Lower Long Tom AVA

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau established Lower Long Tom AVA on November 10, 2021, with an effective date of December 10, 2021. The petition was submitted by Dieter Boehm, owner of High Pass Vineyard and Winery. The new AVA became the first in the southern portion of the Willamette Valley, the 22nd federally recognized winegrowing region in Oregon, and the 10th nested AVA within the larger Willamette Valley AVA. Its name derives from the Long Tom River and the regional designation Long Tom, both linked to the Kalapuyan people who lived in this area for more than 10,000 years.

• Petition filed by Dieter Boehm of High Pass Vineyard and Winery
• Effective December 10, 2021; Oregon's 22nd federally recognized winegrowing region
• First AVA in the southern Willamette Valley and 10th nested within the Willamette Valley AVA
• Name honors the Long Tom River and its association with the Kalapuyan people

Lower Long Tom sits within Lane and Benton counties, with approximately 90 percent of its 25,000 acres in Lane County and 10 percent in Benton County. The AVA lies about 20 miles northwest of Eugene and 20 miles south of Corvallis, entirely within existing Willamette Valley AVA boundaries. The terrain is defined by chains of rolling hills separated by east-to-west valleys carved by tributaries of the Long Tom River. Ridgelines reach elevations of 550 to 1,000 feet, and slopes average 20 percent grade, with the steepest gradients approaching 45 percent.

• 90% Lane County, 10% Benton County
• Rolling hills separated by east-to-west river valleys
• Ridgeline elevations of 550 to 1,000 feet
• Average slope of 20 percent; maximum approaching 45 percent

High sections of the Central Oregon Coast Range act as a weather shield, blocking the cool marine air that moderates temperatures elsewhere in the Willamette Valley. The result is a warmer mesoclimate with reduced disease pressure and more consistent fruit maturity season to season. This thermal advantage distinguishes Lower Long Tom from the cooler sub-appellations to the north and contributes directly to the richer fruit profile characteristic of wines from this zone.

• Coast Range high sections block cool marine air from the Pacific
• Warmer than surrounding Willamette Valley regions
• Reduced disease pressure due to drier growing conditions
• Consistent fruit maturity across vintages

The defining soils of Lower Long Tom are Bellpine and Bellpine-Jory clay-loams formed from uplifted ancient marine sediments, primarily sandstone. These sedimentary parent materials contrast with the volcanic Jory soils more commonly associated with the Chehalem Mountains, Ribbon Ridge, and other northern Willamette sub-appellations. The marine sediment origin, combined with clay-loam texture, influences drainage, water retention, and ultimately the mineral character available to vine roots.

• Bellpine and Bellpine-Jory clay-loams are the primary soil types
• Formed from uplifted ancient marine sediments, principally sandstone
• Sedimentary origin distinguishes Lower Long Tom from volcanic-soil northern AVAs
• Clay-loam texture affects drainage and water retention across the growing season

Pinot noir leads production and defines the AVA's reputation, expressing blue and black fruit character with plush tannins suited to graceful aging. The warmer mesoclimate and marine sediment soils contribute to this fuller, more structured expression compared to cooler Willamette peers. Pinot gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, and Riesling are also grown within the AVA. At the time of establishment, 12 wineries and 24 commercially producing vineyards farmed approximately 575 acres within the boundaries.

• Pinot noir is the primary variety, showing blue and black fruit with plush tannins
• Pinot gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, and Riesling also cultivated
• 575 acres under commercial production at establishment
• 12 wineries and 24 commercially producing vineyards at founding