Get to Know Oregon Pinot Noir

Oregon Pinot Noir is the party everyone wants to attend. After all, who doesn’t want to dance with cool climate gems known for striking a balance between beautifully ripened fruit with natural acidity. And like any great party, a lot of hard work was involved.

In 1961, winemaker Richard Sommer got the party rolling by founding HillCrest Vineyard, in the Umpqua Valley, and making the state’s first confirmed Pinot Noir six years later. While the rest of the world was thinking about Pinot Noir from Burgundy, Sommer was beginning to earn the title of “father of the Oregon wine industry.” 

Soon after, families with surnames such as Lett, Coury, Erath, Knudsen, Ponzi, Adelsheim and Sokol-Blosser began making Pinot Noir further north in the Willamette Valley. 

The moment that put Oregon on the global wine map came in 1979 when the 1975 South Block Pinot Noir made by The Eyrie Vineyards went toe-to-toe with wines from Burgundy and other top regions at an international competition sponsored by Gault Millau in Paris. The South Block’s top-10 finish stunned the wine world and led Robert Drouhin of Maison Joseph Drouhin to stage another tasting showdown in 1980.  

The South Block finished second in the rematch by an eyelash to Drouhin’s 1959 Chambolle Musigny. Deciding that if you can barely beat them, you should join them, Robert Drouhin founded Domaine Drouhin, Oregon, in 1987, near The Eyrie Vineyards in the Dundee Hills.

Thanks to the efforts of these families and many more, consumers understand that Oregon is the place to be for Pinot Noir. 

The Rise of Oregon Pinot Noir

While Oregon grows many varietals—including Chardonnay, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon—Pinot Noir is king. It accounts for 60% of the state’s planted acreage and 57% of its wine-grape production.

Pinot Noir made in Oregon is popular for several reasons. 

First, you can find bottles at a wide range of price points that share one characteristic: consistency. 

Michael Fay is the vice president of winemaking and viticulture at Domaine Serene, known globally for the award-winning wines it produces in the Dundee Hills and Burgundy. For Fay, “The level of quality here is so consistently good that consumers can reach for whatever they want on the shelves and find something pretty amazing.”  

Second, there’s an Oregon Pinot for everyone. 

“Fans of Old World Pinot Noir fall in love with the restraint, texture and complexity of our wines,” Fay says. “Others are drawn to our fruit-forward wines. What brought me here from California is Oregon’s great balance of fruit and savory, along with all the other things you ask from Pinot Noir.”

Third, winemakers are highly attuned to their craft and are open to exploration.

François Millet, the former chief winemaker at Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, a premiere Pinot Noir producer in Burgundy’s Chambolle-Musigny region, now consults for La Biblioteca, a Dundee winery known for elegant Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. He was also drawn to Oregon’s diverse stylistic palette. 

“Oregon is a place where people strive to learn the terroir and put it out front when making wine,” Millet says. “With all the Willamette Valley’s sub-AVAs, many interpretations of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are possible.”

Additionally, while reds might initially come to mind with this varietal, producers are making interesting rosé Pinot Noirs.

The Willamette Valley and Its AVAs

When people say “Oregon Pinot,” they’re likely talking about wines from the 40-year-old Willamette Valley AVA. The region stretches from Portland to Eugene and is home to two-thirds of the state’s wineries. 

The Willamette Valley is divided into 11 AVAs, with the older, more established AVAs tending to command higher prices for their Pinot Noir. There’s been a recent push to establish more AVAs as the producers in different parts of the Willamette Valley look to translate their knowledge of their terroir’s unique characteristics to consumers.

Dundee Hills AVA  

2,225 planted acres

Established in 2004 

Notable producers: The Eyrie Vineyards, Domaine Drouhin Oregon, White Walnut Estate

The red Jory soils in the Dundee Hills help create a Pinot Noir that ranges from bright red cherries, earthy mushrooms and perfumed floral notes in cooler vintages to dark raspberries, loamy soil and dark chocolate in warmer vintages.

Yamhill-Carlton AVA 

2,600 planted acres 

Established in 2004 

Notable producers: Belle Pente, Ken Wright Cellars, Soter Vineyards

This AVA is home to warmer growing season temperatures and fast-draining, coarse-grained ancient marine sedimentary soil. These factors result in fuller-bodied Pinot Noirs packed with aromas and flavors of blackberries and blueberries, violets, chocolate, baking spices and fresh-turned soil.    

McMinnville AVA 

750 planted acres 

Established in 2005

Notable producers: Brittan Vineyards, Hyland Estates, Maysara Winery 

Vines struggle here to dig down through marine sedimentary and volcanic soils stretched over marine bedrock. Cool maritime breezes, courtesy of the nearby Van Duzer Corridor, result in dramatic late-afternoon temperature swings. The resulting thicker-skinned grapes produce Pinot Noirs with brawny tannins and dark fruit, saline and baking spice flavors.

Ribbon Ridge AVA 

650 planted acres 

Established in 2005 

Notable producers: Brick House Wine Co., Ridgecrest Wines, Trisaetum Winery

Ribbon Ridge is a drier, lower-elevation AVA nestled within the Chehalem Mountains AVA, where it’s shielded from winds. Quick-draining Willakenzie soils low on nutrients combine with a warmer climate to produce Pinot Noirs with aromas and flavors of dried rose petals, hibiscus flowers, dark fruit and citrus.

