Willamette Valley AVA

The Willamette Valley AVA (/wɪˈlæmɪt/ wi-LAM-it) is an American Viticultural Area which lies in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The AVA is the wine growing region which encompasses the drainage basin of the Willamette River. It stretches from the Columbia River in the north to just south of Eugene in the south, where the Willamette Valley ends; and from the Oregon Coast Range in the west to the Cascade Mountains in the east. At 5,360 square miles (13,900 km2), it is the largest AVA in the state, and contains most of the state's wineries; approximately 908 as of 2021.

Willamette Valley AVA
Wine region
Willamette Valley
TypeAmerican Viticultural Area
Year established1984[1]
Years of wine industry1965–present
CountryUnited States
Part ofOregon
Sub-regionsChehalem Mountains AVA, Dundee Hills AVA, Eola-Amity Hills AVA, Laurelwood District AVA, Lower Long Tom AVA, McMinnville AVA, Ribbon Ridge AVA, Tualatin Hills AVA, Van Duzer Corridor AVA, Yamhill-Carlton District AVA
Climate regionMaritime
Soil conditionsVolcanic origin and weathered sedimentary loam[2]
Total area5,360 square miles (3,430,400 acres)[3]
Grapes producedAuxerrois, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cascade, Chardonnay, Dolcetto, Gamay noir, Gewurztraminer, Malbec, Marechal Foch, Melon, Merlot, Müller-Thurgau, Muscat Canelli, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Tocai Friulano, Viognier[2]
No. of wineries500

The boundaries of the Willamette Valley AVA were established in 1984. Since then, ten smaller AVAs (sometimes termed "sub-AVAs" or "sub-appellations") have been created entirely within the Willamette Valley AVA, with nine of them in the northern Willamette Valley and the Lower Long Tom AVA in the south.[4] The Willamette Valley has a cool, moist climate, and is recognized worldwide for its Pinot noir.[2]

Although this distinction is not officially recognized, many wine connoisseurs further divide the Willamette Valley into northern and southern regions, the dividing line being the approximate latitude of Salem (approximately 45° north latitude).[5]

Climate
The Willamette River Valley

The climate of Willamette Valley is mild year-round. Winters are typically cool and wet, summers are dry and warm; heat above 90 °F (32 °C) only occurs 5 to 15 days per year, and the temperature drops below 0 °F (−18 °C) once every 25 years. Most rainfall occurs in the late autumn, winter, and early spring, when temperatures are the coldest. The valley gets relatively little snow (5 inches (13 cm) to 10 inches (25 cm)) per year.[6] The hardiness zone is mostly 8b.[7]

Not all portions of the Willamette Valley are suitable for vineyards, however, and the largest concentration of wineries is found west of the Willamette River, on the leeward slopes of the Coast Range, or among the numerous river and stream valleys created by Willamette River tributaries. By far, the largest concentration of wineries is in Yamhill County.[8]

Sub-appellations

There are ten American Viticultural Areas within the Willamette Valley AVA. These smaller AVAs recognize regions within the larger Willamette Valley AVA that have distinctive climate, soil, elevation, or other physical features that make them noteworthy for wine production.

Chehalem Mountains AVA
Main article: Chehalem Mountains AVA

The Chehalem Mountains AVA, established in 2006, stretches 20 miles (32 km) from Wilsonville in the southeast to Forest Grove in the northwest. The Chehalem Mountains includes Ribbon Ridge, Parrett Mountain, and Bald Peak. The petition process for the creation of the AVA began in 2001 and was led by David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyard.[9] It contains two sub-regions, Laurelwood District AVA and Ribbon Ridge AVA.

Dundee Hills AVA
Main article: Dundee Hills AVA

The Dundee Hills AVA in the hills north and west of Dundee.[10] The area is 6,940 acres (11 sq mi) in total size, with 1,300 acres (526 ha) cultivated. Over 25 wineries and independent vineyards in this region produce over 44,000 cases of wine. The area is particularly noted for its Pinot noir; several wineries in the AVA have won international recognition for their wines.[11]

Eola-Amity Hills AVA
Main article: Eola-Amity Hills AVA

The Eola-Amity Hills AVA stretches from the town of Amity in the north to Salem in the south. The hills cover an area west of the Willamette River approximately 15 miles (24 km) long by 6 miles (10 km) wide. The Eola-Amity Hills area benefits from steady winds off the Pacific Ocean that reach the Willamette Valley through the Van Duzer corridor, a gap in the Oregon Coast Range, moderating the summer temperatures. The name Eola is a tribute to the windy conditions in the area, and is derived from Aeolus, the Greek god of wind.[12]

Laurelwood District AVA
Main article: Laurelwood District AVA

The Laurelwood District AVA is located west of the city of Portland and lies entirely within the Willamette Valley and Chehalem Mountains AVAs since it was established by the TTB in May 2020. It covers approximately 33,600 acres (13,597 ha) and contains 25 wineries and approximately 70 commercially-producing vineyards that cover a total of approximately 975 acres (395 ha). The distinguishing feature of the Laurelwood District is the predominance of the Laurelwood soil series.[13]

Lower Long Tom AVA
Main article: Lower Long Tom AVA

The Lower Long Tom AVA was established in 2021. It is located in the southern Willamette Valley in Lane and Benton Counties, near the towns of Junction City and Monroe.[4] Its coverage is approximately 25,000 acres (10,117 ha) and contains 12 wineries and 24 commercially-producing vineyards that plant approximately 575 acres (233 ha). As of 2022, the Lower Long Tom is the only nested appellation located in the southern Willamette Valley AVA, in contrast to nine nested appellations in the north.[14] The region is primarily known for its Pinot noir and Pinot gris.[4]

