Many great-tasting wines come from Oregon
Although wine has been produced there for over a century, its modern era didn't begin until the '50sWednesday, September 24, 2008 Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Directly above California lies the beautiful state of Oregon, bordered by breathtaking mountains and surreal coastlines. Although wine has been produced in Oregon for over a century, its modern era of wine didn't begin until the late 1950s.
Among the new wineries was Hillcrest Vineyards, founded in 1959 by Richard Sommer. During the late 1970s and the 1980s, many other new wineries were founded, particularly in the Willamette Valley.
Some of Oregon's pioneering wine makers during this early and important developmental stage were Dick Ponzi of Ponzi Winery, David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards and Dick Erath of Knudsen Erath, known now as Erath Winery.
Some more recent, important winemakers on the scene are Russ Raney, the talented winemaker of the tiny Evesham Wood Winery, Ken Wright of Ken Wright Vineyards and Mike Etzel of Beaux Frères Winery.
A defining moment for Oregon's wine industry that validated the generally favorable perceptions of the region occurred when famous French Burgundy negotiant Joseph Drouhin purchased and developed a winery in Willamette in 1979 dedicated to the production of top-flight Pinot Noir (his specialty). He called it Domaine Drouhin Oregon.
The growth of wineries continued steadily throughout the 1990s, as evidenced by the fact that the number of wineries increased from 54 in 1987 to 120 in 1997. Today the state of Oregon ranks second only to California for the number of its wineries and ranks fourth in total wine production behind California, Washington State and New York State.
There are four major wine-producing appellations in Oregon, with three located in the western part of the state. The largest, most planted and most important is the Willamette Valley, which further breaks down into northern and southern Willamette.
WELL-DRAINED SOIL
Willamette vineyards enjoy wet winters, dry summers, and long, cool autumn days. When this climate is coupled with the region's deep, well-drained soils, ideal growing conditions are created for Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Riesling. The vineyards of southern Willamette are slightly warmer, with more clay and loam in its soil composition.
The Umpqua region is south of Willamette and is typically warm and dry. Here, the confluence of the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific Coast creates massive thermals that can cause quick evening cooling. The climatic conditions of the Umpqua are similar to those of Bordeaux, and as in Bordeaux, Cabernet and Merlot are its best-suited varietals. Further south is the southernmost wine-producing region of the state called the Rouge region. Warmer still, the Rouge region specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, although Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc grapes are planted there as well.