Oregon Wine Historical Milestones

Oregon Pinot noir from HillCrest Vineyards, Umpqua Valley, became available in the Oregon market.

The first Southern Oregon grape varietal trial was planted, followed by three more in 1969.

Passage of Senate Bill 100 and its companion SB 101 established Oregon°s revolutionary comprehensive statewide land use planning goals and the great legacy of Gov. Tom McCall. These bills built upon SB 10 that first established land use planning in 1969, but without enforcement. SB 100 created the Land Conservation and Development Commission and accompanying state department; SB 101 strengthened Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) zones. Many people involved in the then-infant Oregon wine industry actively worked on the passage of this legislation and continue to support the intent of Senate Bill 100. Their work is credited with reducing residential encroachment on what was then believed to be ¿Marginalî hillside land unsuitable for profitable agriculture. The result of their efforts, even near urban centers, is acres of lush vineyards and orchards rather than ¿viewî developments.

The seven wineries in Oregon produced approximately 8,500 cases. There were 30 growers and 450 acres.

L°Omelette Restaurant, the trendy Portland spot in the °70s, introduced the first US wine list featuring an all-Oregon wine section.

Barney Watson was hired as Oregon State University (OSU) winemaker and researcher.

The Winemakers of the Pacific Northwest, by Elizabeth Purser, was the first regional ¿coffee tableî book published. The full-page color photographs and naÇve text are now considered a rare wine collectors° item.

The Table Wine Research Advisory Board was established to conduct needed research support for the young but growing wine industry. It was funded through a tax on grapes.

Oregon°s strict wine labeling regulations, proposed by the industry, were adopted by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. The innovative regulations are a bold component at the foundation of the Oregon wine industry. Although the federal government later raised national standards, Oregon°s regulations remain stricter and represent honesty and integrity in wine labeling.

A handful of Oregon winery owners gathered over a kitchen table to create the first ¿Discover Oregon Winesî brochure. Frequently expanded since, the guide, currently titled Vintage Oregon, has grown to a colorful bound booklet of 128 pages with 500,000 copies printed. It has been singularly effective in developing basic viability for small wineries as well as the overall Oregon wine region. The guide created an informational base for another Oregon specialty: winery joint promotions, particularly the extremely popular Memorial and Thanksgiving Weekend Wine Tours.

Oregon Winegrowers° Association was founded, a statewide trade organization merging the former Winegrowers Council of Oregon (representing the Willamette Valley) and the Wine Growers Association (of Southern Oregon).

David Heatherbell was hired as OSU wine researcher.

Gault-Millau French Wine Olympiades placed The Eyrie Vineyards1975 South Block Pinot Noir in the top 10, resulting in the first international recognition of Oregon.

Hugh Johnson visited Oregon. His colorful interviews resulted in finally achieving the inclusion of Oregon in his definitive and on-going World Atlas of Wine series.

Steamboat Conference was established by Stephen Cary (Yamhill Valley Vineyards, OR) and Mike Richmond (Acacia Winery, CA). It has become an annual three-day summer gathering of winemakers only, initially from Oregon and California, now from around the world. The program is simple: tastings and endless unrecorded honest discussions on the true nature and maddeningly elusive beauty of Pinot noir. Steamboat remains the font of knowledge of Pinot noir production and appreciation. The conference was named for the setting, Steamboat Inn, a world famous remote fly fishing lodge on the wild North Umpqua River in Oregon.

Oregon had thirty-four bonded Oregon wineries and 115 growers with 1100 vineyard acres.

A Robert Drouhin-sponsored French blind tasting reconfirmed the high rating of The EyrieVineyards 1975 Pinot Noir. International coverage of the challenge upset brought widespread attention to Oregon Pinot noir.

The dramatic volcanic eruption of Mt. St. Helens brought world focus to the region. Feature stories speculated on the fate of grapevines and wines. In fact, many vines were damaged and a major industry-funded research project was ¿Effect of volcanic ash on juice and wine.î Oregon vintages are never normal; this one was spectacularly unique.

Ponzi Vineyards was the subject of the first New York Times, exclusive profile/review coverage of Oregon. Frank Prial featured the Ponzi 1979 Willamette Valley Pinot noir.

Mark Kliewer of University of California at Davis toured vineyards in western Oregon and found low yields, potassium deficiency and drought stress.

Porter Lombard took over responsibility of OSU viticultural research.

Cary Oregon Wines, the first national broker for Oregon wines, was established by Stephen Cary and Reuben Rich. They carried the message, and the proof, of premium Oregon wines throughout the United States. Although the business no longer exists, many of the distributor/winery relationships developed then remain today. The efforts of Cary Oregon Wines established acquaintances and foundations for many of the pivotal media events of the future.

Publication of the first edition of Oregon Grape Growers° Guide, the only basic handbook on cool-climate viticulture, written by growers—Marilyn Webb, Ted Casteel, David Adelsheim, Susan Sokol-Blosser and others—for growers. The Guide has been in continuous demand and publication.

