United States

Willamette Valley

United States wine regions

About Willamette Valley

Oregon's flagship wine region, where David Lett planted the first Pinot Noir vines in 1965, defying skeptics who said it was too cold. The valley runs 240 km between the Coast Range and the Cascades, with eight sub-AVAs that reflect distinct soil types and exposures. This is now one of the world's premier sources of Pinot Noir, with a style that bridges Burgundy and the New World.

30–300 m

Elevation range

redwhite

Wine styles

8 AVAs

Avg. slope 4°

United States wine regions

Vintages

22 · 2014–2024

Rating:

95+

90-94

85-89

80-84

<80

PeakReadyHold

Year	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014
Red
White

Outstanding Willamette Valley Vintages

The best recent vintages rated excellent or exceptional.

Red

2024

Ready

93Excellent

Promising early reports. Clean, balanced fruit.

2026Peak 2029–20332035

2023

Ready

93Excellent

Fresh and pure. Cooler vintage with bright acidity and aromatic complexity.

2025Peak 2028–20322034

2022

Ready

93Excellent

Classic, balanced Pinot Noir. Red cherry, spice, and earthy complexity.

2024Peak 2027–20322034

2021

Ready

95Exceptional

Exceptional. A warm, dry vintage produced Oregon Pinot of unprecedented depth and concentration.

2024Peak 2027–20352038

2019

At peak

95Exceptional

Elegant and age-worthy. Red fruit, forest floor, and fine tannins.

2021Peak 2024–20302032

2018

At peak

94Excellent

Excellent. Balanced between the warmth of 2014-15 and the cool of 2016.

2020Peak 2023–20302032

2017

Drink up

93Excellent

Challenging vintage. Wildfire smoke affected parts of the valley.

2019Peak 2021–20252027

2016

At peak

95Exceptional

Return to classic Oregon Pinot: red fruit, earth, and vibrant acidity. A benchmark year.

2019Peak 2022–20302032

2015

At peak

94Excellent

Another warm year. Concentrated, structured Pinot Noir with ageing potential.

2018Peak 2020–20282030

2014

At peak

95Exceptional

Warm vintage with rich, generous Pinot Noir. Dark fruit, spice, and accessible tannins.

2017Peak 2019–20262028

White

2024

At peak

92Excellent

Promising.

2025Peak 2026–20292030

2023

At peak

94Excellent

Aromatic and balanced. Excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

2024Peak 2025–20282029

2022

At peak

92Excellent

Fresh, classic Oregon whites. Bright and mineral.

2023Peak 2024–20272028

2021

At peak

94Excellent

Concentrated whites. Rich Chardonnay, ripe Pinot Gris.

2022Peak 2023–20262027

2019

Drink up

94Excellent

Vibrant whites with bright acidity. Age-worthy Chardonnay.

2020Peak 2021–20242026

2018

Past window

93Excellent

Balanced and textured. Excellent Chardonnay.

2019Peak 2020–20232025

2017

Past window

92Excellent

Mixed. Smoke affected some.

2018Peak 2019–20212022

2016

Past window

93Excellent

Crisp, mineral whites. Chardonnay shows real Burgundian character.

2017Peak 2018–20222024

Sub-AVAs

What Willamette Valley produces

Red

Pinot Noir, Oregon's signature grape, Burgundian in spirit, New World in energy.

White

Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, crisp and expressive.

Notable producers

Estates that shape how this region tastes.

Domaine Drouhin

Burgundy family in Oregon, elegant Pinot Noir

Eyrie Vineyards

Oregon Pinot Noir pioneer, David Lett

Beaux Freres

Robert Parker connection, Ribbon Ridge Pinot

Ponzi

Oregon pioneer, Tavola and Avellana

Bergstrom

Biodynamic, Willamette single-vineyard Pinot

Cristom

Estate Pinot Noir, volcanic soils

Similar styles

Lands in the same glass.

Like the reds

Chambolle-Musigny

Burgundy, France

Los Carneros

Napa Valley, United States

Ahr

Ahr, Germany

Mainviereck

Franken, Germany

Faro

Sicily, Italy

Like the whites

Sonoma Coast

Sonoma Coast, United States

Auxey-Duresses

Burgundy, France

Dorsheimer

Pfalz, Germany

Steinberg

Rheingau, Germany

Alto Adige

Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

Grapes of Willamette Valley

Pinot Noir

strawberryraspberryred cherryviolet

Oregon's signature grape: earthy, elegant, with red fruit, mushroom, and forest floor. The volcanic Jory soils of Dundee Hills produce the most structured wines.

Chardonnay

Body

Sweetness

Acidity

green applelemonpearnectarine

Oregon's quiet rising star. Cool-climate Chardonnay on volcanic Jory soil: lemon, apple, white flowers, and bright acidity, with a Burgundian restraint that ages well.

Pinot Gris

Body

Sweetness

Acidity

lemonpeachmangobanana

Richer, textured Pinot Gris with pear and spice.

What it tastes like

Body

Medium

Acidity

Bright

Tannin

Fine

Oak

A touch of oak

Ripeness

Ripe

Concentration

Medium

Reds

Medium-bodied and bright with fine tannin; red cherry, raspberry and cranberry over forest floor and rose petal, silky with a long finish.

red fruit · floral · spicy · earthy · silky

Body

Medium

Acidity

Bright

Oak

A touch of oak

Ripeness

Fresh

Concentration

Medium

Whites

Medium-bodied and bright with a touch of oak; lemon, green apple and white flowers over wet stone, polished and taut.

citrus · apple and pear · floral · polished · taut

Climate

Cool maritimeLong growing seasonRain shadow

Cool, maritime-influenced climate moderated by the Coast Range. Growing seasons are long and mild, with rain concentrated in winter and dry, warm summers. The Van Duzer Corridor channels cool Pacific air through the Coast Range, creating some of Oregon's coolest vineyard sites.

Terroir

Volcanic basaltMarine sedimentLoessJory clay

Three distinct soil types tell the geological history: ancient marine sediments from when the valley was an ocean floor, volcanic basalt from Cascade eruptions, and windblown loess deposited by ice age floods. The red Jory volcanic soils of Dundee Hills are the most famous.

Typical Aromas

red cherryraspberryforest floorwet earthrose petalbaking spices

Explore the aroma wheel