2018 Oregon Pinot Noir

Since the 1960s, Oregon's wine industry has grown to 30,000 acres of vineyards in 23 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). The most well-known is Willamette Valley in northwestern Oregon, but there's also Southern Oregon (Umpqua and Rogue Valleys) near California, Columbia Valley & Columbia Gorge bordering Washington State, and Snake River Valley on the border of Idaho. The variety in topography, climate, and soils provide a home to dozens of French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese varietals. Oregon Chardonnay, Riesling, Sparklers, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris are world-class, but the Pinot Noir is peerless. 

Pinot Noir accounts for the majority of the acreage, and the best ones come from Willamette Valley and its major sub-AVAs: Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge, and Yamhill-Carlton. With the cool climate, Oregon Pinot Noirs are often compared to Burgundy's great wines but are more accessible in availability and cost. We always have a few under $30.