The Oregon Wine Advisory Board was established by legislative act. Oregon growers and producers elected to tax themselves at the highest rate in the world: $25/ton. Funds, collected as taxes by the state and administered through Oregon Department of Agriculture and a volunteer Board of Directors, were restricted to projects equally divided between research and marketing.

Steve Price was hired as viticulturist at OSU.

Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate was contacted by Rachel Starr, then a retailer who subsequently became his correspondent/agent in Oregon. At Parker°s request and expense, Starr selected and shipped him varied lots of Oregon Pinot noir. The samples sparked a quiet, curious, exploratory trip to Oregon by Parker and his assistant in 1985. [Overheard comment, ¿These guys don°t know what they have hereÞî] The Advocate°s enthusiastic, exciting review of Oregon°s 1983 vintage brought the wine world°s focus to Oregon. Parker and his brother-in-law, Michael Etzel, later partnered in establishing an Oregon vineyard: Beaux Freres° first vintage was 1990.

Oregon State University and the Oregon wine industry hosted and organized the first International Cool Climate Wine Symposium, with 600 participants. The event has since been held in various cool climate regions of the world, generally every four years.

¿Dijon clonesî arrived at OSU. Though commonly referred to as ¿Dijon clones,î the selections of Chardonnay and Pinot noir came from many parts of Burgundy. A profound improvement in Oregon Chardonnay and greater complexity of flavors and earlier ripening times in Pinot noir have resulted. David Heatherbell, then of OSU, now home in New Zealand, and Raymond Bernard of the ONIVINS Research Station in Dijon, demonstrated the essence of international wine colleagueship in jointly overcoming many obstacles simply to contribute to world wine appreciation.

Oregon°s first American Viticultural Area (AVA) was approved. The Willamette Valley AVA was joined later in the year by the Umpqua Valley AVA.

1985 The Burgundy Challenge at the International Wine Center, New York, was organized by Al Hotchkin and Peter Morrell. The intriguing challenge, to taste 30 wines blind and distinguish the high profile Burgundies from Oregon Pinot noirs, piqued the curiosity of the New York press, wine trade and connoisseurs. The experts could not distinguish Oregon from Burgundy, and went on to rate Oregon wines as the top five. Fortunately, when the blanket of positive press and sudden demand for Oregon Pinot Noirs hit, the early marketing efforts had already placed Oregon wines in national outlets. All previous inertia vanished and the market, along with interest in Oregon wine, leaped forward.

The Wine Spectator at last acknowledged Oregon. An article featured the astonishing results of the Burgundy Challenge; photos exhibited the distinct beauty of Oregon vineyards.

The IPNC—International Pinot Noir Celebration— was created in McMinnville. It was the world°s first wine forum created by local winemakers and community wine lovers focused exclusively on the variety Pinot noir. Speakers featured several winemakers of the then-rising (now acknowledged) stars of Burgundy. Gerald Asher was a speaker and subsequently wrote a long, beautifully romantic story detailing the Celebration in Gourmet Magazine. The event was launched; Oregon was blessed; the future of the IPNC not only assured but mandated.

The Drouhin Family, of the highly respected and venerable Domain Joseph Drouhin of Burgundy, purchased 100 acres for vineyards and a winery in the north Willamette Valley. Robert Drouhin had made several visits and appearances in Oregon, earning the respect and friendship of the larger wine community. Veronique Drouhin was appointed winemaker; 1988 was their first vintage. The extraordinary Franco-Oregon venture was widely reported, denoting the seriousness of Oregon wines and underscoring credibility of the Oregon wine industry. The flow of established winemakers from other regions to Oregon continues, from Australia, New York, Canada and California.

While the IPNC was an encompassing success and demonstrated that Oregon knew exactly how to put on a great wine event, it was also the year Oregon learned a hard but vital marketing lesson. Fueled by highly positive national reception to the 1985 vintage, glowing press releases touted a glorious 1987 vintage. On release, the vintage overall failed to meet the promise. The national market backfired. Reminded that honesty remains the best policy, Oregon vowed unsubstantiated hype would never happen again.

Two new AVAs were established, both crossing the Oregon-Washington state border: Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley.

The nation°s first successful self-underwritten public stock offering resulted in the establishment of Willamette Valley Vineyards. This addition of over 4,500 wine enthusiasts as owners broadened the Oregon wine industry°s political base.

This new and passionate ownership group helped secure passage of HB 1903 making wineries a permitted use in Farm Use Zones.

Oregon°s wine industry had grown to 70 bonded Oregon wineries and 320 growers, with 5,682 vineyard acres.

Phylloxera, a root louse with a history of devastating wine areas, was first identified in commercial Oregon vineyards. These discoveries were met with fear and frustration. Ultimately, the infestations precipitated significant changes in the Oregon winegrowing business: New plantings changed from ¿own-rootedî vines to those grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstocks, and the opportunity arose to plant varieties and clones better suited to many sites.

The Salud! Wine Barrel Auction – the first US hospital-initiated and financed collaboration with local wineries was founded. Half barrels of one-of-a-kind Pinot noir cuvees are auctioned. All proceeds provide health care for vineyard workers and their families. Salud! now offers a full-time staff, basic services including permanent prenatal, child health, cancer and other disease screening and dental clinics. Mobile medical vans bring most services directly to the workers at vineyard locations.

