2021 Willamette Valley / Oregon Vintage

The 2020-2021 Pacific Northwest winter ran relatively warm, 1.7 degrees F above the 1901-2000 period, with Oregon 1.5 degrees F warmer than normal. Drought conditions over the west continued into the winter, and most locations saw below-average winter precipitation, though the Willamette Valley came in close to average while eastern and southern Oregon saw about half of normal. The year opened in the North Willamette Valley with an ice storm that took out power. The growing season started relatively cool and continued dry. Many Oregon sites saw mild to moderate frosts in early to mid-April, an early-season heat event at the start of May, then an abnormally cold stretch beginning the third week of May. Another heat event arrived in early June, followed by a relatively cool and wet period around bloom. Rain fell in the first 10 days of June, as the Willamette Valley was flowering. Separately, Jackson Family Wines was about 20 percent down across the board. June rains left yields at The Eyrie Vineyards at about 75 percent of normal. Then came the heat. Over three days in late June a heat dome settled over British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest and broke all-time records by 5 to 10 degrees across the region and state. Salem reached a record 117 degrees F on June 28, and Portland had three consecutive days above 100 and an all-time record of 116 degrees F on June 28. The vines had already flowered, but the berries were still small, hard and green, not yet plumped up with juice and sugar. Growers moved to trim less of the leaf canopy to keep the grapes shaded and prevent sunburn, and damage to the vines and developing berries was less than anticipated. In terms of dehydration or sunburn, Jackson Family Wines did not see it. The north Willamette Valley is mostly unirrigated, and younger vines that were recently planted and not irrigated were at risk of dying. The rest of the summer ran warmer than average until a cooldown into October, with more days above 95 degrees F than normal across Oregon wine regions. The Willamette Valley had a 92-day growing-season dry spell with 0.02 inches of rain, and a five-day stretch averaging 103 degrees F highs. Unlike 2020, wildfire smoke visible in southern Oregon as early as July stayed at atmospheric levels and did not cause destruction in the vineyards. The valley's first significant rain in 95 days arrived in early September; at Eyrie, about two thirds of the harvest was picked, mostly whites, and the majority of the Pinot Noir was at about 21 to 22 Brix. Harvest started in early September for most Oregon wineries and, with lower temperatures across the state, ran long and measured. At Compris Vineyard, Pinot Noir was picked September 5 to 7, Tempranillo September 16 and Syrah October 4. Across the state, yield reports ranged from average to below average depending on region and variety, with most growers pointing to the combination of cold events in spring, rain during flowering and fruit set, heat events and a very dry growing season as downward pressure on yields.

• Warm winter, continuing drought, and a growing season that started cool but stayed dry
• April frosts, an early-May heat event and an abnormally cold late May, then a cool, wet bloom in June
• Jackson Family Wines was about 20 percent down; The Eyrie Vineyards was at about 75 percent of normal because of June rains; rain also fell in the first 10 days of June as the valley was flowering
• Late-June heat dome: Salem 117 degrees F and Portland 116 degrees F on June 28, records broken by 5 to 10 degrees
• Heat landed after flowering and before veraison with berries small, hard and green; growers trimmed less canopy and damage was less than anticipated
• A 92-day dry spell with 0.02 inches of rain, broken by the first significant rain in 95 days in early September
• Harvest began early September and ran long and measured as temperatures eased

Disease pressure was generally low, pest pressure relatively low and bird pressure little to none until later in the picking window, and the harvest presented very good to exceptional fruit quality across the state. The unirrigated vines at The Eyrie Vineyards handled the drought and early-season heat with aplomb, remaining green and vibrant throughout. Sam Tannahill, founder of A to Z Wineworks and Rex Hill, who buys fruit statewide, said when his harvest was about 40 percent finished: "No disease, high sugars, balanced acids and great flavors." Many winemakers celebrated 2021 as a return to the abundance of quality that is the hallmark of Oregon wine.

• Low disease pressure, low pest pressure and little bird pressure until late in the picking window
• Fruit quality was very good to exceptional statewide
• Eyrie's unirrigated vines handled the drought and early heat with aplomb and stayed green and vibrant
• Sam Tannahill, partway through his harvest: "No disease, high sugars, balanced acids and great flavors."

Sam Tannahill described the wines as darkly colored, concentrated, fresh and complex, and said the vintage will certainly rank as one of A to Z Wineworks' top five. A Willamette Valley vintage review said the wines achieved full ripeness while maintaining very good acidity. Noah Roberts, assistant winemaker at Nicolas Jay in Newberg, said 2021 is defined by the intensity of the wines, with a through line of acidity, and that the team now thinks it a great Oregon vintage. Michael Fay, vice president of winemaking at Domaine Serene, told James Suckling the 2021 wines are more delicate and elegant than 2022 and more influenced by the coolness of the harvest weeks, despite how warm it was earlier. Suckling's team rated 268 Pinot Noirs from the vintage and cited consistently high quality and mouth-watering balance, with Rose & Arrow, Nicolas Jay, Domaine Serene and Soter among those at or near the top in scores; Ponzi Vineyards and Bergström made two of the three highest-rated Chardonnays. Compris Vineyard said intense heat and long dry stretches made timing and quick decisions matter, and that in the glass 2021 is confident but not heavy, with depth with lift and structure with brightness.

• A to Z Wineworks' Sam Tannahill called the wines darkly colored, concentrated, fresh and complex, and a likely top-five vintage for the house
• A Willamette Valley vintage review noted full ripeness with very good acidity
• James Suckling's team rated 268 Pinot Noirs and cited consistently high quality and mouth-watering balance
• Domaine Serene's Michael Fay said the 2021 wines are more delicate and elegant than 2022, shaped by cool harvest weeks

James Suckling's team framed 2021 as part of a run of Oregon vintages troubled by natural events: wildfire smoke in 2020, heat spikes in 2021 and a sobering spring frost in 2022. The 2020 crop, after wildfires and smoke, was 29 percent smaller overall. Tannahill said 2021 followed two rather short years (especially dramatic in 2020) and delivered a good crop. Growing degree days in the Willamette Valley were the highest of the last four vintages; for most of the season they tracked close to 2015, one of the warmest vintages to date in the western US, until falling off some in August and further in October.

• Suckling's framing: smoke in 2020, heat spikes in 2021, spring frost in 2022
• The 2020 crop was 29 percent smaller overall after wildfires and smoke
• 2021 followed two rather short years, with the 2020 crop 29 percent smaller overall
• Willamette Valley growing degree days in 2021 were the highest of the last four vintages
• Growing degree days tracked close to 2015 for most of the season before falling off in August and further in October