Pinot Noir from the volcanic hills, Syrah from Oregon's cobblestones
1 bottles, from Pinot grown on volcanic hills to Syrah grown on cobblesA cool-climate Pinot Noir, taut, speaking of its soil as much as of its fruit: that is what Burgundy lovers come looking for in the Willamette Valley. Between the Coast Range and the Cascades, the hills of Dundee and Eola-Amity also give saline Chardonnays, harvested under an ocean sky.
In the north-east of the state, on the stones of The Rocks District, Cayuse grows Syrah and Grenache biodynamically, in a warm, spicy register. Two faces, the same taste for terroir, from Erath's Pinot to the single-parcel cuvées.
Jay Christopher - Basalte Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2018
A world-class Pinot noir, with notes of spices and undergrowth
Four origins to read on the label
The Willamette Valley is the broad appellation; the hills within it have their own AVAs, each with a soil and a wind you can taste. The Rocks District, for its part, lies to the east, in the Oregon part of the Walla Walla Valley.
| Origin | Soil and climate | Style in the glass | In the catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dundee Hills AVA since 2005 | Red volcanic clay known as Jory, over basalt, south-facing slopes | Pinot with ripe red fruit and a silky texture; precise Chardonnay | Archery SummitPinot Noir €91.80, Chardonnay €78 per bottle, in packs of 2 |
| Eola-Amity Hills AVA since 2006 | Volcanic basalt, cold Pacific wind through the Van Duzer Corridor | High acidity, tight tannins, single-plot cuvées | Cristomfrom €40 (pack of 3) to €97 per bottle (pack of 2) |
| Willamette Valley broad appellation, since 1983 | A mosaic of volcanic soils, loess and marine sediments, blended from one hillside to the next | Blended Pinot, fruity and supple, or a deeper selection cuvée | Erath, Nicolas Jay, Jay Christopherfrom €30.80 to €119.20 per bottle |
| The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, AVA since 2015 | Basalt cobblestones rolled by glacial floods, hot and dry summer | Fleshy Syrah and Grenache, notes of olive, smoked meat and garrigue | Cayusefrom €182 to €256 per bottle |
Archery Summit's Vireton and Erath's two Pinots blend several vineyards from the valley: they carry the Willamette Valley appellation. Jay Christopher's Basalte comes from the Chehalem Mountains.
Cristom's cuvées, plot by plot
Founded in 1992 by Paul Gerrie in the Eola-Amity Hills, Cristom vinifies each vineyard separately, Burgundian style: whole bunches, open vats, native yeasts. Tasted side by side, its cuvées show what a slope or an altitude changes in a Pinot Noir.
| Vintage | Origin | What it shows | Price per bottle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Jefferson 2021Pinot Noir | Selected plots in the Eola-Amity hills | The way in: the house style, clean fruit, freshness and whole bunches | €40 in packs of 3 |
| Paul Gerrie 2021Pinot Noir | Hillsides surrounding the winery, Pacific wind | Cold maceration and native yeasts: a summary of the estate | €96 in packs of 2 |
| Marjorie 2021Pinot Noir | Historic vineyard, basaltic volcanic soil | The estate's benchmark plot: structure, depth and long ageing potential | €96 in packs of 2 |
| Louise Vineyard 2021Pinot Noir | High-density planting, well-drained hillside | A high proportion of whole bunches: the house signature taken further | €97 in packs of 2 |
| Jessie 2019Pinot Noir | Steep hillside, volcanic and sedimentary soils | Tension and precision, with the most mature vintage in the range | €96 in packs of 2 |
| Eileen 2021Pinot Noir | High-altitude plot, basaltic soils | The freshness of altitude, a lively acidity and a silky texture | €96 in packs of 2 |
| Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 2020blanc | Volcanic soils and ancient marine deposits | Whole-bunch pressing, measured barrel ageing, saline palate | €46 in packs of 3 |
| Estate Syrah 2014rouge | Exposed slopes of the estate, moderate altitude | A spicy cool-climate Syrah, at its peak after ten years in bottle | €77.80 in packs of 2 |
To compare with the Côte de Nuits, the single-plot Pinots in our Burgundy section can be read the same way.
An Oregon bottle for every mood
A bottle for every mood, from everyday Pinot to Syrah for the cellar, with a detour via Burgundy to compare.
Discover Oregon Pinot at a small price
A blend of Willamette vineyards, with bright red fruit and supple tannins, for everyday meals.
Erath Pinot Noir 2019 · €30.80 per bottleTaste a single-plot Pinot
Cristom's historic vineyard on the basalt of Eola-Amity, vinified with whole bunches and native yeasts, for roast poultry.
Cristom Marjorie 2021 · €96 per bottle, in packs of 2A cool-climate Chardonnay
Pacific wind and volcanic soils give a saline, straight white, to serve with fish in beurre blanc.
