WSET® Level 4 D3 Wines of the World > D3 - Oregon > Flashcards

D3 - Oregon Flashcards

Examines the regions, grapes, methods of production, and styles of Oregon. (41 cards)

Study These Flashcards
1
Q

The first person to plant V. vinifera in the Willamette Valley was _____ in the year _____.

What grape did this person plant?

A
  • David Lett
  • 1966
  • Pinot Noir
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Oregon

  1. What is the general climate?
  2. What are the climate influencers?
A
  1. Cool to moderate climate
  2. Cold ocean currents + cool Pacific winds
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What helps grapes to achieve full ripeness in Oregon?

A

Long daylight hours, both in summer and fall.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Oregon

  1. What are its soils?
  2. What is its annual rainfall, and when during the year does most of the rain fall?
A
  1. Marine sediment, volcanic, loess – all free-draining
  2. High rainfall (~1000mm), mostly during winter
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What makes Oregon such a good place to practice sustainable, organic, and biodynamic viticulture?

A

Its dry summers and breezy conditions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the 3 most common Pinot Noir clones planted in Oregon?

A
  1. Wadenswil
  2. Pommard
  3. Dijon
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What winemaking techniques for Pinot Noir are on the rise in Oregon?

A
  1. Whole bunches in fermentation
  2. Ambient yeasts
  3. Amphorae
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What two general styles of Pinot Gris will one find in Oregon?

A
  1. Fruity style made with whole bunch pressing and cool fermentation in stainless steel
  2. Fuller style made with skin and lees contact in old oak
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Oregon Chardonnay tends to have a reductive, struck match aroma to it. What causes this aroma?

A

Leaving the Chardonnay in contact with the lees but not stirring the lees promotes low levels of sulfur compounds.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Are Oregon Chardonnays typically leaner (no malo/stainless steel) or richer (malo/oak matured)?

A

Richer (malo/oak matured)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Which three AVAs does Oregon share with Washington?

A
  1. Columbia Gorge AVA
  2. Columbia Valley AVA
  3. Walla Walla Valley AVA
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Which AVA does Oregon share with Idaho?

A

Snake River Valley AVA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the 11 sub-AVAs of the Willamette Valley AVA?

A
  1. Chehalem Mountains
  2. Dundee Hills
  3. Eola-Amity Hills
  4. Laurelwood District
  5. Lower Long Tom
  6. McMinnville
  7. Mount Pisgah, Polk County
  8. Ribbon Ridge
  9. Tualatin Hills
  10. Van Duzer Corridor
  11. Yamhill-Carlton District
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What mountain range lies to the west of Willamette Valley?

A

Coast Range

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What makes the diurnal range so large in parts of the Willamette Valley?

What are the greatest effects of this diurnal shift, and which AVAs sees the strongest effects of this shift?

A
  • Warm air rises further inland from the Willamette Valley, which sucks in cool Pacific air through breaks in the Coast Range (strongest early in the day, also happens in the early evening)
  • This cool air drops temperatures quickly, so fluctuations happen fast – the breezes also lower humidity and keep the growing season pretty dry
  • Van Duzer AVA, Tualatin Hills, Eola-Amity AVA, and parts of McMinnville AVA
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q
  • What are the soils of the valley floor in the Willamette Valley?
  • Which grape is best suited to these soils?
A
  • Fertile loam soils which were deposited by floods that occurred several thousand years ago
  • Pinot Gris
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

This isn’t in the reading materials, but what’s the best way to remember that Dundee Hills AVA has volcanic soils?

Study These Flashcards
A

They’re known as “the red hills of Dundee” – the soils are iron-rich clay derived from volcanic basalt.

Photo courtesy of author
18
Q

Dundee Hills AVA is warm yet is known for making Pinot Noirs with higher acidity. How is this explained?

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Warm → protected from the Pacific by the Coast Range and by the Chehalem Mountains to its north, so it’s well insulated
  • Acidity → vineyards planted at higher altitudes here than most other AVAs (60-325 m asl)
19
Q

Why can’t Chehalem Mountains AVA be easily defined?

Study These Flashcards
A

It has a range of altitudes, soils, aspects, and a variety of grapes planted with winemakers making various styles of wine.

20
Q

Why is Ribbon Ridge AVA known for making wines with concentration?

