US Wine Regions: Oregon

In 1979, David Lett of Oregon entered his Pinot Noir in the 1979 Gault-Millau French wine competition and won top honors against Burgundy’s best. Since then, the wine world’s eyes have been on this northern state.

Forty years later, Oregon is thriving with 15 winegrowing regions and 300 wineries growing 72 grape varieties. Pinot Noir continues to reign as the grape – thanks to volcanic soils and a cool climate – tends to produce fresher wines with higher acidity than those in California. Because of this, many Oregon wineries are eschewing Chardonnay for the light and floral Pinot Gris, which now, due to its success, has exceeded Chardonnay plantings in this state.

No matter the varietal, sustainability and craftsmanship are central to Oregon’s success. Nationally, Oregon is third in the number of wineries and fourth largest in wine volume, but most of the wineries are small, producing about 5,000 cases a year. Still, it’s the kind of wine region where you’ll find winemakers pouring the wine and interacting with visitors in the tasting room.

The Willamette Valley is the largest appellation in Oregon, housing two thirds of the state’s producers, including Amity Vineyards and Domaine Serene. It runs from the Columbia River in Portland south to Salem and finally to the Calapooya Mountains outside of Eugene. The warmer Southern Oregon appellation, home to Willakenzie Estate, is also Oregon’s cultural center with the annual Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.