Chehalem Mountains AVA 

2,660 planted acres 

Established in 2006 

Notable producers: Adelsheim Vineyard, Beckham Estate, J.K. Carriere Wines 

With an elevation ranging from 200 to 1,000 feet and a diversity of marine sedimentary, volcanic and Laurelwood soils, this AVA produces many styles of Pinot Noir. Overall, look for a combination of sturdy tannins and bright acidity. In cooler vintages, raspberry and cherry flavors dominate. Warmer vintages tend to produce spicy Pinot Noirs with fleshier texture and black fruit flavors. 

Eola-Amity Hills AVA  

3,059 planted acres 

Established in 2006 

Notable producers: Bethel Heights, Evesham Woods, Cristom

Vines growing in this AVA’s combination of marine sedimentary, volcanic and Laurelwood soils are buffeted by the Van Duzer Corridor’s cooling winds. The resulting smaller berries with thick skins lead to Pinot Noirs with crisp acidity and ample tannic structure. In cooler vintages, the flavors can include raspberries and strawberries. Warmer vintages can lead to spicier wines with thicker textures and black fruit flavors. 

Van Duzer Corridor AVA 

1,000 planted acres 

Established in 2019 

Notable producers: Johan Vineyards, Andante Vineyard, Left Coast Estate

Cooling breezes from the Pacific Ocean help to create higher grape skin-to-pulp ratios and Pinot Noirs with muscular tannins and brisk acidity. Pinot Noirs from AVA are fuller, with dark fruit, loamy soil and black-tea flavors.

Laurelwood District AVA  

975 planted acres  

Established in 2020 

Notable producers: Ponzi Vineyards, Dion Vineyards, Alloro Vineyard

The AVA is known for its Laurelwood soil composed of an ancient basalt base covered in windblown loess. Depending on elevations and the age of the vineyard, Pinot Noir flavors here can range from raspberries and rose petals to blueberries, often supported by chalky tannins. 

Tualatin Hills AVA 

1,009 planted acres 

Established in 2020 

Notable producers: Apolloni, David Hill, Willamette Valley Vineyards at Tualatin Estate

With elevations ranging from 200 to 1,000 feet, the AVA is in the Coast Range rainshadow, with slightly lower rainfall, cooler spring and warmer falls. The Tualatin River watershed and Oregon’s largest concentration of Laurelwood soils define the region. The resulting Pinot Noir fruit is known for its thick skins and the head combination of high phenolic extract and elevated acidity.

Lower Long Tom AVA 

575 planted acres 

Established in 2021 

Notable producers: Brigadoon Wine Co., Antiquum Farm, High Pass Winery

Prairie Mountain’s 3,000 feet divert maritime winds to the north and south of the Lower Long Tom AVA, creating nighttime temperatures significantly warmer than surrounding areas. Higher temperatures mean earlier harvests and Pinot Noir with deep color and earthy, concentrated dark berry flavors. 

Vines in this AVA can also find themselves having to plunge their roots through shallow Bellpine and Bellpine-Jory and the sandstone below to find water and nutrients. These extensive root structures are often credited with creating complex wines with muscular tannins.

Mount Pisgah–Polk County AVA 

584 planted acres 

Established in 2022 

Notable producers: Illahe Vineyards, Open Claim Vineyards, Amalie Robert Estate

The Willamette Valley’s newest AVA features a shallow layer of marine sedimentary soils over Siletz River volcanics. This unique soil combination contributes to a distinct mineral note in the area’s red wines, known for their intense flavors and smooth texture.

The colder temperatures at Mt. Pisgah’s higher elevations, which can be significantly lower than the central and northern Willamette Valley, help create wines with a lighter touch and elevated acidity.

Southern Oregon Pinot Noirs

While the Willamette Valley receives the most attention, there are more wine-growing regions in the state. Southern Oregon producers in the Umpqua Valley, Rogue Valley and Applegate Valley and in the Columbia Gorge AVAs also make excellent Pinot Noir. Look out for bottles from HillCrest, Irvine & Roberts, Valley View, Analemma, Phelps Creek and Hiyu Wine Farm.

The Making of Oregon’s Most-Expensive Bottles of Pinot

A great bottle of Pinot doesn’t have to break the bank. There are plenty of options in the $30 range. As a rule of thumb, Pinot Noir made in the Willamette Valley’s more established AVAs can command higher prices than Pinot Noir made in newer ones. To wit: Bottles of the Dundee Hills–based Domaine Serene’s Pinot Noirs can exceed $400.

But why is Domaine Serene’s Monogram, at $405, priced nearly six times more than a $75 Pinot Noir that the producer sells? Both balance power and structure with finesse, each delivering dark fruit and spices. We asked winemaker Michael Fay to break it down.

The pricing for a wine like the Monogram comes down to accessibility and the resources Fay invests in producing the grapes. “It’s like Burgundy in that our most expensive wines are made with grapes from tiny parcels within our best vineyards,” he says. 

The key, according to Fay, “is doing everything possible to maximize a site’s potential.” 

Fay farms the grapes differently to coax the most out of them, even if it means lower yields. It also means investing more time and money into their production. The finished product, which is usually around 100 cases, also receives greater attention to detail, with more expensive tight-grain barrels done in a super-light toast. 

Fay summarizes any Oregon pricing discussion by claiming that “people have to taste and recognize the leap in quality and then want to buy it.”

---

The Best Oregon Pinot Noirs to Drink Right Now

More and more people are recognizing Oregon’s quality every day and sales of Pinot Noir from the state are growing at three times the rate of Pinot Noirs from elsewhere in the United States. 

A few of our favorite bottles to drink right now are listed below.

---

More Oregon Pinot Noir Coverage

Published: August 8, 2024