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Deep, infertile, sedimentary soils (low vigor) with moderate water-holding capacity
  • Most vineyards low in elevation
  • AVA protected from cold Pacific winds so it’s always dry and warm
21
Q

Why is Yamhill-Carlton AVA also known to be a warmer AVA producing full-bodied wines with ripe flavors?

Study These Flashcards
A
  • South-facing slopes
  • Warm, free-draining sedimentary soils
  • Protected by Coast Range from cold Pacific winds
22
Q

Why does Van Duzer Corridor AVA produce lower grape yields?

Study These Flashcards
A

The cool Pacific winds

  1. Cool Pacific air enters the AVA through the Van Duzer Corridor, cooling down the AVA in the afternoons during what would be the warmest time in the day.
  2. Early in the season, the winds can disrupt flowering and fruit set, and lead to lower yields.
  3. Later in the season, the winds can cause the vine leaf stomata to shut and slow ripening.

23
Q

What are the geographical influencers of McMinnville AVA?

Study These Flashcards
A
  1. Coast Range (rain shadow)
  2. Van Duzer Corridor
24
Q

What three factors make the diurnal range so high in Southern Oregon?

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Altitudes
  • Cool mountain downdrafts
  • River valleys funnel in cool breezes in the afternoon and evenings
25
# Fill in the blank: Compared to Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon generally has a \_\_\_\_er climate and \_\_\_\_er rainfall.
* **Warmer** climate * **Lower** rainfall
26
The two AVAs of Southern Oregon you need to know for the exam are:
1. Umpqua Valley AVA 2. Rogue Valley AVA
27
What creates the diverse vineyard sites in Umpqua Valley AVA?
* It sits at the convergence of 2 mountain ranges*, so lots of altitudes, aspects, and soils * Umpqua River and its tributaries carved out various aspects ## Footnote *The two mountain ranges are the Coast Range and the Cascade Range
28
Oregon's warmest and driest grape growing conditions are found in this AVA.
Rogue Valley AVA
29
What are the cooling influencers in Rogue Valley AVA?
1. Altitude (250-950 m asl) 2. Cool Pacific breezes funneled in through the Rogue River Valley
30
* What is the sub-AVA in Walla Walla Valley AVA? * What makes it unique?
* The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA * Unique soil: basalt stones and graveled silt loam, which radiate warmth → extra ripeness
31
* Which part of Columbia Gorge AVA is cooler and wetter? * Why?
* The western side – it's closer to the Pacific * The eastern side is warmer and drier
32
# Fill in the blanks: Wine laws are a lot more strict in Oregon than they are elsewhere in the United States. For an Oregon wine, \_\_\_% of the grapes must be grown in Oregon. If an Oregon appellation is on the label, \_\_\_% of the grapes must come from that appellation.
* 100% must be grown in Oregon * 95% must come from a stated appellation
33
# Fill in the blanks: 1. If a grape variety is stated on a label of Oregon wine, \_\_\_% of the wine must be that grape. 2. If an Oregon wine has “estate bottled” on the label, \_\_\_% of the grapes must be grown in the winery’s AVA and it must be fully finished at the estate.
1. 90% stated grape 2. 100% for "estate bottled"
34
Oregon's top three export markets are:
1. Canada 2. UK 3. Japan
35
Laurelwood District AVA is nested entirely within which other AVA?
Chehalem Mountains AVA
36
Laurelwood District AVA is known for what type of soil?
Laurelwood windblown Loess
37
500 m asl is the highest altitude found in the Willamette Valley in this AVA.
Laurelwood District AVA
38
Which AVA is in the northwesternmost corner of the Willamette Valley?
Tualatin Hills AVA
39
What are the soils of Tualatin Hills AVA? How does the soil impact the grapes' ripening?
Laurelwood windblown loess with basalt at the lower levels, resulting in late ripening grapes.
40
* What is Tualatin Hills AVA named for? * Where is the Pacific Ocean in relation to Tualatin Hills AVA?
* Named for and defined by the **watershed of the Tualatin River** * Pacific Ocean is only 39 kilometres / **24 miles to the west**, so the ocean impacts the AVA
41
# Fill in the blank: Willamette Valley is the wettest region in Oregon, but it only receives \_\_\_\_mm of rain during April to September.
~200 mm
WSET® Level 4 D3 Wines of the World
flashcards
Decks in class (46)
# Cards
Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2026 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions