2016 Willamette Valley / Oregon Vintage

2016 continued the trend of the prior two vintages toward earlier timing across Oregon, as one of the earliest seasons on record. An unusually warm spring brought bud break two to four weeks earlier than normal. A short heat spell at bloom condensed the flowering period and left most producers with a smaller fruit set. Flowering came early, so the growing season was as long as or longer than usual, as much as 110 days for some. Summer then provided average conditions with fewer heat spikes than 2014 or 2015, which led to smaller berry size and a higher concentration of flavors. In most areas August was warmer than normal and shepherded along the early vintage, and cooler September and October temperatures left Growing Degree Day accumulation in the western valleys between the 2013 and 2014 totals. Oregon's autumn was warm and steady with little sign of troubling rain. Willamette Valley vineyards and wineries were largely finished with harvest by the end of September to early October. On crop size, yields were a mix of higher and lower than normal due to weather through fruit set, likely to average out to total production closer to normal for Oregon, unlike the last two large harvests.

• Bud break arrived two to four weeks earlier than normal after an unusually warm spring
• A short heat spell at bloom condensed flowering and cut fruit set for most producers
• Early flowering still left a growing season as long as or longer than usual, up to 110 days for some
• Summer was average with fewer heat spikes than 2014 or 2015, giving smaller berries and a higher concentration of flavors
• Cooler September and October left Growing Degree Day totals in the western valleys between the 2013 and 2014 figures
• Willamette Valley harvest was largely finished by the end of September to early October
• Yields were a mix of higher and lower than normal by region, likely to average out closer to normal for Oregon

The weather asked little of growers in 2016. Oregon's autumn was warm and steady with little sign of troubling rain, and by the first week of October many winemakers had already finished picking, with most wines in barrel after fermentations completed weeks before. Sashi Moorman, winemaker for Evening Land Vineyards, told Wine Spectator there was no weather pressure this year. Rollin Soles of Roco joked that the year was so mellow he did the whole vintage in a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops. The fruit came in practically immaculate with few signs of disease, pest or bird effects.

• By the first week of October many winemakers had finished picking, with fermentations completed weeks earlier
• Sashi Moorman of Evening Land Vineyards said there was no weather pressure this year
• Rollin Soles of Roco joked that he did the whole vintage in a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops
• Fruit came in practically immaculate, with few signs of disease, pest or bird effects

Despite an intense growing season due to the early start, fruit across the state showed wonderful concentration and complexity with characteristic natural acidity. Most winemakers characterized 2014 as ripe and opulent, and 2015 as ripe but less opulent, perhaps more cellar-worthy. Dick Shea of Shea Vineyards said the 2016s also had small berries and he expected them to be identical to 2015, but in the fermentations the wines showed more aromatic lift and less tannin, and were more elegant. Véronique Drouhin-Boss of Domaine Drouhin believes 2016 is similar to 2006, both warm years that made wines with more finesse than one might expect. Tasted from barrel, the wines were bright and expressive, already showing completeness.

• Fruit across the state showed wonderful concentration and complexity with characteristic natural acidity
• Dick Shea of Shea Vineyards found 2016 berries small, as in 2015, but fermentations with more aromatic lift, less tannin and more elegance
• Véronique Drouhin-Boss of Domaine Drouhin believes 2016 is similar to 2006, both warm years with more finesse than expected
• Tasted from barrel, the wines were bright and expressive, already showing completeness