This October at The Good Wine Shop, we’re celebrating Oregon Wine Month – and we can’t wait to share one of the world’s best kept secrets with you. Oregon might not be as famous as California or Burgundy, but I hope, like me, once you’ve tried these wines, you’ll be hooked.
So, where even is Oregon?
Think Pacific Northwest: misty forests, dramatic mountains, cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean where it’s nestled between California and Washington State. Oregon is a green, wild and slightly rugged place and Pinot Noir specifically, is thriving there.
How it all began
Back in the 1970s, a winemaker called David Lett planted Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley (pronounced “Will-AM-it” – rhymes with “dammit!”). Everyone thought he was mad… until his wines started winning prizes in France. Today over 900 wineries call Oregon home. Not too bad for a region that began with a few “dead sticks pushed into the Oregon mud” as David Lett once put it.
How do they compare stylistically?
Oregon Pinot Noir sits beautifully between styles:
• California = ripe and plush
• Burgundy = savoury and subtle
• Oregon = juicy fruit plus earthy, autumnal forest-floor notes
Dundee vs. Eola-Amity: same grape, different vibe
But here’s where it gets interesting: even within the Willamette Valley, different areas (AVAs) produce totally distinct wines.
Dundee Hills: Volcanic red Jory soils → bright, silky Pinots full of raspberry and cherry.
Eola-Amity Hills: Cool Van Duzer winds + marine soils → darker, denser Pinots with spice and grip.
A bit like comparing cashmere to tweed if you like – both wonderful, but with different textures and intensity.
Wineries to Look For
The Eyrie Vineyards – The OGs. David Lett started it all here and his son Jason still makes beautifully soulful Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier – all farmed organically with an emphasis on gentle winemaking.
“Grapegrowing in western Oregon is an adventure. The climate of western Oregon constitutes the risk, and also the reason, for this adventure.” – David Lett planted his first vines in 1965 at the tender age of 24
Sokol Blosser – A true pioneer, family-run since 1971. Their Dundee Hills Estate Pinot Noir 2022 is bright, red-fruited and earthy, while their prized Orchard Block Pinot Noir 2022 shows darker cherry fruit, delicate tannins and a touch more polish. Both highlight how varied Dundee Hills Pinot can be.
Postcard picturesque scenes over the Sokol Blosser vineyards
Granville Wine Co. – Next-gen winemakers bringing focus and purity from volcanic soils. Farming organically in Dundee and Eola-Amity Hills, their Basalt Pinot Noir is focused and pure, while the Basalt Chardonnay is a mineral-driven beauty.
Granville’s old vine Pinot Noir Pommard clones planted in 1975 still growing on their own roots
Tis’ the season
Autumn and Oregon wine are a match made in heaven. They’re basically tailor-made for roast chicken, mushroom risotto, or a lazy evening with cheese by the fire. From earthy, red-fruited Pinot Noirs to fresh, mineral driven whites, these are wines with warmth, freshness, and personality – exactly what you want alongside hearty seasonal cooking and cosy evenings.
So come raise a glass with us this Oregon Wine Month – and discover why this “little” corner of North America deserves a big place in your wine rack.
