Vintage Weather

Willamette Valley

Temperature

Cold → Hot

Year	Temperature	Events	Read
2025	Warm	Heat spike	A warm, dry year ran early and fast, with small berries and concentration.
2024	Warm	Frost, Heat spike, Low yield	Textbook timing on the outside, a January freeze and July heat on the inside.
2023	Hot	Heat spike, Drought	A hot, dry summer and a September rain forecast made for a condensed harvest.
2022	Warm	Frost, Mildew / rot	An April frost burned the primary buds and a warm October still brought it home.
2021	Hot	Heat spike, Drought, Low yield	A record heat dome hit before veraison and the fruit came through clean.
2020	Warm	Smoke, Drought, Low yield	Labor Day wildfire smoke reshaped what was already a small, high-quality crop.
2019	Average	Frost, Harvest rain	A cooler, wetter season after five warm years, with rain at the start of harvest.
2018	Warm	Drought, Smoke	A very warm, very dry, very sunny year saved by a half inch of September rain.
2017	Warm	Heat spike	A cool wet spring, the warmest August on record, and a slow steady harvest.
2016	Warm	Heat spike	An early start, a moderate summer and a calm harvest with no weather pressure.
2015	Hot	Heat spike	Oregon's hottest year on record, picked early off a record crop.
2014	Hot	Frost, Heat spike	Record heat and a huge crop, all picked by October 1 with alcohols near 14.
2013	Warm	Harvest rain, Botrytis, Mildew / rot	A warm, early year cut in two by a 30-year rain event in late September.
2012	Warm	Drought, Low yield	A short crop from a wet bloom, then 100-plus dry days to ripen it well.
2011	Cold		Oregon's latest and coldest season on record, saved by a sunny late autumn.
2010	Cold	Mildew / rot, Botrytis, Low yield	Oregon's coolest season in 30 years, rescued by a long run of October sun.
2009	Warm	Heat spike, Harvest rain	A warm, swing-heavy year with long hang time and plentiful Willamette yields.
2008	Cold	Frost, Harvest rain, Low yield	A cold, late season saved by warm, dry October days for those who waited.
2007	Cool	Harvest rain, Mildew / rot	Weekly autumn rains delayed picking and gave high-acid, lower-alcohol wines.
2006	Warm	Heat spike	A warm, dry year with a big crop that gave rich wines and high alcohols.
2005	Cool	Harvest rain	A cool year where late September rain brought balance and supple, fresh wines.
2004	Average	Harvest rain, Low yield	Rain delayed a short crop, and the wait gave crisp, bright, classic wines.
2003	Hot	Heat spike	A hot, dry season that gave richly ripe wines with high alcohol and low acid.
2002	Warm		A dry, warm season with cool nights gave ripe wines with balancing acidity.
2000	Cool		A dry, even season that gave ripe Pinot Noir with moderate acids.
1999	Cool		A nerve-wracking cool year rewarded patience with firm, age-worthy acidity.
1998	Warm	Low yield	Tiny yields and ripe fruit made one of the decade's most concentrated years.
1997	Cool	Harvest rain, Botrytis	The wettest of three rain years, saved by aggressive thinning and early picks.
1996	Cool	Harvest rain	Oregon's wettest year on record still produced rich, structured Pinot.
1995	Average	Harvest rain	A promising spring undone by mid-harvest rain, yet elegant wines resulted.