Oregon Flashcards
What percentage of Oregon vines are PN?
57%
Name the three major AVAs of Oregon that fall west of the Cascades, from north to south.
Willamette Valley AVA
Umpqua Valley AVA
Rogue Valley AVA
What are the sub AVAs of Willamette Valley AVA?
West to east: McMinnville AVA Van Duzer Corridor AVA Yamhill-Carlton AVA Eola-Amity Hills AVA Dundee Hills AVA Ribbon Ridge AVA Chehalem Mountains AVA
When was the Willamette Valley AVA extended, by how much, why?
In 2016 it was extended by 10,000 acres south to accommodate King Estates, Oregon’s largest producer
When were the first vines planted in Willamette?
David Lett started Eyrie in Dundee in 1966.
Charles Coury also planted in 1965/66 just north of Chehalem Mountains.
Who owns Charles Coury’s vineyards today?
David Hill Winery
What Willamette wine caught the attention of Robert Drouhin?
1975 Eyrie South Block PN
It scored 2nd at a competition in 1980 in Beaune organized by Drouhin
Aside from Coury and Lett, what were some other early wineries in Willamette?
Dick Erath 1969 Dick Ponzi 1970 David Adelsheim in Chehalem in 1972 Amity Vineyards 1974 Elk Cove 1974 Sokol Blosser 1977 Cameron 1984
When and where did Robert Drouhin start Domaine Drouhin? Who makes the wine?
Purchased Dundee Hills property in 1987, first vintage was 1988. Made by his daughter, Veronique.
Which has a shorter growing season- Willamette or Burgundy?
Burgundy is about 2 weeks shorter.
Summer highs are higher, Spring and fall have more extreme highs and lows.
About what percentage of Willamette’s total acreage is certified Sustainable?
~50%
What are some viticultural challenges in Willamette Valley AVA?
Birds migrating in the fall, gophers and voles
Grape rust mites
When did Willamette get hit w phylloxera?
1990
Why do Willamette growers tend to not till the soil between their vines?
Tilling can spread phylloxera, nematodes and other soil pests. The hardened topsoil also helps keep ground water in during the windy, dry summer.
How were the original boundaries of Willamette Valley AVA drawn?
The boundaries of Willamette were marked to match the reach of the Missoula floodwaters
Why are most Willamette Valley AVA vineyards planted on slopes above 275 ft?
The valley floors have a thick overly fertile Missoula flood deposited soils, and are frost prone.
What are the four major soil types of Willamette Valley AVA?
- Uplifted Marine Sediments
- Volcanic Soils
- Loess
- Missoula Flood Deposits
What type of soil is Jory series and where is it found?
What qualities does it give the wine?
Volcanic origin.
Dundee Hills AVA
Contains more clay, so water retentive. Gives the PN a lighter color and red fruit profile.
What type of soil is Willakenzie series and where is it found?
What qualities does it give the wine?
Uplifted Marine Series, derived from sandstone on shale that once composed the ocean floor.
Ribbon Ridge AVA.
Noted for darker color and fruit
What type of soil is Laurelwood series and where is it found?
What qualities does it give the wine?
Loess, wind blown soil collected over the past 2.6 mil years. Reddish silt, predating the last ice age. Water-retentive.
Chehalem Mountians AVA
Lighter
What type of soil is Woodburn series and where is it found?
Missoula Flood Deposits.
Only in ~10% of Willamette’s vineyards.
What PN clones were originally planted in Willamette?
Pommard and Wadenswill
When did Willamette start planting Chardonnay?
Not until 1988, when the Dijon clones became available.
When did Dijon Chard and PN clones reach Willamette?
They reached the US in 1984, were quarantined at Oregon State University, and became commercially available in 1988.
