Vintages

2002 Willamette Valley / Oregon Vintage

A dry winter and spring, a summer of warm days and cool nights without heat spikes, and an inch of September rain that pulled the numbers back into balance.

Winter and spring 2002 were unusually dry, running 10 to 15 inches below normal rainfall according to Decanter, and bud break came slightly early. Bloom and set passed without trouble. A high pressure pattern kept rain far offshore for most of the summer, holding daily temperatures between 40 and 80 degrees F and giving what the Willamette Valley Wineries Association describes as excellent heat summations but not heat spikes. An inch of rain in mid to late September corrected imbalanced high sugars and low pH. Harvest stretched well over a month for Pinot Noir, and growers who waited for the rain and the dry, cool weather behind it made better balanced, riper wines. The association rates 2002 as one of the best two or three vintages Oregon had seen at that point, perhaps its best ever for whites.

See Willamette Valley vintage weather →

Growing season

2002 came in dry. Decanter records an unusually dry winter and spring, 10 to 15 inches short of normal rainfall, and bud break arrived slightly early. Bloom and set passed without incident. Then a high pressure pattern parked itself over the region and kept the rain far offshore for most of the summer. Daily temperatures ran between 40 and 80 degrees F, warm days and cool nights, and the Willamette Valley Wineries Association makes the distinction that matters in Oregon: the season delivered excellent heat summations, but not heat spikes. Steady warmth rather than shock. By early September some fruit was showing shriveling, and a few growers picked early on the strength of it. Then an inch of rain fell in mid to late September. The association credits that rain with correcting imbalanced high sugars and low pH, and Decanter records the same light rains in early to mid September as perking the grapes up, followed by dry, cool weather. Growers who waited for that window harvested in mid to late October and made better balanced, riper wines. Crop loads were full and required precise green harvesting to reach full ripeness. Harvest for Pinot Noir extended well over a month, and for many stretched across four to five weeks.

Winter and spring ran 10 to 15 inches below normal rainfall, per Decanter
Slightly early bud break, with no problems at bloom or set
High pressure kept rain offshore; daily temperatures ranged 40 to 80 degrees F with warm days and cool nights
Excellent heat summations without heat spikes, per the Willamette Valley Wineries Association
An inch of rain in mid to late September corrected high sugars and low pH
Some early September shriveling pushed a few growers to pick early; those who waited harvested mid to late October
Full crop loads required precise green harvesting; Pinot Noir harvest ran four to five weeks for many

Key Facts

Decanter records winter and spring 2002 as unusually dry, with 10 to 15 inches less rainfall than normal
Bud break was slightly early and no problems occurred during bloom and set
A high pressure pattern held rain far offshore, with daily temperatures ranging between 40 and 80 degrees F through most of the summer
The Willamette Valley Wineries Association describes the season as giving excellent heat summations but not heat spikes, with warm days and cool nights
An inch of rain in mid to late September corrected imbalanced high sugars and low pH
Harvest extended well over a month for Pinot Noir, with many growers picking across four to five weeks
The association rates 2002 among the best two or three vintages Oregon had seen, perhaps the best ever for whites and close to the best for reds

Style and reputation

Moderate temperatures through both the growing season and harvest left excellent acidities in whites and reds alike, and that is the backbone of the vintage's reputation. The Willamette Valley Wineries Association ranks 2002 among the best two or three vintages Oregon had seen to that point, perhaps the best ever for whites and close to the best for reds. Decanter's read is consistent: a particularly good year for Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, ripe and fruity with balancing acidity, and consistent across the entire valley rather than concentrated in a few favored sites. The same source notes the year also went well in the Rogue Valley. Growers who held their nerve through the September rain were the ones rewarded, since the wines from that later pick came in better balanced and riper.

Moderate temperatures through the season and harvest left excellent acidities in both whites and reds
WVWA ranks 2002 among Oregon's best two or three vintages to that point, perhaps its best ever for whites
Decanter describes the Pinot Noir as ripe and fruity with balancing acidity, consistent across the whole valley
The Rogue Valley also performed well in 2002, per Decanter

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Producers named at the time

Decanter's list of producers to look for in the 2002 vintage was long, which fits a year it described as consistent throughout the Willamette Valley rather than site-dependent: Domaine Serene, Domaine Drouhin, Ken Wright Cellars, Argyle, Ponzi, Sokol Blosser, Torii Mor, Brick House, Elk Cove and Chehalem.

Decanter's named producers for 2002: Domaine Serene, Domaine Drouhin, Ken Wright Cellars, Argyle, Ponzi, Sokol Blosser, Torii Mor, Brick House, Elk Cove and Chehalem
The length of that list reflects a vintage Decanter found consistent across the entire Willamette Valley

Food Pairings

Roasted duck breast with cherry gastriqueHerb-crusted lamb with rosemary jusWild mushroom risottoAged hard cheeses such as Comté or aged GruyèreBraised short rib or beef cheeks

Exam Study NotesWSET / CMS

Winter and spring 2002 were unusually dry, 10 to 15 inches below normal rainfall per Decanter, with a slightly early bud break and a clean bloom and set.
A high pressure pattern kept rain offshore through most of the summer, with daily temperatures between 40 and 80 degrees F, giving excellent heat summations but no heat spikes.
An inch of rain in mid to late September corrected imbalanced high sugars and low pH; growers who waited for the dry, cool weather behind it picked mid to late October and made better balanced, riper wines.
Crop loads were full and needed precise green harvesting, and Pinot Noir harvest stretched four to five weeks for many growers.
The Willamette Valley Wineries Association ranks 2002 among Oregon's best two or three vintages to that point, perhaps its best ever for whites, with excellent acidities across both colors.

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