Oregon Wine & Organizations
Key Links:
Willamette Valley Wineries Association: www.willamettewines.com
- Provides you with a comprehensive list of all area wineries; their hours of operations, contact information , AVA region and special events
Oregon Winegrowers Association (OWA): www.oregonwine.org
- Essential guide to all things Winery related; OLCC updates, TTB Policies, Compliance Issues, Land and Water Issues affecting Oregon such as Spray Drift Update, Land Use Statement and Ground Water Compliance, Oregon’s Sustainability Movement, Carbon Neutral Challenge and Vineyard Development Standards
Oregon Wine Board (OWB): www.oregonwine.org
- A semi-independent state agency with an appointed Board, working on behalf of all Oregon wineries and independent growers to manage marketing, research and education initiatives that support and advance the Oregon wine and wine grape industry. Education & Research, marketing and Tourism, Sustainability, Labeling and Taxation, OVID and Workforce Issues
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB): www.ttb.gov/about
- The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is the newest bureau under the Department of the Treasury whose main responsibilities are protecting the public and collecting the revenue. We carry out these responsibilities by developing regulations, conducting product analysis, ensuring tax and trade compliance with the Federal Alcohol Administration Act and the Internal Revenue Code
Yamhill County Planning Department: www.co.yamhill.or.us/plan/planning
- For those looking to develop a winery in Yamhill County (for land in the county neighboring towns such as Carlton, Dundee, Newberg, McMinnville, Lafayette and Dayton), a winery is an outright permitted use if you have 15 acres of vineyard planted, or if you have 15 acres of contiguous land planted in vineyard, or if you have a long-term contract for the purchase of all of the grapes from at least 15 acres of vineyard contiguous to the winery.
History of Oregon Wine Country:
Wine has been produced in Oregon since the Oregon Territory was settled in the 1840s; however, winemaking has only been a significant industry in the state since the 1960s. 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. In 1904, an Oregon winemaker won a prize at the St. Louis World's Fair. Wine production stopped in the United States during Prohibition. As in other states, the Oregon wine industry lay dormant for thirty years after Prohibition was repealed.
The Oregon wine industry started to rebuild in the 1960s. In 1961, winemaker Richard Sommer ignored whispers of discouragement from his University of California at Davis cohorts and trudged north to the Umpqua Valley to plant his roots—more specifically, to plant Riesling and small amounts of other cool climate varietals. Between 1965 and 1975, families such as the Lett, Coury, Erath, Ponzi, Vuylsteke, Adelsheim, Campbell and Sokol Blosser alongside their families ventured north and established vineyards in the North Willamette Valley. They were among the first in the Willamette Valley to plant Pinot noir. The state's land use laws had prevented rural hillsides from being turned into housing tracts, preserving a significant amount of land suitable for vineyards. In 1979, Eyrie Vineyards entered a 1975 Pinot Noir in the prestigious Wine Olympics. The wine was rated among the top Pinots in the world, thus gaining the region its’ first international recognition.
The accolades continued into the 1980s, and the Oregon wine industry continued to add both wineries and vineyards. The state industry continued to market itself, establishing the first of several AVAs (American Viticulture Areas) in the state. The state also grew strong ties with the Burgundy region of France, as Oregon's governor paid an official visit to Burgundy and a leading French winemaking family, Domaine Drouhin, bought land on one of Dundee’s western most exquisite hillsides.
In the early 1990s, the wine industry was threatened by a Phylloxera infestation in the state, but winemakers quickly turned to the use of resistant rootstocks to prevent any serious damage. The state legislature enacted several new laws designed to promote winemaking and wine distribution. The state found a newfound focus on "green" winemaking, leading the global wine industry into more environmentally healthy farming and winery practices. In addition, several new AVAs were established. By 2005, there were 314 wineries and 519 vineyards in operation in Oregon. By 2010, the number of wineries in the state has increased to 472 & remains the 3rd largest wine producer in the country. Today, The Oregon wine grape and wine industry contributes more than $2.7 billion in economic activity to the state economy each year, including more than 13,518 wine-related jobs and $382 million in wages.