2015 Willamette Valley Vineyards AVA Series Dundee Hills Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley Vineyards was founded in 1983 by Jim Bernau when he purchased a plum orchard in Turner. The estate has grown to more than 500 acres over the years, and all of its barrel-aged Pinot Noir comes from estate vineyards. The estate produces primarily Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and a few other whites, including Pinot Gris and Riesling. Some years ago the estate began offering publicly traded stock. In 2011 Wine & Spirits Magazine named Willamette Valley Vineyards the Winery of the Year.

Dundee Hills AVA is in Yamhill County, and it is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA, Oregon’s best known appellation. Dundee Hills is about 30 miles southwest of Portland, and has 1,300 vineyard acres. It was awarded AVA status in 2004 and, like much of Oregon, is known for Pinot Noir. Several of Oregon’s 20th century wine pioneers established their vineyards and wineries in Dundee Hills, adding to its status as a region long-recognized for producing high quality, iconic Oregon wines. Eyrie Vineyards, Erath Winery and Sokol Blosser remain some of Oregon’s most celebrated producers, and all were founded in what is now Dundee Hills in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.