Looking out across the vibrant, verdant rolling hills of our beloved Willamette Valley, you can’t help but admire the vines, stately in their neat rows, dotting the landscape. From the gentle breath of Mt Hood’s snowy cap to the rugged beauty of the Oregon Coast, wine – the lifeblood of our land – continues to thrive and shape the story of our incredible state. But what’s in the grapes that those vines bear? What emerging varieties and regions are now pushing the envelope of our Oregon wine culture?
Oregon: A Vintner’s Paradise
Oregon, blessed with its diversity of terroir and the maverick spirit of its winemakers, holds endless potential for new and exciting varietals. The cool, coastal climates of the Willamette Valley, renowned for its world-class Pinot Noir, are fertile ground for cultivation, while the warmer southern climes, like the Rogue and Umpqua valleys, bask in their successful viticultural experiments. Who could have predicted that Tempranillo and Albariño would find such comfortable homes in the dirt of Southern Oregon, as different from the verdant Willamette as a Powell’s City of Books from a coastal beachcomber’s shack?
Emerging Varieties in the Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley, often compared to France’s Burgundy region for its ideal climate for cool-weather loving vines, has long rested on the laurels of its mighty Pinot Noir. But the future of Oregon wine is not tied down to a single grape. Chardonnay, for instance, is on the move. From the sustainable viticulture of Bethel Heights Vineyard to the historical importance of Eyrie Vineyard’s “Original Vines,” Oregon’s Chardonnays are taking root and rising in repute.
Even more unexpected varietals are peeking through. Look at the flourishing field blends from Teutonic Wine Company, where Alsatian varietals Muscat, Huxelrebe and Siegerrebe are making the wine headlines, producing fragrant, off-dry whites that sing with Oregon’s fine seafood offerings, from Dungeness crab to Netarts Bay oysters.
The Rogue Valley: A Contrast of Styles
Let’s head south for a spell, beyond the umbrella pines and down the iconic I-5. We’ll find ourselves in the Rogue Valley, Oregon’s sun-soaked, viticultural wild west. Here, you’ll find warm-climate grapes singing hallelujah in the heat. Syrah, Viognier, Tempranillo–they’re all thriving here, basked in sunshine, and drawing interest across the wine world.
Take a sip of Del Rio Vineyard’s Rock Point River Red and you’ll find bright, round, cheerful flavors that remind you of a Gold Hill summer day. Meanwhile, the Spanish varietal Tempranillo is finding great success in the hands of Abacela Winery, whose founder Earl Jones believed in the grape’s potential here long before most. And with each new vintage, we Oregonians find good reason to raise a glass in salute to his foresight.
The Columbia Gorge and Beyond
Oregon isn’t a state that’s content to rest on tradition. We’re always reaching for what’s over the next hill, eager to experience new landscapes and possibilities. Our expansive volcanoes and mountains create barriers for climate and weather patterns that can turn one valley environment completely different from the next. Case in point: the Columbia Gorge. Straddling both sides of the mighty Columbia River, this area enjoys unique microclimates. The result? A diversity of wines that defy expectations.
Take Analemma Wines. This innovative winery is producing some of the best sparkling wines in the state from their high-elevation vineyards, and Dry Riesling from their Atavus Vineyard has turned many a skeptical head.
Final Pour
In every bottle and across every row of vines, Oregon promises more than just the expected. Daring varietals, unconventional blends, and pioneering regions assure that the Oregon wine story remains vibrant, delicious, and as lively as a lineworker doing the Nutcracker in a Storm Large concert.
So, raise a glass. Take a sip. Venture past familiar territory into Oregon’s wine frontier. From the sage-brush covered hills of the East to the rainy, moss-draped forests of the West, we know our wine, and we’re excited about where it’s headed.
To taste the future of Oregon wine is to experience the heart, soul, and grit of this grand state. So what are you waiting for? Hop in that Subaru, take a drive down the scenic Columbia River Highway or the fruit loop roads around Hood River, explore Southern Oregon’s Applegate Valley, or even that cute little boutique winery you’ve been eyeing on your evening jog around Forest Park.
Ladies and gents, the future of Oregon wine is here – diverse, sustainable, experimental, adventurous. Sounds like Oregon, doesn’t it?