be made from 100 per cent of grapes that were grown in the winery’s AVA and fully finished at the estate.

Just under a quarter of production is sold direct-to-consumer, via tasting rooms (14%), wine clubs (6.5%), and web/phone orders (2 %). A further 16 per cent is sold in state (via retail and hospitality) and around 60 per cent elsewhere in the US, with approximately 2.5 per cent exported,12 the top three export markets by volume being Canada, the UK and Japan.