The Willamette Valley has a gentler, more moderate climate than the Rogue Valley. Most vineyards are planted on flat land or gentle slopes, slightly above sea level.īudbreak happens a little later in spring, summers are cooler, and there is substantially more rainfall. As a result, many vineyards require no irrigation at all. The soils are relatively fertile and deep, and the valley supports other crops besides winegrapes: berries, orchard fruit, Christmas trees, and turf grass, to name a few. The Willamette Valley occupies the interior northwest corridor of Oregon along the Willamette River, about a three hour drive from Resistance Wine Co’s home base in Ashland. What Else is Here: End of the Oregon Trail, Salem, Portland, marionberries & microbreweries, waterfall hikes. What You Should Drink: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay, sparkling wines. Soils: deep volcanic soils with sedimentary overlay. The valley floor is hot during the day and cool at night producing some great Rogue Valley wine.īasically, we can find a site in the Rogue Valley to grow just about any grape variety. And because the Rogue Valley is a patchwork quilt of small, family-farmed vineyards sprinkled across the three valleys, it continues to be a great adventure finding vineyards that have successfully matched varieties to their sites and are producing stellar winegrapes. To date we have zeroed in on multiple sites for Syrah and Malbec for red wine, plus Merlot for rosé. Stay tuned for new additions coming in vintage 2021!įor our part, we have planted Syrah on our own southeast-facing slope in Ashland (Bear Creek Valley) at 2,000 feet. In a few years we’ll see how it turns out! Willamette Valley High elevation sites also generally benefit from large diurnal temperature swings (i.e., the difference in day-to-night temperatures), which contribute to slow sugar accumulation and allow the grapes more “hang time” to develop riper flavors prior to harvest.įlatter, lower-elevation sites are good for early-ripening varieties, thinner-skinned varieties, and rootstocks that thrive with higher soil moisture like Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Gris. Southern- and western-facing hillsides get more direct sunlight and do so earlier in the spring northern- and eastern-facing slopes have less direct exposure. Higher elevation vineyards receive more direct, concentrated sunlight, which translates into tougher skinned grapes with more tannin development – great for producing age-worthy red wines like Syrah, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec. Within each valley, elevation and aspect have a big impact on each vineyard’s microclimate. The Rogue River, Applegate River and Illinois River each impact temperatures and regional climates. The Illinois Valley is relatively cool and Bear Creek Valley bakes in the summer. All are dry- there is almost no measurable rainfall between June and September, and most years find us at varying levels of drought. It wouldn’t be a surprise if other subregions of the Rogue Valley were to petition for their own Southern Oregon AVAs in the future due to their distinctive features. The Applegate Valley is its own AVA (American Viticultural Area, which is a federal designation). The Rogue Valley (home to Resistance Wine Co) is actually three valleys: Bear Creek, Applegate, and Illinois. All three valleys are just north of the California border, inland from the Pacific Ocean and part of the Siskiyou mountains. What Else is Here: World’s best cheese 2019 (Rogue Creamery Blue), white water rafting, pears (Harry & David), mountain biking, Oregon Shakespeare Festival What You Should Drink: Tempranillo, Syrah, Viognier, Malbec. Old World Wine Region Twins: Rioja, Rhône Valley. Soils: Extremely varied, generally shallow and nutrient-poor. Winkler Index Zone: II in a cool year, IV in a hot year, and generally in between. Napa Valley may be the USA’s most famous wine region and the Willamette Valley is Oregon’s… so far. Oregon is so much more than just Pinot Noir. Read on to discover what you should drink from where. There’s nothing flat about West Coast wine. California and Oregon wine country is characterized by mountains and valleys that keep our microclimates interesting. The Valleys of Oregon Wine: Willamette, Rogue, and more
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