Oregon

Oregon's modern wine era began in the Umpqua Valley, where Richard Sommer made the HillCrest plantings of 1961. David Lett planted the first Willamette Valley Pinot noir cuttings in February 1965. Eyrie's 1975 South Block Reserve Pinot Noir later placed in the top ten at the 1979 Gault-Millau Wine Olympiad in Paris.

Pinot noir is central to Oregon, though growers work with more than 100 grape varieties. The Willamette Valley has a cool, dry, sunny growing season and is known for Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Chardonnay and Riesling. In Southern Oregon, cooler areas favor Pinot noir and Sauvignon blanc, while warmer, arid areas ripen Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Syrah.

The Columbia Gorge crosses into Washington and moves from a wet west to high desert in the east. Columbia Valley also crosses the state line and is much larger than its Oregon portion. Its broad label can cover very different wines, so the producer offers the clearest guide to what is in the bottle.

Producer profiles

Begin with this selection, or open the full directory when you want every producer currently placed in Oregon.

• Adelsheim VineyardThe first winery in Oregon's Chehalem Mountains, farming Pinot Noir and aromatic whites across more than 200 acres on one volcanic and sedimentary ridge since 1978.
• Columbia Crest WineryPaterson winery beside the Columbia River, with Horse Heaven Hills roots and Grand Estates Merlot.
• Cristom VineyardsEola-Amity Hills estate producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Oregon's Willamette Valley, with a range built on native yeast fermentation, whole-cluster technique, and multi-clone Chardonnay blending.
• Domaine Drouhin OregonOregon estate of Burgundy's Drouhin family, making Pinot Noir from Dundee Hills and Eola-Amity Hills, plus Chardonnay.
• Elk Cove VineyardsFamily owned near Gaston, with estate grown vineyards across northern Willamette Valley and a dry Estate Riesling from three sites.
• Erath VineyardsWillamette Valley producer tied to Dick Erath's pioneering planting and a 2023 Oregon Pinot Noir with black cherry, lively acidity and a soft finish.
• Evening Land VineyardsOregon producer working from one vineyard, Seven Springs Estate, with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay.
• Eyrie VineyardsOregon estate Pinot noir from the Dundee Hills, with organic vineyards and slow cellar work.
• Fullerton WinesAn Oregon Willamette Valley producer making Pinot Noir from individual vineyards alongside Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.
• House of SmithHouse of Smith is the largest winemaker-owned winery in Washington State, built from 330 cases of Syrah in 1999 and now distributing to 71 countries. Charles Smith farms more than 600 acres without pesticides, herbicides, or winemaking adjuncts, fermenting all wines on native yeasts.
• K VintnersCharles Smith founded K Vintners in Walla Walla in 2001 with 330 cases of Syrah sold from a van. The winery makes small-lot, single-vineyard Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and Sangiovese from hand-picked, naturally fermented, basket-pressed fruit across the Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley.
• Ponzi VineyardsWillamette Valley producer with Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and gravity flow winemaking.