The 4^th edition of the Oregon Winegrape Grower°s Guide was published by Oregon Winegrowers° Association. Ted Casteel, Bethel Heights Vineyard, was the editor.

Salud! Auction Road Show. Salud! wineries hosted an extremely well covered major Manhattan press tasting/lunch/seminar, followed by an all-Oregon cuisine dinner at the NYC James Beard House.

The first professorship in Fermentation Science was established at Oregon State University as a result of a gift from Jim Bernau, founder of Willamette Valley Vineyards.

An ambitious legislative agenda resulted in legislation allowing in-state winery direct shipment to consumers, over strong opposition from the wine wholesalers lobby; winery tastings in stores and restaurants; winery off-site special event license privileges; and winery distribution to customers from off-site locations through a new warehouse license privilege. General Fund support for viticulture and enological program at OSU was also increased.

Chemeketa Community College in Salem launched its vineyard management and winemaking program.

Legislation (HB 3429) was passed to allow multiple winery licensees on a single premise, paving the way for innovative strategies such as the Carlton Winemakers Studio. The passage of HB 3295 permitted Oregon Viticultural Directional Highway Signs marking the entrances to viticultural areas.

Oregon had 135 bonded wineries and approximately 500 growers, with 10,500 vineyard acres.

The first Oregon Pinot Camp was presented. Forty Oregon wineries combined their talents and resources to organize a remarkably creative and successful event. Selected retailers and sommeliers from throughout the US were invited for a first-hand acquaintance with Oregon vineyards, winemaking, winemakers and hospitality. Guests° enthusiasm pushed the experimental event to an annual one.

Oregon was the first American region certified by IOBC, the International Office of

Biological Control. The certification endorsed LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology), a non-profit Oregon corporation with the authority to certify Oregon vineyards. More than 60 Oregon vineyards are LIVE certified, indicating they have demonstrated compliance with LIVE standards. To obtain enological certification, wines must be approved by the LIVE Tasting Panel and meet all other standards through submission of reports. Bethel Heights Vineyard was the first to display LIVE Certification on its label, thus assuring the consumer of definite, definable standards of viticulture and enology.

The Applegate Valley American Viticultural Area was approved. It is entirely within the Rogue Valley AVA.

The legislature passed HB 2033 creating an Agricultural Processing Income Tax Credit to offset local personal property taxes on winery equipment. HB 3961 established a Wine Marketing Tax Credit to be taken against a portion of the state alcohol taxes paid, for Oregon Wine Board-approved marketing activities.

Oregon Viticulture, a complete updating of the Oregon Winegrape Grower°s Guide was published by Oregon Winegrowers° Association. It was edited by Edward W. Hellman, Associate Professor of Viticulture at Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University, formerly Oregon State University Viticulture Extension Specialist.

A broad coalition of winery and vineyard owners proposed and successfully passed a bill (HB 3442) abolishing the Oregon Wine Advisory Board under the Department of Agriculture and created a consolidated independent agency of the industry, the Oregon Wine Board. Members are now appointed by the Governor of Oregon, rather than the Director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Self-imposed grape taxes continue to fund the Board and its marketing and research. Based on a bylaws change by the Oregon Winegrowers° Association (OWA), the members of the Oregon Wine Board also became the board of OWA.

Wine industry leaders also aided passage of the Tourism Promotion Bill (HB 2267) providing $8 million, through a one percent statewide lodging tax, to ¿Brand Oregonî efforts. Effective collaborative promotions of wine and related Oregon raised, grown and caught food products followed.

Chemeketa Community College opened the Northwest Viticulture Center at its newly constructed Eola site in West Salem. This Center includes vineyards and a winery for teaching, and represents a tribute to the growing economic importance of the Oregon wine industry as well as its need for trained workers. The Oregon wine industry contributed heavily to this project with cash and dedicated advisory committees. Wine related industries contributed equipment and expertise.

The count of bonded Oregon wineries reached 220, with 13,400 vineyard acres.

Columbia Gorge became an official American Viticultural Area (AVA). It crosses the Columbia River to encompass counties in both Oregon and Washington. It joins the Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley AVAs that are also shared by the two states. Three other AVAs were approved within Oregon, to be effective in 2005. Both the Yamhill-Carlton and Dundee Hills AVAs are entirely within the larger Willamette Valley AVA. The third is the Southern Oregon AVA, containing the existing Applegate Valley, Rogue Valley and Umpqua Valley AVAs. The new approvals brought the total number of AVAs in or shared by Oregon to 10.

At the Dundee Bistro, a Walk of Fame was created by the Ponzi Family. Thirty people who have been instrumental in the establishment and development of the wine industry in Oregon were honored. Most were present to set their footprints in concrete, together with a plaque.

The McMinnville American Viticultural Area was approved. It is located within the larger Willamette Valley AVA.

The Oregon Winegrowers° Association, the industry trade organization, became the Oregon Wine Advocacy Council (OWAC), focusing efforts on legislative, legal and regulatory issues.

The number of Oregon wineries reached 314, and vineyards 519, according to the Oregon Wine Board.