The Great Debate in the Willamette Valley of Oregon: Which Soil Produces the Best Pinot Noir Wine? (4373)
Authors:
S. Burns* - Portland State University
Abstract:
Oregon has become a world famous state for the production of fine wines from the pinot noir grape.
There are many soils from which to choose, but vineyard managers are favoring two soil series: Jory and Willakenzie. The Jory series was the first soil to be used to produce grapes in the Northern
Willamette Valley and is a Xeric Haplohumult that is found on deeply weathered outcrops of Columbia River basalt. The Willakenzie series is an Ultic Haploxeralf that forms mainly on marine sedimentary rocks of the northern Coast Range of western Oregon. Both are well-developed and well-drained soils with low pH and low nutrients in the soil. These soils are especially common on hillslopes of the northern Willamette Valley. The "great debate" in Oregon winemaking is which soil produces the best pinot noir grapes and henceforth the best wine. Soils developed on the floodplain from Missoula Flood deposits are too nutrient rich for good wine production. At the end of the talk, if there is time, there will be a small winetasting to taste two wines from the two soils from the same winemaker, the same year, the same elevation, the same grape plant types, and the same exposure.
Speaker Information: Scott Burns, Portland State University, Dept. of Geology, P.O. Box 751Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207-0751; Phone: 503-725-3389; E-mail: [email protected]
Session Information: Wednesday, November 3, 2004, 8:25 AM-11:55 AM Presentation Start: 10:50 AM
Keywords: wine; Jory; Willakenzie; Ultisols
