Oregon wineries are generally small and decentralized
within each official wine region of the state. They are often winemaker-
or family-owned. Most Oregon wine regions lie in valleys between the
southern Cascade Mountains that run through the state and its Coastal
Range to the west. The northwest portion of Oregon is celebrated for its
cool-climate grape varieties, including Pinot Gris, Riesling,
Chardonnay, and especially Pinot noir. The Southern Oregon appellation (AVA),
starting south of Eugene, includes the Umpqua Valley AVA, the Applegate
Valley AVA and the Rogue Valley AVA, all located in the southwestern
portion of the state. These regions, along the vineyards of the Columbia
Gorge AVA, are generally higher, much warmer and significantly drier
than those appellations in the northwestern quadrant of Oregon State
including the Willamette Valley AVA. |
