Riesling in Oregon

Riesling, more than any white varietal, speaks to place. Oregon’s uniquely cool climate, naturally low yields, and ancient volcanic and marine sedimentary soils give unique character to the wines that the small, family winemakers craft. And Riesling has been an integral part of the modern Oregon wine industry from the beginning in the early 1960s when the UC-Davis grad Richard Sommer moved north and planted in the cooler Umpqua Valley.

Much of the industry is now based in the Willamette Valley, a cooler valley still. Thirty years ago as much as 23% of Oregon’s production was Riesling. Although a much lower percentage than that today due to the explosion of Pinot Noir in the state, there is even more passion and focus on Riesling, plus huge growth over the last decade—admittedly from a small base. More than 40 producers take advantage of the naturally late-ripening, low alcohol, white fruit and flower-accented, firmly but not screechingly acidic character of the fruit from this Region 1 cool climate. Riesling grape growing mirrors the conservative precision used on Pinot Noir, while relatively hi-tech winemaking is protective of fruit finesse while being transparent to terroir. This is especially true as mature plantings from the prior halcyon days of Riesling are rediscovered and as the ageability of early bottlings is appreciated.

The finished style is mainly on the dry side of the IRF scale, with 60+% Dry or Medium Dry, but with a full range through to botrytised dessert stylings. In a recent tally, approximately 70% of the bottlings carry screwcap closures. Cool Climate, acid, ripe-but-not-overripe fruit, low alcohol, and passionate, small-scale winemakers characterize Oregon’s Riesling. Oregonians subscribe to the view that Riesling is where many consumers begin to learn the magic of wine, and where sophisticated wine drinkers return to complete their journey.