Mt. Baker, a \“Ring of Fire\” volcano,keeps vigil over lush Oregon vineyards.

Cool, often cloudy and really only developed with any serious quality aspirations as a fledgling wine region from the 1960s onwards, Oregon has nonetheless planted its standard firmly on the international wine map. And that standard is Pinot Noir, the notoriously fickle Burgundy variety that requires an exacting set of conditions to flourish. Today, Oregon vies with New Zealand as one of only two outposts in the world where this demanding grape comes close to exhibiting the full range of its supple, seductively subtle Burgundian-style charm.

And, in a further parallel, Oregon’s Pinot Noir vineyards, overwhelmingly concentrated on a series of ridges in the northern end of the Willamette Valley, tend to be small affairs tucked into the landscape where it captures the heat of the sun. The red volcanic soils of the Dundee Hills lie at the heart of the region, with pockets of top quality vines dotted about from the foot of the Chehalem Mountains to the Eoloa Hills further south. The Pinot Noirs of Willamette and its surrounding valleys are notable for their combination of fresh acidity and finely honed structure, encouraging the gentle red fruit character of the variety to shine when young, but allowing the wines to develop more complex depths as they age.

Pinot Noir is king here, but praise is also due for the excellent Pinot Gris being produced, showing more of a spicy Alsace bent in character than the rather less dramatic style of Italian Pinot Grigio. Chardonnay, too, can reveal all the elegance of a cooler climate home and there are also some great examples of aromatic varieties like Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling to be found in the region.

Oregon’s geography and climate mean that the big companies are unlikely to ever descend here on any scale. Rather, it is likely to remain home to small production estates run by passionate individuals who would rather tussle with the challenge of grapes like Pinot Noir, thus mapping out a boutique, high-end future for the region.  [ top ]