NEWBERG, Ore. — One of Oregon’s premier winegrowing regions is celebrating a historic milestone.

The Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area, or AVA, marked its 40th anniversary on Dec. 1. Established in 1983, the area now has more than 700 wineries and is recognized globally for producing high-quality Pinot noir.

The Willamette Valley Wineries Association is planning a series of events in 2024 paying homage to the AVA and its pioneers, including a special wine tasting weekend March 2-3.

David Adelsheim, founder of Adelsheim Vineyard in Newberg, originally petitioned the federal government on behalf of the Oregon Winegrowers Association to create the Willamette Valley AVA, mapping its boundaries and describing its unique features.

“The Willamette Valley has become one of the amazing success stories in the world of wine,” Adelsheim said. “It’s been a rather remarkable ascent.”

‘More than just a name’

AVAs are designated by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, denoting places with distinct geography, climate, water and soils — collectively referred to as “terroir” — for growing winegrapes.

For a wine to include the name of a particular AVA on its label, at least 85% of its grapes must come from that area. The rules are even stricter in Oregon, with state law requiring 95% of the grapes come from the area.

The purpose, Adelsheim said, is to protect the integrity and reputation of what makes individual wine regions special.

“Having the AVA regulation has basically given strength to the idea that wine is a representation of place, in a way that it never was before,” he said.

Before 1979, when the U.S. adopted its AVA standards, Adelsheim said there was no formal process to ensure that wines actually came from a given area such as the Willamette Valley or Napa Valley in California. Winemakers relied on the honor system to ensure their products were labeled honestly.

Morgen McLaughlin, executive director of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, said AVAs today play a critical role in informing consumers about what they are drinking.

“Willamette Valley is more than just a name,” McLaughlin said. “It signifies a specific place where the grapes were grown and the wine was produced.”

‘It’s the climate’

The Oregon Winegrowers Association recruited Adelsheim to lead its petition for the Willamette Valley AVA, stretching 100 miles from Portland south to Eugene and bordered by two mountain ranges, the Coast Range to the west and Cascade Range to the east.

The expansive area adds up to nearly 3.5 million acres, with 27,202 acres of vineyards.

Since its establishment, there have been another 11 “nested” AVAs designated within the larger Willamette Valley, including the Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, Lower Long Tom and Yamhill-Carlton District.

Adelsheim, whose own winery lies in the Chehalem Mountains, said about 70% of all winegrapes grown in the Willamette Valley are Pinot noir. Another 14% is Pinot gris, 8-9% Chardonnay and about 1% Riesling.

The region, he said, has staked its reputation on a few environmental factors, but one stands out foremost.

“It’s the climate, stupid,” Adelsheim said. “Even with global warming, the climate, particularly at the end of the growing season, is cool, not hot, in most years. That means you can make wines that are more elegant, less alcoholic, and have perhaps fresher fruit.”

While the Willamette Valley was Oregon’s first AVA, the state now has 23 such areas, each with its own unique characteristics.

Winegrapes were Oregon’s seventh-most valuable agricultural commodity in 2021, at $271 million, and winemakers reported $956.4 million in sales last year, according to a report published by the state Wine Board.

Nielsen cash register data shows how AVA designations can add value to wine.

Over a 52-week period ending on June 30, 2018, the average price for Pinot noir labeled “Oregon” sold for $14.64 per bottle, and the average price for Pinot noir labeled “Willamette Valley” sold for $25.06 per bottle, a 71% price boost.

The industry’s growth has also attracted world-class restaurants to local communities and attracted tourism from around the world, Adelsheim said.

”This place welcomes and rewards the intrepid and adventurous, embodying a spirit of exploration and innovation,” he said. “While the changes in our vast region over the last 40 years have been momentous, the one thing that hasn’t changed here is we are still a close community, and we take care of each other.”

The Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area, or AVA, celebrated its 40th anniversary on Dec. 1.

Covering nearly 3.5 million acres, the expansive region has since become home to 11 “nested” AVAs, each with their own unique geography, soils and climate — collectively referred to as terroir.

These nested AVAs include:

• Chehalem Mountains.

• Dundee Hills.

• Eola-Amity Hills.

• McMinnville.

• Ribbon Ridge.

• Yamhill-Carlton.

• Van Duzer Corridor.

• Laurelwood District.

• Tualatin Hills.

• Lower Long Tom.

• Mount Pisgah, Polk County.

For more information about upcoming events celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Willamette Valley AVA, visit www.willamettewines.com.