VQ Cheat Sheet - The Willamette Valley and Sub AVAs

Pinot Noir can be a finicky grape in the vineyard.  With thin skins and late ripening, it can be challenging to grow well.  Pinot, perhaps more than any other grape, is capable of producing a wine that really shows a sense of the place in which it was grown (‘terroir’).  Because of this, appellations that specialize in Pinot production are EXTRA concerned with the microclimates of each specific site.  Following the Burgundian model, Oregon Pinot growers have split their region into smaller “sub-AVAs”, each with it’s own character and personality. 

Willamette Quick Facts
Avg growing season temp  15.9*C              
Avg annual rainfall               1060mm (Toronto is about 800mm)
Winegrowing hazards           Fungal Rot & underripeness
Principle grapes                    Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay

Sub AVAs
Chehalem Mountains (est 2006) - Single uplifted land mass. Wide with lots of southern exposure, at the northern of the valley.
Dundee Hills (est 2005) - First grapes planted in Willamette were planted here. This is also the most densely planted sub-AVA
Eola Amity Hills (est 2006) - One of the southern-most sub-AVAs. Shallow topsoil with good drainage. Grapes here grow smaller, so wines will have more concentration.
Laurelwood District (est 2020) - Brand-spankin’ new sub-AVA (not on the map - sorry!). It’s almost entirely within the north end of Chehalem Mountain. So elevation AND cool temperatures.
McMinnville (est 2005) - Typical burgundian style south-east exposure. In the low foothills of the Coastal Range Mountains. A little drier than the valley floor.
Ribbon Ridge (est 2005) - Sedimentary ocean soils (unique in the region). Very little spring water here, so most of the vines are dry-farmed. Mineraltiy +++ and good structure.
Tualatin Hills (est 2020) - Also new, also not on the map. Northernmost Sub AVA .
Van Duzer Corridor (est 2019) - A geological anomaly where cool ocean winds can funnel through the coastal range. Super windy, super cool, and very little fungal rot and mildew.
Yamhil Carlton (2005) - In the foothills of the Coastal Range, ‘medium elevation’ for the area.