In the World of Southern Oregon Wine
Oregon Vineyard & Winery Report
Plus - Highlights of 2014 Harvest
Oregon Vineyard Report
Southern Oregon University Research Center recently released the 2013 Oregon Vineyard and Winery Report. This comprehensive report provides an excellent snapshot of the wine industry. Some top-line points and year-over-year growth numbers of interest include:
Statewide
* Vineyard production increased 12%
* Crop value = $128m
* # wineries = 605
* Crush = 52,588 tons, increase 2.4%
* Wine sales = $376m, increase 21%
* Pinot noir = 58% tonnage grown/crushed
Southern Oregon
* Vineyard production increase 80% (20% of state)
* Harvested acreage increase 48% (19% of state)
* Number of vineyards increase 18% (20% of state)
* Planted acreage increase 54% y over y (20% of state)
Highlights of the 2014 Harvest
"2014 was the earliest harvest I had ever seen. Up until this year, picking fruit in August seemed like something that happened only in California. Not this year. Our first fruit came in on August 25. Overall, though some yields were 10 - 15% down, the quality of the fruit this vintage (the balance of sugar, acidity and flavor) has exceeded all expectations." Eric Weisinger, Weisinger Family Winery.
"Every vintage brings with it unique circumstances. For 2014, it was threefold: drought, heat and smoke late in the growing season. Budbreak was early, as was each facet of development leading to an early harvest, which came six weeks earlier than during the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons. Ultimately, nature gave us a wonderful bounty: perfectly ripe and flavorful clusters that seem to be showing enormous potential in the wines now in barrel! This should prove to be an exceptional year." Brian Denner and Dan Marca, Dancin Vineyards.
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