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Growth of wine industry seems to know no bounds |
Sales of Oregon wine grapes increased more than 27
percent in 2006 |
By
Amanda Newman, Newberg Graphic intern
E-mail Amanda at
anewman@eaglenewspapers.com
|
The Oregon wine industry has experienced
tremendous growth over the past few years and is currently booming,
particularly in the Willamette Valley, according to the Oregon State
University (OSU) College of Agricultural Sciences.
Recent reports indicate that Oregon wine grape crops posted sales
of $46.7 million in 2006, an increase of 27.6 percent from the
previous year. The production of wine grapes increased 25.6 percent
in that time.
According to the
Oregon Wine Industry, the number of wineries in Oregon has tripled
in the past decade, resulting in the more than 300 present today. In
2006, 49 new wineries opened across the state.
Most of Oregon’s 15 approved wine-growing regions are found in the
middle and southern Willamette Valley, where a Mediterranean-like
climate creates ideal conditions for growing pinot noir grapes,
according to a recent OSU press release.
Pinot noir was popularized in part by the 2004 film “Sideways,”
according to OSU wine chemist James Kennedy.
Of the 13,381 acres of Oregon wine grapes harvested in 2006, about
9,000 were pinot noir, according to the Oregon Agricultural
Estimates for Selected Commodities.
The cool Oregon climate, ideal for the pinot noir grape, also
presents some challenges: fall rains may come before the grapes are
able to fully mature, necessitating a premature harvest of
under-ripe fruit.
However, Kennedy expected the Oregon wine industry to continue to
grow, due in part to increases in diversification and to the state’s
role as a global leader in sustainable vineyard management.
Oregon wineries produce wine from 72 unique varieties of grape. Most
Oregon wineries are small operations, producing about 5,000 cases
each year. |
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From
June 6, 2007, Newberg Graphic
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