The buzz surrounding Oregon wines continues to build, as today’s wines astonish on their own merits, consistently rating highly among wine experts.  Over fifty years ago, the pioneers of Oregon winemaking planted vines and produced a Pinot Noir that passed as a doppelganger for its Burgundian relative, amazing the wine world with a 10th place in the 1979 Wine Olympics held in Paris.  That wine, David Lett’s Eyrie Vineyards 1975 South Block Reserve Pinot Noir, opened the door to a parallel existence with Burgundian winemaking for years, but now Oregon winemakers are charting their own course, defining their terroir, planting the best clones, and discovering the best vineyard and winemaking practices that stamps their wines as unique.

The Willamette Valley is the largest and best-known of the 18 AVAs throughout the state, with over half of all wine made from estate-grown fruit.  Pinot Noir is the darling here, making up 64% of the varietals grown, followed by Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and a host of others.  Fiercely committed to preserving the environment, almost half of Oregon’s vineyards are certified sustainable.  Value for quality, the wines embody all that makes up site expression, meaning that an Oregon Pinot Noir is not easily classified, as each vineyard and winemaker reflects its diverse origins, different in clones, soils, micro-climates and all the minutae that goes into making them so individual.  If there is a style that is common, one might say that Oregon Pinot Noir is fruit forward, with a supple texture, crisp acidity and ripe tannins, well balanced in its elegant complexity.  After that, each is distinct and different.

Alain Plamondon of Domaine Roy et Fils

Flaunting their charms, Oregon wine producers came to Los Angeles last year, and poured their wines at the “Oregon Wine Trail” wine event, sponsored by the Oregon Wine Board.  Classified under six different categories, from Classic Pinots to Unexpected Oregon, fifty wineries strutted their stuff.  I wasn’t even able to taste a fraction of the wines, but of the ones I sampled, these were my favorites.

Alexana Winery - “Diverse Soils, Complex Wines” is their motto, their 80 acres include 18 soil types over rugged and rolling hills, Diverse Whites include the 2016 Riesling, 2015 Terroir Series Chardonnay, and 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris, very nice, textured wines.

Tyson Crowley of Crowley Wines

Crowley Wines - A pioneer in Classic Pinots, perfection in the vineyard yields some amazing wines, as evidenced by their 2017 Rosé, 2016 Willamette Valley Chardonnay, and 2015 La Colina Vineyard Pinot Noir Dundee Hills.

Stephen Reustle of Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards

Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards - Stephen and Gloria Reustle are pioneers in Southern Oregon's Umpqua Valley, producing the first Grüner Veltliner in the US.  All estate-grown, these wines delighted with their Unexpected Oregon varietals, the 2015 Grüner Veltliner, 2016 Riesling and 2014 Syrah from Umpqua Valley were rich and ripe, aromatic and delicious!  

Alison Sokol Blosser of Sokol Blosser Winery

Sokol Blosser Winery - Pioneers in Classic Pinots from the Willamette Valley, this family winery pursues quality in a very hands-on style.  All four of the wines poured were special, their flagship 2015 Dundee Hills Estate Pinot Noir, the 2014 Orchard Block Pinot Noir, 2017 Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir, and 2014 Big Tree Block Pinot Noir.

Stoller Family Estate - Another pioneer of Classic Pinots, Bill Stoller transformed a family turkey farm into an award-winning vineyard.  The 2016 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, 2015 Reserve Pinot noir, and 2017 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Rosé shone brightly.

Michael Caputo of Willakenzie Estate

Willakenzie Estate - “Place Matters” is the motto of this producer of Classic Pinots and Unexpected Oregon wines.  All four poured, under screw caps, were delightful.  Seek out the 2017 Willamette Valley Rosé, 2015 Gisèle Pinot Noir, 2013 Pierre Leon Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton, and 2017 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris.

Bill Sweat and Donna Morris of Winderlea Vineyard & Winery

Winderlea Vineyard & Winery - A boutique winery that produces Classic Pinots and Diverse Whites, the 2014 Dundee Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2015 Winderlea Imprint Pinot Noir, 2015 Chardonnay, and 2015 Winderlea Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir are their crown jewels.

World-class Pinot Noir dominates the winescape, and the mosaic of styles is immense, from elegant red or black fruited beauties with silky tannins to more rustic, spicy wines, with bigger tannins and body.  The world of Oregon wines is vast, with other varietal wines coming on strong, especially Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Syrah.  These wines have captured the wine-drinking world's palate, with their reputation and quality growing by leaps and bounds.  There's a lot to discover and enjoy here, seek out these and so many more for your wine drinking pleasure.