Oenofiles know Oregon as consistently ranking among the top wine producing regions in the world. And now, coming on the heels of positive 2016 reviews in well-respected publications Wine Advocate and James Suckling, Wine Spectator has bestowed the Willamette Valley with six Oregon wines in its Top 100 issue for 2018. Although Oregon only produces 1.1% of wines domestically, the state’s wines grabbed 6% of the spots in the top 100 this year, a new record in Wine Spectator.
“It’s amazing that six Oregon wines are represented on the 2018 Wine Spectator Top 100 list, and we’re delighted to have our 2016 Roserock Chardonnay included,” said David Millman, managing director of Domaine Drouhin Oregon.
Although consistently highly reviewed, winemaker Colene Clemens broke into the top 10 this year with its Dopp Creek Pinot noir, nabbing the 7th spot of 100. Oregon wines in the top 100 list for 2018 are as follows:
#7: Colene Clemens Vineyards Dopp Creek Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
#34: Lingua Franca Bunker Hill Chardonnay, Willamette Valley
#39: Patricia Green Cellars Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
#50: The Four Graces Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
#74: Big Table Farm Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Oregon
#97: Roserock Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills
While 2018 is a banner year for Oregon wine stories–up 28% this year with 16,757 articles mentioning Oregon wine over last year’s 12,000–other years showed well for Oregon too in The Wine Spectator. In both 2016 and 2017, there were three Oregon wines in top 100. In 2015 Evening Land Vineyard’s Eola-Amity Hills Seven Springs Vineyard La Source Pinot noir came in at the third win in the Top 100 list, and Oregon had five Top 100 wines that year. In 2012, Shea Wine Cellars’ Pinot noir Willamette Valley Shea Vineyard Estate came in at number seven, and again the Top 100 list featured five Oregon wines.
Tom Danowski, CEO of the Oregon Wine Board, summed it up as, “I’ve been saying for years that Oregon’s exceptional wine quality enables us to outperform in terms of awards and recognition, and this is further proof. It’s very exciting for our region.”