Grapes were first planted in the Oregon Territory in 1847, with the first recorded winery being established in 1850 in Jacksonville. Throughout the 19th century, there was experimentation with various varietals by immigrants to the state, and in 1904, an Oregon winemaker won a prize at the St. Louis World's Fair. Wine production would cease in the United States during Prohibition, and the Oregon wine industry lay dormant for thirty years after Prohibition was repealed.
The Oregon wine industry started to rebuild in the 1960s, when California winemakers opened several vineyards in the state. This included the planting of Pinot Noir grapes in the Willamette Valley, a region long thought too cold to be suitable for viticulture. In the 1970s, more out-of-state winemakers migrated to the state and started to organize as an industry.
Willamette Valley AVA
The Willamette Valley AVA is the wine growing region which encompasses the Willamette Valley. It stretches from the Columbia River in the north to just south of Eugene in the south, where the Willamette Valley ends; and from the Coast Range in the West to the Cascade Mountains in the East. At 5,200 square miles, it is the largest AVA in the state, and contains most of the state's wineries; approximately 200 as of 2006.
The region is divided into four subordinate AVAs; Dundee Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge, and the Yamhill-Carlton District.
This region is most famous for its Pinot Noir, and also produces large amounts of Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Chardonnay. The region also produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, Müller-Thurgau, Sémillon, and Zinfandel grapes, but in far smaller quantities.
Southern Oregon AVA
The Southern Oregon AVA is an AVA which was formed as the union of two existing AVAs--the Rogue Valley AVA and the Umpqua Valley AVA.This AVA was established in 2004, to allow the two principal regions in Southern Oregon to jointly market themselves. As the Rogue Valley and Umpqua Valley regions produce different grapes (and different varietals), they are examined separately.
Umpqua Valley
The Umpqua Valley AVA contains the drainage basin of the Umpqua River, excluding mountainous regions. It is a warmer climate than the Willamette Valley, but cooler than the Rogue Valley to the south. Grapes grown here include Pinot Noir, with smaller amounts of Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Riesling, as well as several French-American hybrids. The region includes one sub-AVA, the Red Hill Douglas County AVA.
Rogue Valley AVA
The Rogue River AVA includes the drainage basin of the Rogue River and several tributaries, including the Illinois River, the Applegate River (Oregon), and Bear Creek. Most wineries in the region are found along one of these three tributaries, rather than along the Rogue River itself. The region has one sub-AVA, the Applegate Valley AVA.
Columbia Gorge
The Columbia Gorge AVA is found in the Columbia Gorge. This region straddles the Columbia River, and thus lies in both Oregon and Washington; it is made up of Hood River and Wasco counties in Oregon, and Skamania and Klickitat counties in Washington. The region has nearly 40 vineyards, growing a wide variety of grapes, including Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Zinfandel, Cabernet, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Sangiovese.
Walla Walla Valley
This appellation, which is part of the Columbia Valley AVA, lies primarily within Washington state. This region has nearly 100 wineries and 1,200 acres planted. Wines grown in the valley include Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Sangiovese and a few exotic varietals including Counoise, Carmenère, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Franc, Nebbiolo and Barbera.