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The Willamette Valley is Oregon’s leading wine region extending north to Portland and flowing south to Eugene. Some 819 wineries and 1,016 vineyards reside within this region, making it the largest American Viticultural Area (AVA) as described in the 2022 Oregon Vineyard and Winery Report. There are 11 sub-AVAs planted inside the Willamette Valley AVA, each with unique features that enhance the grapes grown and imbue the wine with notes of the region (Oregon AVAs, Oregon Wine Board 2023). The Willamette Valley AVA is in the northern area of Oregon and includes the Chehalem Mountains AVA, Laurelwood District, Tualatin Hills AVA, Ribbon Ridge AVA, Yamhill-Carlton AVA, Dundee Hills AVA, McMinnville AVA, Eola-Amity Hills AVA and Van Duzer Corridor AVA.
Above map courtesy of the Oregon Wine Board, https://www.oregonwine.org/regions/willamette-valley.
The Chehalem Mountains AVA, established in 2006, spans the top of the Willamette Valley region. Enclosed within its boundaries are 53 wineries, 179 vineyards and 2,660 planted acres. The Chehalem Mountains AVA is made special by the outstanding soil composition, consisting of ocean sedimentary, loess and basaltic soil (Willamette Wines 2023). Each of the three primary soils impart their own unique attributes to the grapes grown.
The ocean sedimentary soil contains traces of salt as it was part of the Pacific Ocean floor and coastline during a point in global history. The grapes grown in ocean sedimentary soil express characteristics of black fruit and aromatics like blackberry, huckleberry and currant. The wines made from these grapes will have a relatively longer cellar-life when compared with the wine produced from other regions (Chehalem Winery).
Loess soil, for example Laurelwood, is geologically recent in nature and chiefly deposited by wind blown from glacial origin. Marine and volcanic components can be found inside the soil. From this richness in iron and sodium chloride, the flavors and aromatics suggest earthy and savory attributes with notes of black plum or blueberry that come forth (Chehalem Winery).
The basaltic soil derives from ancient volcanic activity in the region. Basaltic soil has excellent draining properties and a higher iron and magnesium content. The mineral components provide the flavor and aromas of red fruit into the grapes grown (Chehalem Winery).
Soil composition is only one of the elements to the terroir of the Chehalem Mountains AVA. The other contributing factors include climate and elevation. Many hilltops and ridges run through the area, with the highest elevation reaching 1,633 ft (498 m) above sea level. The mountains encompass the vineyards to shelter them from harsh winds blowing down from the Columbia River Gorge (Chehalem Mountains, Oregon Wine Board). Climate in this region remains relatively mild. Winters can expect rain with cooler temperatures, while summers show dry spells. As North America’s coolest wine growing zone, it boasts a longer growing season. During which temperatures of warmer days and cooler nights develop deep flavors in the grapes but maintain the natural acidity (Willamette Valley, Oregon Wine Board).
West of the Chehalem Mountains lie one of the newest AVAs, Laurelwood District. Established in 2020 and already consisting of 25 wineries, 70 vineyards and a total of 975 planted acres, this region was named for the component that makes up a majority of the soil composition, Loess. (Laurelwood District, Willamette Valley Wine). This region is nestled in the hills of the Chehalem Mountains and thus encompasses some of the highest planted grapes in the entire Willamette Valley at a range of 200 to 1,500 ft (61 to 457 m). This area also receives the highest amount of rainfall for this region (Wine Rabble). The 5-million-year-old basalt base top layer is rich in iron (About the Laurelwood District AVA, Oregon Wine). The minerality can contribute notes of earth and acidity in Pinot Noir grown in this region (Wine Rabble).
Next up, the Tualatin Hills AVA. This area sits in the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley AVA and is named due to the proximity of the Tualatin watershed. The Tualatin Hills AVA consists of 10 wineries and 41 vineyards and is currently planted to 1,009 acres. It is primarily recognized for the rich, volcanic Loess soils. This region has the highest concentrations of Loess soil out of all the AVAs. The elevation range of this region spans from 200 to 1,000 ft and provides a rain shadow from the coast. This causes a slightly lower rainfall amount that cultivates cooler temperatures in the spring and a dryer environment for the fall harvest (Tualatin Hills, Willamette Valley Wine).
Just south of Tualatin Hills is the Ribbon Ridge AVA. This region is the smallest AVA in the Willamette Valley with only 650 planted acres comprising 20 vineyards total (Ribbon Ridge AVA, Willamette Valley Wine). The primary soil composition is that of Willakenzie sedimentary soil. Willakenzie soil is finer and younger than the sedimentary and volcanic soils found in the nearby regions. This marine sedimentary soil is well draining and the mineral components imbue the grapes with earth, spice and notes of dark cherry or rose petal (About the Ribbon Ridge AVA, Oregon Wine Board).
