Between them, Oregon and Washington wine regions currently have a total of 11 federally certified grape growing appellations designated on labels, six in Oregon five in Washington.  Label appellations are granted by U.S. Treasury Department Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, which defines each as having unique characteristics that include climate, soil and physical features.  The Northwest wine industry has applied to the BATF for two new appellations...McMinnville within the Willamette Valley and Columbia Gorge within the Columbia Valley (including winery sites in both Oregon and Washington).  An appellation is known as an American Viticulturl Area (AVA).  The AVA designation certifies that 100% of the grapes in the bottle are from the appellation.

This appellation business is a European tradition very strictly followed for 
centuries in France and Germany, where microclimates produce distinctive taste characteristics within any grape varietal.  The American wine industry began with such label abominations as "Burgundy" and "Rhine Wine" before we got serious about extracting the potential of premium grape varietals and the taste distinctions arising from where they are grown.

Oregon's modern wine industry has earned its plaudits from the Willamette Valley region's success in producing world-class Pinot Noir, once only a French claim to vinous fame.  Pinot Noir's familial white cousin, Pinot Gris, has also found a welcoming home  in Oregon...to the extent that it has just overtaken our Chardonnay acreage and now leads in white wine production here.  Oregon's Umpqua, Rogue and Applegate appellations are producing red varietals apart from Pinot Noir, such as Tempranillo, Merlot and Syrah, which all prefer a warmer ripening period.

Washington champions Syrah

Syrah, known as Shiraz in Australia and Wouth Africa, is becoming the trendy grape on the American retail market and the state of Washington's winemakers are quickly reacting to sales facts.  There are now 2,200 acres planted in Syrah in the Columbia Valley, Yakima, Walla Walla and Red Mountain appellations, with 1,940 now bearing harvestable fruit.  In the last two years, the number of Washington winery Syrah labels entered in U.S. wine tasting competitions has sprung from 17 to 103.

Winemakers to our north are also producing an increasing volume of Cabernet Franc.  This red varietal is a staple in Bordeaux, where it is commonly blended with Merlot.  Winters in eastern Washington's wine regions can be severe and sometimes inhibit production from Syrah, Merlot and Chardonnay varietals, while Cabernet Franc and Riesling suffer no indignities from the cold.

Oregon Award Winners

Results are in from recent major tasting awards competitions across these United States.  Oregon gold medal earners:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY FAIR--Duck Pond sparkling and a Syrah from Washington grapes.
WEST COAST (S.F.)--King Estate Pinot Gris.
NORTHWEST WINE SUMMIT--best of show earned jointdly by Chateau Bianca's Pinot Gris and Domaine Meritwether's sparkling.  Golds went to Amity reserve Pinot Noir, Chehalem Pinot Gris, Cooper Mountain Pinot Noir, Hauer of the Dauen late harvest Riesling, J. Albin Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, Stag Hollow Pinot Noir and Yamhill Valley Pinot Noir.
DALLAS MORNING NEWS--Abacela Tempranillo, Eola Hills Chardonnay, Valley View Meritage (Bordeaux style red blend).
FLORIDA STATE FAIR--Eola Hills Chardonnay, King Estate Chardonnay.

© 2003 Oregon Magazine