History of Oregon Wine - Modern Oregon Wine Industry: 1990s and Beyond

Modern Oregon Wine Industry: 1990s and Beyond

By 1990, there were 70 bonded Oregon wineries and 320 growers, with 5,682 acres (23 km2) vineyard planted. The Oregon wine industry received a stern challenge from nature, when the Phylloxera root louse was discovered in Oregon. This necessated the use of Phylloxera-resistant rootstocks, many vineyards took this as an opportunity to select different varieties of grapes more suited to their particular location. The Rogue Valley AVA was established; three years later, the Oregon Wine Marketing Coalition was founded. In 1995, the Oregon Legislature enacted several new laws which were beneficial to winemakers. Direct in-state wine shipments from wineries to customers were legalized, allowing Oregon winemakers to partially bypass wine wholesalers. In-store wine tasting was also legalized, as were certain off-site special events hosted by wineries. Oregon State University established a professorship in fermentation science. In 1998, the wine industry contributed USD $120 million to the Oregon economy. A further legal change occurred in 1999, when legislation (HB 3429) was passed allowing multiple winery licensees on a single premise. This led to new winemaking arrangements, such as the Carlton Winemakers Studio.

In 2000, the number of winemakers in Oregon had increased to 135 wineries and 500 growers, with 10,500 acres (42 km2) vineyard planted. The 21st century has seen an emphasis on "green" wine production in Oregon. Low Input Viticulture and Enology, Inc., an Oregon non-profit, certifies wineries for meeting certain environmental standards; over 60 vineyards are now so certified. In 2002, Oregon became a leader in green winemaking with the Sokol-Blossor barrel room and the Carlton Winemakers Studio being LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. In 2006, the Stoller Vineyards winery was also LEED-certified.

The Applegate Valley AVA was established in 2001; in 2003 the Oregon Wine Advisory Board (under the state Department of Agriculture) was replaced with the Oregon Wine Board, a semi-independent state agency; that year the number of wineries reached 220, with 13,400 acres (54 km2) under cultivation. the next year, the Columbia Gorge AVA became established, as a winemaking industry rose in the Hood River valley (and in valleys across the Columbia in Washington State) AVAs were also established in McMinnville, Yamhill-Carlton, and in the Dundee area. By 2005, there were 314 wineries and 519 vineyards in operation in Oregon.