Oregon Flashcards
How long is Oregon’s Willamette Valley ?
Approx 150 mi
Name the AVAs of OR
Willamette Valley Chehalem Mountains Ribbon Ridge Yamhill-Carlton District Dundee Hills McMinnville Eola-Amity Hills Southern Oregon Red Hills Douglas County Umpqua Valley Elkton Oregon Applegate Valley Rogue Valley Columbia Valley (WA) Columbia Gorge (WA) Walla Walla Valley (WA) Rocks of Milton-Freewater Snake River Valley (ID)
Name Oregons AVAs that are shared with another state.
Columbia Valley (shared with Washington)
Columbia Gorge (shared with Washington)
Walla Walla Valley (shared with Washington)
Snake River Valley (shared with Idaho)
What are Oregon’s laws for varietally labelling? What are the laws for the appellation listed on the label?
Varietal wines from Oregon, with the exception of white and red Bordeaux varieties, major Rhône grapes, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Tannat and Tempranillo, must contain a minimum 90% of the stated varietal, rather than the standard 75%.
Oregon also maintains stricter state laws for labeling by region: a wine labeled by an AVA within Oregon must contain a minimum 95% of grapes grown in the respective appellation, rather than the 85% mandated by federal law.
Name the appellations comprising the warmest, driest growing regions in the state of Oregon (6) .
The AVAs of Umpqua Valley, Elkton Oregon, Rogue Valley, Applegate Valley, Walla Walla, and Red Hills Douglas County.
Which Oregon AVA has the highest elevation?
Chehalem Mountains AVA
What is the broad soil types of the Willamette Valley? How did they come to be?
A mix of Volcanic, Marine Deposits, Wind Blown Loess, and Missoula Flood deposits.
Willamette silt comes from ancient volcanic activity and the Missoula Floods - Glacial dams melted and refroze multiple times, depositing alluvial soils over older volcanic and sedimentary bedrock.
What is the soil type of the Willamette? How did it come to be?
Willamette silt from ancient volcanic activity and the Missoula Floods - Glacial dams melted and refroze multiple times, depositing alluvial soils over older volcanic and sedimentary bedrock.
Dundee Hills AVA soil type?
Jory, a well-drained volcanic topsoil. Almost uniform red-volcanic soils along these hills.
Ribbon Ridge AVA soil?
Willakenzie - a fine loam, ash-covered soil - marine deposits
What kind of Pinot Noirs are produced on Willakenzie soils vs Jory?
Willakenzie (marine deposits), in general, is renowned for a denser style of wine and darker fruit, whereas Jory (volcanic) soils provide more elegance.
Name a few other Oregon icons that moved to Oregon from CA, on the heels of David Lett
Charles Coury, Dick Erath, and Dick Ponzi
What label did David Lett produce?
Eyrie Vineyards
What Burgundy negociant purchased OR property after Lett won a competition against French Pinot Noir in 1975?
Maison Joseph Drouhin
Clones that were introduced to Oregon as Pinot Noir planting began? How has that changed over time?
Pommard, Wädenswil from UCDavis, mostly for cool-climate disease resistance. In the late 80s, Dijon clones were brought in from France creating new styles of Pinot to play with..
Typical aspect of sites in Willamette Valley, and how that is changing
Typically south/southeast, but moves towards north facing slopes may begin as climate warms.
Is chaptalization allowed in Oregon Pinot Noir? In California?
Yes in Oregon, No in California
Domaine Drouhin, Archery Summit, Eyrie, and Domaine Serene are found in which AVA?
Dundee Hills
Where is Shae Vineyard, Elk Cove, and Penner Ash located?
Yamhill Carlton District
What is the smallest AVA in Willamette Valley, home to Beaux Freres and Brick House?
Ribbon Ridge
What AVA is wholly within Chehalem Mnts?
Ribbon Ridge
What is the Van Duzer Corridor and what AVAs does it affect the most?
- McMinnville sits squarely in the mouth of the Van Duzer Corridor, a gap in the Coastal Mountains through which cool, constant Pacific winds blow.
- Eola-Amity Hills is also affected, sitting directly east. Wines exhibit a more rugged tannic structure, deeper color, and more pronounced acidity than in areas further north
What affect does the Van Duzer Corridor on grapes in the McMinnville AVA? On Disease? On final flavor of wine?
cold winds strip vines, reduce berry size and crop load, produces thicker skins, and creates general stress for the vine and grower.
Vineyard sites often occupy east-facing slopes in shelter from the west winds. Creates huge diurnal shift (40-50°) and drier microclimate.
The constant gusts fungal issues and create denser, more tannic Pinot Noir wines, loaded with darker fruit flavors and pigment.
Southernmost AVA in Willamette?
Eola-Amity Hills
