Soils, Geology and Terroir of the Umpqua Valley AVA, Southern Oregon Dr. Scott Burns Portland State University 1
Oregon Winery Facts 2015 550 wineries in Oregon (71 in 1990) 980+ vineyards (2015) 41 varieties of grapes planted $708 million in annual sales 3 million cases of wine from 22,000+ planted acres of grapes (19,000 + harvested acres in 2015) 3rd in nation in number of wineries 4 th in nation in wine production Seven Important Ingredients for Making a Fine Wine Grapes (12 clones in Will. V) Geology/Soils Climate Soil Hydrology Physiography Winemaker Vineyard Management 2
Terroir The total elements of the vineyard Taste of the place Bedrock geology Soils: texture, structure, depth of soil, drainage, color, age Orientation of slope Elevation 3
History of the AVA Formally accepted as AVA in 1984 100 km long and 40 km wide 1961 Richard Sommer started Hillcrest Vineyards (first winery in post-prohibition Oregon) Today: 39 vineyards and 24 wineries 4
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Basic Geography of the AVA Convergence of three mountain ranges: Coast Range, Klamath Mountains, and the Cascade Range Called the Hundred Valleys of the Umqua Antecedent Stream: Umpqua (starts in Cascades and flows to Oregon Coast 8
Climate of the AVA Cool Climate at the North and Intermediate and Warm at the South North: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, German wines (Elkton and Red Hills Sub-AVA s) South: Tempranillo, Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Malbec Precipitation: North 53 and South 26 GDD: 1700 (north) to 2800 (south) 9
Southern Oregon Mesoclimate Long growing season and cool autumn Allows ripeness without accumulation of excessive sugars so wines are complex and full-bodied Perfect for Tempranillo similar climate to Rioja and Ribera del Duero of Northern Spain (now have 52 vineyards in Oregon growing Tempranillo!) 10
Geology of the Umpqua 1) Tyee Fm (Coast Range): 121 acres 2) Siletzia Terrane: 530 acres 3) Umpqua Turbidites: 213 acres 4) Klamath Terranes: 54 acres 5) Stream Terraces: 1272 acres Total Acres in AVA: 2190 acres Klamath Terrane: Geology/Soils Two Wineries (Abacela is the biggest) Age: 225 Ma accreted terranes: partially metamophosed sandstones, shales, conglomerates, basalts, serpentine Main soil: Sutherlin Series (Ultic Haploxeralf) great soil old! 54 acres 11
Abacela Winery Umpqua Basin Turbidites 10 wineries and vineyards Tertiary uplifted sea floor of turbidites: mainly sandstones with some shales and conglomerates of Eocene Age (35-45 Ma) Main soils: Mainly Ultic Haploxeralfs (Sutherlin, Rosehaven & Oakland Series) with some Typic Haploxerults (Josephine) and Dystric Xerochrepts (Speaker) 213 acres 12
Giardet Winery 13
Spangler Winery: Syrah Vineyard Reustle Prayer Rock Winery 14
Reustle Winery and Tasting Room Umpqua Stream Terraces 9 Wineries and Vineyards Geology: Quaternary Terraces of the Umpqua River; Gravelly with thick silts on top Main Soils: Roseburg & Coburg Series (Pachic Ultic Argixeroll), and Malabon (Pachic Argixeroll) & Evans Series (Cumulic Haploxeroll) thick A s over Bt 1272 Acres: lots of Pinot Noir being sold to the Willamette Valley 15
Pyrenees Winery Melrose Winery 16
Henry Estate Winery 17
Duck Pond Winery Problem: Blue Heron Vineyards 700 acres of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris for the Willamette Valley 500 acres are fine: Roseburg and Coburg Malabon and Evans Series 250 acres are clay rich and loaded with smectites: Vertisols and vertic subgroups 18
Tyee Fm Coast Range 10 Wineries and Vineyards Geology: Tyee Fm (sandstones and shales) uplifted sea floor of the southern Oregon Coast Range (Miocene mainly: 20-30 Ma) Soils: Mainly Bateman Series (Xeric Haplohumults) and Windy Gap Series (Ultic Palexeralfs) all old! 121 acres Bradley Winery 19
Anindor Winery Brandborg Winery 20
Siletzia Accreted Terrane One Winery Sub-AVA (Red Hills AVA) Sienna Ridge Estate Winery Geology uplifted ocean bottom of basalt of Eocene Age (40-45 Ma) Soil: Jory Series (Oregon s State Soil) Xeric Palehumult 530 acres 21
Conclusions 39 vineyards and 24 wineries: 2190 acres Five Major Terroir Regions: 1) Elkton, Cool Climate, Coast Range Seds 2) Red Hill, Cool Climate, Basalts, Jory Soil 3) Umpqua Turbidites, Warm Climate 4) Umpqua Terraces, Warm Climate 5) Klamath Terrane, Warm Climate 22