Oregon's 50 Best Wines
An oenophile's guide to 50 of our best regional wines, including 20 deals under $20
By Condé Cox
Rating 90
No. 15
Archery Summit Winery
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Premier Cuvée’
Dundee Hills
$48, 6–8 years
A brooding wine that needs time to unwind and reveal its lingering depth and complexity.
No. 16
Chehalem
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Statement’
Willamette Valley
$99, 6–8 years
Intense black fruits, massive concentration, and plenty of alcohol.
No. 17
Domaine Drouhin Oregon
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Laurène’
Dundee Hills
$65, 6–8 years
Perennially one of Oregon’s best wines, the 2006 Laurène will be most enjoyable after a few more years in the bottle.
No. 18
Domaine Serene
2006 Chardonnay
‘Etoile’
Willamette Valley
$45, 4–6 years
Well balanced, with well-integrated oak flavors reminiscent of Chassagne-Montrachet.
No. 19
Hawks View Cellars
2008 Pinot Gris
Chehalem Mountains
$24, drink now
Long, with intense Granny Smith green-apple flavors. The best Oregon pinot gris I’ve ever tasted.
No. 20
Lemelson Vineyards
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Meyer Vineyard’
Willamette Valley
$48, 4–8 years
Clean, pure pinot noir plum and berry flavors, with more intensity than complexity.
No. 21
Penner-Ash Wine Cellars
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Dussin Vineyard’
Willamette Valley
$60, 6–7 years
Typical varietal flavors and good length in this mouthwatering wine.
No. 22
Remy Wines
2006 Lagrein
Willamette Valley
$60, 5–8 years
A richly textured, rustic, highly tannic wine made from very low-yielding vines, with the scent of wild mulberries. This is a rare Italian grape variety, recently introduced to Oregon.
Published: September 2009