McMinnville AVA
Main article: McMinnville AVA

The McMinnville AVA near McMinnville was established in 2005, in the hills to the southwest of McMinnville, roughly running from McMinnville to Sheridan. The AVA includes 14 wineries and 523 acres (211.7 ha) of vineyards, and includes lands with elevations ranging from 200 to 1,000 feet (300 m).[15][16]

Ribbon Ridge AVA
Main article: Ribbon Ridge AVA

The Ribbon Ridge AVA, between Newberg and Gaston, is a ridge containing uplift of ocean sediment. It lies at 45° 21' N, 123° 04' W, at the northwest end of the Chehalem Mountains. The name originates in the 19th century. The ridge is approximately 0.25 miles (0.40 km) wide and 3.50 miles (5.63 km) long, and is 3,350 acres (1,356 ha) in area, with 500 acres (200 ha) planted on 20 vineyards.[16] It is estimated that between 1,000 acres (405 ha) and 1,400 acres (567 ha) in the region is suitable for planting.[17][18]

Tualatin Hills AVA
Main article: Tualatin Hills AVA

The Tualatin Hills AVA was established in May 2020 and is located in the upland hills of the Tualatin River watershed and encompasses elevations between 200 and 1,000 feet (61 and 305 m). To the south and southeast are the Chehalem Mountains, which includes elevations of over 1,000 feet (305 m), are considered to be a separate, distinct landform from the Tualatin Hills. The AVA is approximately 144,000 acres (225 sq mi) with 33 commercially-producing vineyards covering approximately 860.5 acres (348 ha) and 21 wineries. The distinguishing features of Tualatin Hills are its soils, elevation and climate.[13]

Van Duzer Corridor AVA
Main article: Van Duzer Corridor AVA

The Van Duzer Corridor AVA is located just west of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA covering approximately 59,871 acres (94 sq mi). The Van Duzer wind AVA is known low elevations and gently rolling hills, cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean, and soils which are primarily uplifted marine sedimentary loams and silts with alluvial overlay. The AVA was established in 2019.[19]

Yamhill-Carlton District AVA
Main article: Yamhill-Carlton District AVA

The Yamhill-Carlton District AVA is located in the area surrounding the towns of Yamhill and Carlton. Only grapes grown in vineyards with elevations ranging from 200 feet (100 m) to 1,000 feet (300 m) may be used to produce wines that bear the appellation name on their labels. The AVA includes over 1,200 acres (486 ha) of vineyard, and the region is in the rain shadow of the 3,500 feet (1,100 m) Oregon Coast Range, a short distance to the west. The AVA was established in 2005.[16][20][21]

References
  1. "§ 9.90 Willamette Valley" (Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9— American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C— Approved American Viticultural Areas). Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR). Retrieved January 29, 2008.
  2. "Willamette Valley (AVA): Appellation Profile". Appellation America. 2007. Archived from the original on March 16, 2009. Retrieved January 29, 2008.
  3. "Expansion of the Willamette Valley Viticultural Area" (27 CFR 9 81 FR 11110). Federal Register. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. March 3, 2016. pp. 11110–11113.
  4. Alberty, Michael (December 18, 2021). "Lower Long Tom: Oregon's newest wine region wins the name game". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  5. "Salem, OR, USA". LatLong.net.
  6. "Oregon Climate Zone Summary: Zone 2 - The Willamette Valley". Oregon State University. Archived from the original on February 2, 2008.
  7. "Plant Hardiness Zone". United States Department of Agriculture.
  8. "North Willamette Valley Wineries Overview Map" (Oregon's Willamette Valley Wine Country). Wines Northwest.
  9. "Chehalem Mountains Becomes Oregon's Fifteenth American Viticultural Area". Wines Northwest. December 27, 2006. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008.
  10. "Proposed Dundee Hills Viticultural Area (2002R-218P)". Federal Register. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, United States Department of the Treasury. August 15, 2003.
  11. "Dundee Hills Winegrowers Association Press Kit". Archived from the original on April 12, 2009.
  12. Purdue, Andy (June 15, 2006). "Introducing the Eola-Amity Hills". Wine Press Northwest. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved January 29, 2009.
  13. "Establishment of the Tualatin Hills and Laurelwood District Viticultural Areas" (85 FR 34095 27 CFR 9 Doc#: 2020-10919). Federal Register. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. June 3, 2020. pp. 34095–34100.
  14. Archer, LM (December 12, 2021). "Southern Willamette Valley Earns its First AVA". Wine Business. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  15. "Establishment of the McMinnville Viticultural Area (2002R-217P)". Federal Register. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury. January 18, 2005.
  16. "Willamette Valley AVAs". Willamette Valley Wineries. Archived from the original on August 15, 2006.
  17. "Ribbon Ridge AVA". Ribbon Ridge Vineyard. Archived from the original on January 5, 2006.
  18. "Establishment of the Ribbon Ridge Viticultural Area (2002R-215P)". Federal Register. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury. June 1, 2005.
  19. "Establishment of the Van Duzer Corridor Viticultural Area and Clarification of the Eola-Amity Hills Viticultural Area Boundary Description". Federal Register. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury. December 14, 2018.
  20. "Establishment of the Yamhill-Carlton District Viticultural Area (2002R-216P)". Federal Register. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury. October 7, 2003.
  21. "Yamhill Carlton District (AVA): Appellation Profile". Appellation America. Archived from the original on September 8, 2013.

45°21′N 123°4′W

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