Cristom Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 2020 · €46 per bottle, in packs of 3The Burgundian accent in Oregon
The age-worthy cuvée from the estate founded with Jean-Nicolas Méo, of Méo-Camuzet: a selection of the valley's best plots.
Nicolas Jay Pinot Noir L'Ensemble 2019 · €119.20 per bottleA biodynamic, artisanal Pinot
The Chehalem Mountains, a volcanic soil, native yeasts and eighteen months in barrel: red cherry, spice and forest floor.
Jay Christopher Basalte Pinot Noir 2018 · €49.90 per bottleA Syrah for grilled meat
Blackberry, blackcurrant and a spicy finish from the cobblestones of The Rocks District, a fleshy Syrah that calls for lamb or rib of beef.
Cayuse Cailloux 2020 · €182 per bottleAn exceptional bottle to give
Christophe Baron's Grenache, planted on rounded cobbles in a nod to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, completed by a grape variety kept secret.
Cayuse God Only Knows 2019 · €210 per bottleCompare with Burgundy
Same grape, same plot-by-plot approach: go from the Willamette to the Côte d'Or to measure what the climate changes.
Burgundy section
Why Burgundy crossed the Atlantic
In 1965, David Lett planted Pinot Noir in the Dundee Hills, convinced that a cool, cloudy climate suited the grape better than the Californian heat. Dick Erath joined him a few years later. Proof came in 1987, when the Drouhin family settled on the same hills: for a Burgundian, the Willamette offers a latitude and a season close to those of the Côte d'Or.
The movement continues with Nicolas Jay, who has partnered with Jean-Nicolas Méo of Domaine Méo-Camuzet. To the east, Cayuse, founded in 1997 by Christophe Baron, follows another inspiration: the Rhône, its cobblestones and its Syrah, farmed biodynamically.
How do you choose
Every cuvée is tasted before it joins our range, with Burgundy as the benchmark. We choose Pinots that keep their acidity, well-judged whole-bunch vinifications and estates that bottle their plots separately. In The Rocks District, we look for freshness beneath the ripeness, with wines capable of ageing.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What we are asked about Oregon
What is the difference between an Oregon Pinot Noir and a Burgundy?
The climate of the Willamette Valley is close to that of Burgundy, cool and damp in spring, with dry, sunnier summers. Pinot ripens a little further here: more generous red fruit, rounder tannins, lively acidity. Volcanic and marine soils replace limestone. To compare, also browse our Burgundy section.
Which Oregon Pinot Noir should you start with?
Erath's Pinot Noir 2019, at €30.80 a bottle, gives you the style of the valley: red fruit, suppleness, freshness. A step up, Cristom's Mt Jefferson 2021, at €40 a bottle in a pack of 3, adds the precision of the Eola-Amity Hills. Archery Summit's Vireton 2021, at €49.80 in a pack of 3, completes the trio.
What is the Jory soil of the Dundee Hills?
Jory is a red clay formed by the weathering of basalt flows around fifteen million years old. Deep and well drained, it holds enough water to see the vines through the summer. It gives Dundee Hills Pinots ripe red fruit, a silky texture and earthy notes. The wines of Archery Summit are a good example.
What are the cobblestones of The Rocks District?
South of Walla Walla, on the Oregon side, the ground is covered with basalt cobblestones deposited by the Missoula glacial floods. They store the heat of the day and release it at night. Syrah takes on notes of olive, smoked meat and earth here. The appellation dates from 2015 and Cayuse farms its vines biodynamically. See also our Syrah section.
Is Cayuse an Oregon or a Washington estate?
Cayuse's vines are in Milton-Freewater, Oregon, in the southern part of the Walla Walla Valley, an appellation shared between the two states. The winery and a large part of the valley are on the Washington side, hence the confusion. For wines produced north of the border, see our Washington State page.
Does Oregon produce good white wines?
Yes, and Chardonnay is making rapid progress there. The cool climate preserves acidity and the volcanic soils bring a marked saltiness. Cristom's Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay is €46 a bottle, in a pack of 3, and Archery Summit's Dundee Hills Chardonnay €78 a bottle, in a pack of 2. Find every style in our Chardonnay section.
What food should you serve with an Oregon Pinot Noir?
Its red fruit and freshness go well with grilled salmon, roast poultry, duck, mushrooms and lentil dishes. The more structured single-plot cuvées suit game birds or beef fillet. Serve it at 15–16 °C, in a large glass, and open it an hour beforehand for young vintages.
How long can you keep an Oregon Pinot Noir?
A blended Pinot is best drunk within five years of the harvest. The single-plot cuvées of Cristom or Archery Summit benefit from eight to twelve years. Cayuse's Syrahs and Grenaches last fifteen years or more. Keep the bottles lying down, away from light, at around 12 °C.