East of Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill-Carlton AVA almost engulfs the smaller region. This horseshoe shaped district contains 52 wineries, 110 vineyards and a total of 2,600 planted acres. The North Yamhill River weaves its way through some of the oldest soil in the Willamette Valley (Yamhill-Carlton AVA, Willamette Valley Wine). The marine sediment soil has coarse-grain which makes it quick draining. This allows for the vines planted here to grow their shoots and leaves earlier than the other areas. Naturally this causes a more complete ripening of the grapes. The soil minerality contributes hints of pipe tobacco, espresso, clove, dark chocolate and aromatic profile of raspberry, blackberry and black cherries. The coastal range to the west reaches a peak of 3,500 ft (1,200 m), while to the north a shelter of the Chehalem Mountains and Dundee Hills to the east make a complete rain shadow for the region. This protective cover is shelter from more extreme weather, leaving the climate with warmer temperatures and an earlier harvest time-frame (Yamhill-Carlton).
The Dundee Hills is home to some of the first grapes planted in the Willamette Valley. This notoriety has brought many to the region and, though smaller than its neighbors, this AVA houses 32 wineries, 98 vineyards and 2,225 planted acres (Dundee Hills AVA, Willamette Valley Wine). A red volcanic Jory soil was formed by the Columbia River basalts and provides superior drainage for the vineyards planted here. The climate is slightly warmer for growing grapes since the hills create a protective ring from the cooling winds of the Pacific Coast and Columbia Gorge. Wine made with grapes from the Dundee Hills AVA will be bright and enriched with red fruit, earthy or truffle-like notes on the palate (Dundee Hills AVA, Oregon Wine).
The McMinnville AVA is located to the south-west of the Dundee Hills, settled in the foothills of the Coast Range. The vineyards located here are frost-resistant due to the relatively higher elevation of up to 1,000 ft (305 m). The layers of soil are sedimentary and volcanic laying atop marine bedrock. When looking at the soil it is worth noting there is a thick bedrock formation extending west from McMinnville that affects the groundwater for the region. This causes some struggle for the growing vines and influences the fruit. Additionally, the climate is cooler and drier which helps the grapes retain their acidity (About the McMinnville AVA, Oregon Wine). The McMinnville AVA is larger in size when compared to some of the other northern regions, and is home to 9 wineries, 16 vineyards and 750 planted acres (McMinnville AVA, Willamette Valley Wine).
Just south of the McMinnville AVA and sitting adjacent to the Willamette River is the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. The Eola-Amity Hills AVA boasts 33 wineries, 125 vineyards and 3,059 planted acres. A primary characteristic of this area is the shallow soil consisting mainly of volcanic basalt from ancient lava flows infused with marine sedimentary rocks for a well-draining composition. Additionally, the influence of the Van Duzer Corridor offers cool ocean winds to drop the temperatures of the area, particularly through the summer months. Both the aforementioned attributes help produce small grapes with a high concentration of flavor (Eola-Amity Hills AVA, Willamette Valley Wine).
Neighboring the Eola-Amity Hills AVA to the east is the Van Duzer Corridor AVA which currently has 6 wineries, 18 vineyards and 1,000 planted acres. This location is most noted for its high winds which pick up in the afternoon throughout the growing season. These winds help to dry off the canopy after any rainfall and reduce mildew pressures. The winds also stress the grapes just enough to create a thickening of the skin and increase the anthocyanins (color) and tannins in the final product (Van Duzer Corridor AVA, Willamette Valley Wine). The soil of the region is primarily marine sedimentary. The climate and soil combination bring out notes of dark fruit, tea leaf and earth (About the Van Duzer Corridor AVA, Oregon Wine).
Each of these prominent AVAs within the northern region of the Willamette Valley offer distinct growing conditions and soil compositions. The Willamette Valley has continued to attract international interest from Europe and beyond. Experts indicate that the Willamette Valley offers continued potential for expansion as the demand and notoriety of Oregon produced wines grow.
Estate Properties Vineyard & Country Living Northwest Real Estate brokers specialize in the purchase and sale of vineyards, wineries and small acreage real estate sales in the Willamette Valley grape growing region. We have several properties on the market that include vineyards, farms and small acreage properties that are available for sale. For additional information, please contact our team of real estate professionals. We can assist you with purchasing land in the Willamette Valley and throughout the Northwest. If you are considering the sale of your farm, ranch, vineyard, winery or small acreage property, call our knowledgeable team for a confidential consultation and complimentary real estate broker’s price opinion. Estate Properties Vineyard & Country Living Northwest Real Estate is here for you. Call 503-212-2718 or email us at vineyardandcountry@bhhsnw.com.
Click to View References
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