OREGON, USA — There are some happy Willamette Valley winemakers, as a half-dozen of them got their wines onto a coveted list of the best of the best.
It’s the Wine Spectator’s annual top 100 wines of the year, and Oregon Pinot Noir reigned supreme.
It's a rating of wines from around the world, and Oregon wineries — like Archery Summit in the Dundee Hills — had their best showing ever.
One of the six winners is Archery Summit's Vireton, a 2021 Pinot Noir made with grapes from two vineyards. Winemaker and vineyard manager Ian Burch is celebrating the inclusion of the more reasonably priced Pinot in the top 100 list.
“Wine is a few things: it's fruit, it’s spice, it's textural, and sometimes in certain years, it's more or less of one thing or the other. But it felt like in 2021, everything was explosive,” said Burch, who added that is especially gratifying after a very tough 2020 harvest and vintage, thanks to major wildfires.
“It feels very good; we're very excited. I think after 2020, where we had to deal with some unfortunate smoke circumstances, I always say 2021 could have been anything, but it was beautiful,” Burch concluded.
Archery Summit is joined by five other Willamette Valley wineries, with Resonance breaking the top ten at number nine.
But all selections are 2021 pinot noirs and fine examples of what the Willamette Valley is best known for, according to Wine Spectator's senior editor Tim Fish.
“It has been coming into its own for a while. I think, in many ways, it's one of the hottest wine regions in the United States at this point. I was very excited myself to see all those great Pinot Noirs on the list," said Fish.
At Archery Summit, about half of the 20,000 case annual production is higher-end single vineyard creations and mostly Pinot Noir, including bottles that go for more than a hundred dollars. But the Vireton is a $35 bottle of wine that is accessible to more wine lovers.
Burch is celebrating its win in a brand-new expansive tasting room, ready for a grand opening this weekend.
“We've got a comfy fireplace, we've got outdoor seating, people can come and have wine by the glass," Burch said. "Before, our tasting room could fit maybe five or six people.”
It’s part of the growth of Oregon wine country, racking up wins and getting worldwide attention.
“I feel really good about where the Willamette Valley is right now and it's great to see that there's more interest and I can really feel like this industry is moving in a healthy direction,” said Burch.
Which Willamette Valley wines made the top 100 list?
- 9: Résonance Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
- 16: Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Laurène
- 20: Purple Hands Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Lone Oak Ranch
- 32: Bergström Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains Silice
- 56: Archery Summit Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Vireton
- 69: Ken Wright Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills