2003 Willamette Valley / Oregon Vintage
A fiery growing season with half the normal rainfall, average July to October highs of 78 degrees F, and wineries scrambling to pick before the fruit went past ripe.
The Willamette Valley Wineries Association called 2003 an excellent vintage, unusual in the fiery nature of its growing season. Region II heat accumulations reached 2,500 units, average highs ran 78 degrees F from July through October, and rainfall was half of normal at 2.75 inches. The typical July showers never arrived, August was unusually warm, and a few heat spikes ripened the fruit quickly. Harvest was underway by mid September, wineries scrambled to pick before the fruit became over-ripe, and most of it was in the cellars by mid October. Fruit was disease free; the concerns were high sugars, high alcohols and low acids.
Growing season
The Willamette Valley Wineries Association called 2003 an excellent vintage, albeit unusual in the fiery nature of the growing season. Region II heat accumulations came to 2,500 units and average highs ran 78 degrees F from July through October. Rainfall was half of normal, 2.75 inches for the season. The run-up reads two ways: the association credits good pre-season winter rains with leaving adequate soil moisture, while Decanter has winter and spring continuing a streak of three low rainfall years, with 10 to 13 fewer inches of rain. A few threats of spring frost caused little recorded damage. The typical July rain showers did not arrive, and August was unusually warm, with several hot days by Oregon standards and a few heat spikes that ripened the fruit quickly. Crop set was generous enough for easy honing to desired levels, and the fruit was disease free. Harvest was underway by mid September. As the warm spell continued, wineries had to scramble to pick the fruit before it became over-ripe; light showers fell, but most fruit was safely in the cellars by mid October.
- Region II heat accumulations of 2,500 units; average highs of 78 degrees F July through October
- Half the normal rainfall at 2.75 inches; the typical July showers did not arrive
- A few threats of spring frost, with little damage recorded
- August unusually warm, with several hot days and a few heat spikes that ripened fruit quickly
- Harvest underway by mid September, with wineries scrambling to beat over-ripeness; most fruit in the cellars by mid October
- Disease-free fruit and a crop set generous enough for easy honing to desired levels
- Region II heat accumulations of 2,500 units, with average highs of 78 degrees F from July through October
- Half the normal rainfall at 2.75 inches, and the typical July showers did not arrive
- A few threats of spring frost, with little damage recorded
- August was unusually warm, with several hot days by Oregon standards and a few heat spikes that ripened the fruit quickly
- Harvest was underway by mid September, with wineries scrambling to pick before the fruit became over-ripe; most was in the cellars by mid October
- Fruit was disease free and crop set was generous enough for easy honing to desired levels
- The concerns of the vintage center on high sugars, high resulting alcohols and low acids
Style and the open questions
A fiery season brings a particular set of concerns: high sugars, the high alcohols that follow from them, and low acids. The Willamette Valley Wineries Association offered reassurance by pointing to comparable past vintages such as the excellent 1992. Decanter judged the wines richly ripe but structured, with a drinking recommendation of drink soon. Decanter named the Willamette Valley, especially mature vineyards at higher elevation sites, and the Rogue Valley as the best appellations. By heat unit accumulation, 2003 was the only vintage in recent times warmer than 2006.
- Concerns center on high sugars, high resulting alcohols and low acids
- Decanter's verdict: richly ripe but structured wines, drink soon, with the best appellations the Willamette Valley, especially mature higher elevation vineyards, and the Rogue Valley
- The only vintage in recent times warmer than 2006 by heat unit accumulation
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See the Pivot+- 2003 was a fiery Oregon growing season: Region II heat accumulations of 2,500 units, average highs of 78 degrees F from July through October, and half the normal rainfall at 2.75 inches.
- A few spring frost threats caused little recorded damage, and the typical July rain showers did not arrive.
- August was unusually warm with a few heat spikes that ripened fruit quickly, and harvest began by mid September with wineries scrambling to beat over-ripeness. Most fruit was in the cellars by mid October.
- Fruit was disease free, but the vintage's concerns were high sugars, high resulting alcohols and low acids.
- Decanter called the wines richly ripe but structured, advised drinking soon, and named mature higher elevation Willamette Valley sites and the Rogue Valley as the best appellations.
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