Vintages

2019 Willamette Valley / Oregon Vintage

A cooler, wetter break from five warm years, defined by near-record early-summer rain and a September cool-down that complicated every picking decision.

2019 read cooler than the five vintages before it, and the reason was specific: substantially lower maximum temperatures, with minimum temperatures near or slightly above average, driven largely by higher humidity. That humidity also brought disease pressure, and near-record precipitation in late June and early July raised it further in the North Willamette Valley. Average bud break fell on April 16, bloom on June 8, veraison on August 14 and harvest on September 27. The vintage is remembered for early September rains and a rapid cool-down into October that complicated harvest-timing decisions. September and October heat accumulation was the lowest since 2007.

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Growing season

2019 started with a relatively mild early winter, then turned cold and wet through the second half of the season before giving way to a wet but warm spring. Despite the cold and snow of February, growing-degree-day charts across the Pacific Northwest were heading toward record territory soon after April 1. Average bud break came on April 16 and average bloom on June 8, and a cool June pulled degree-day accumulation back down from that record pace. The season had started warmer than average, with a few mild frosts in late April, and then moderated through mid-vintage with fewer than average heat spikes. Early summer is where the year turned. Near-record precipitation during late June and early July brought increased disease pressure to the North Willamette Valley. The cool character of the vintage came largely from substantially lower maximum temperatures, while minimum temperatures ran near average to slightly above, and that pattern was largely a function of higher humidity, which also drove the disease pressure. August was moderately warm with low heat stress compared with recent years, notably without the broiling string of 100-degree days that had characterized 2015. Dr. Greg Jones reported August conditions dry in the south of Oregon and slightly wet in the north. Average veraison came on August 14. As of the September 4 mid-season report, growing-degree-day tracking in the Willamette Valley, along with the Umpqua, Rogue and Walla Walla valleys, was running 10 to 25 percent above the 1981 to 2010 normal for April through August, but the same to 6 percent lower than at the same point in 2018: warm against the historical baseline, cooler than the prior year's pace. Average harvest date was September 27. The vintage is specifically noted for the early rains that arrived in September and the rapid cool-down into October, which complicated harvest-timing decisions.

A mild early winter gave way to a cold, wet second half of winter and then a wet but warm spring
Average bud break April 16 and average bloom June 8; a cool June pulled degree-day accumulation off a record early pace
The season started warmer than average with a few mild frosts in late April, then moderated with fewer than average heat spikes
Near-record precipitation in late June and early July brought increased disease pressure to the North Willamette Valley
The cool character came from substantially lower maximum temperatures, not lower minimums, driven largely by higher humidity
August was moderately warm with low heat stress and no string of 100-degree days; average veraison August 14
Average harvest date September 27, with early September rains and a rapid October cool-down complicating picking decisions

Key Facts

A relatively mild early winter in 2018-19 was followed by a cold and wet second half of winter and then a wet but warm spring
Average phenological dates for 2019 in the North Willamette Valley: bud break April 16, bloom June 8, veraison August 14, harvest September 27
The growing season started warmer than average with a few mild frosts in late April, then moderated with fewer than average heat spikes
Near-record precipitation in late June and early July brought increased disease pressure to the North Willamette Valley
The vintage's cool character came largely from substantially lower maximum temperatures, with minimum temperatures near average to slightly above, a result of higher humidity
Early rains in September and a rapid cool-down into October complicated harvest-timing decisions, and the Linfield report says the vintage will be remembered for them
Degree-day totals ended up similar to 2012 and 2018, with the lowest September and October heat accumulation since 2007

Heat accumulation in context

The numbers are the clearest way to place 2019. As of the September 4 mid-season tracking, Willamette Valley growing-degree-day accumulation for April through August was running 10 to 25 percent above the 1981 to 2010 normal, but the same to 6 percent below where 2018 stood on the same date. By the end of the season, degree-day totals had landed similar to 2012 and 2018, and the back end of the year was the real differentiator: September and October recorded the lowest heat accumulation since 2007. Phenological timing and interval lengths in 2019 tracked closely with 2018 despite the cooler overall character of the year.

Mid-season growing-degree-day tracking ran 10 to 25 percent above the 1981 to 2010 normal for April through August
At the same date, accumulation was the same to 6 percent below 2018's pace
Final degree-day totals ended up similar to 2012 and 2018
September and October recorded the lowest heat accumulation since 2007
Bud break, bloom, veraison and harvest dates tracked closely with 2018

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Where 2019 sits

After five warm vintages from 2014 through 2018, 2019 was a return to a cooler, more classic Willamette Valley growing-season profile. The phenological calendar looked much like 2018, but the character of the weather behind it did not: lower maximum temperatures, higher humidity, real disease pressure in early summer, and the lowest late-season heat accumulation in more than a decade.

A return to a cooler, more classic Willamette Valley growing-season profile after five warm years
Phenological dates tracked 2018 closely even though the season ran cooler in character
Degree-day totals landed similar to 2012 and 2018

Food Pairings

Roast chicken with mushrooms and thymeCedar-planked salmon with a simple herb rubDuck breast with cherriesMushroom and hazelnut tartPork loin with roasted apples and sage

Exam Study NotesWSET / CMS

Average 2019 phenological dates for the North Willamette Valley: bud break April 16, bloom June 8, veraison August 14, harvest September 27, tracking closely with 2018.
The vintage's cool character came from substantially lower maximum temperatures, with minimum temperatures near average to slightly above, driven largely by higher humidity.
Near-record precipitation in late June and early July brought increased disease pressure to the North Willamette Valley.
Early September rains and a rapid cool-down into October complicated harvest-timing decisions, and the Linfield vintage report says the year will be remembered for them.
Degree-day totals ended up similar to 2012 and 2018, with September and October heat accumulation the lowest since 2007, after five warm vintages from 2014 through 2018.

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