by Erin Brooks
“Like most of the US West Coast in 2017, the vintage in Willamette Valley was punctuated by heat events and, to some extent, wildfires. A super-hot, dry summer was capped off by a very cool September and long harvest window. However, yields were prolific—much higher than many mid-season predictions—and had much more to do with quality this year than the heat. I tasted a wave of watery, flavorless wines, as well as a few severely processed and stripped wines from fire-ravaged northern and southern Oregon. The pressures of this vintage produced some duds, but those who kept yields in check and responded closely to the challenges of the growing season made some spectacular wines. The 2017 vintage in Willamette will be all about searching out the diamonds in the rough.”
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