Oregon Wines from the Dundee Hills- Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay
Here at Lange Estate, we recently finished our 25th harvest! Watch below as Jesse Lange recaps and reflects on the 2011 harvest/crush. Dubbed “The Miracle Vintage,” this year’s harvest was the latest on record, but good weather at the last minute allowed fruit to ripen and amazing wines were made.
While one of the latest seasons on record, 2011 is shaping up to be an epic harvest. Many of the earlier and younger sites are already picked and in the winery, and the remainder are developing beautiful flavors as we speak.
Overall vine health is still very high and fruit integrity has been superb. Frankly, I’ve never seen this kind of physiological ripeness (brown seeds, thick skins, mature and complex flavors) at relatively low sugar levels.
We’ve farmed our butts off this year, and much like 2010, the prize will be worth the dedicated work. A vintage like this wouldn’t have materialized for Oregon viticulture in the 1980′s, but due to our cutting-edge, progressive farming these days, we find ourselves positioned for success here in 2011.
Cheers!
Jesse Lange, GM/Winemaker
Last Friday the crush crew processed 50 tons of fruit to kick off Lange Estate's 25th harvest.
Our wine grapes here at Lange Estate are delicious. You can’t really blame anyone (birds) for wanting to eat them, but if they’re eaten before they hit the crush pad, we can’t make as much delicious wine. And to the best of my knowledge, none of the grape-gobbling critters (birds) out there have ever paid a meal tab.
We like birds most of the year, but the tune changes come Fall. One of the telltale signs of harvest is the sound of bird cannons, firing at intervals across the valley. Emitting noise like a gunshot, these are designed to scare freeloading birds from vineyards, so they don’t devour the crop. Other humane, non-lethal methods include the BirdGard distress-call system, owl decoys, owl balloons, netting, metallic streamers, and my new favorite: a rousing combination of RTV, horn, and both cracker and whistle shells.
Everyone around the valley this harvest has reported heavier-than-usual bird activity. Apparently, the winged gluttons are waiting to migrate until their bellies are full of Pinot Noir. Here at Lange Estate, we usually get by with our trusty BirdGard system. This year, however, we’ve upped the ante with automatic cannons, and those oh-so-fun cracker and whistle shells, which to me, mimic the sound of an M-80 firecracker and Whistling Pete bomb, respectively. I had to laugh yesterday when I spotted (and heard) Ben tearing down vineyard rows in the RTV, incessantly honking the horn while firing shells. 
Our Estate Mia Block and North Block were harvested today, so the flocks will eventually be forced to find their next feast. It won’t be long before our ears stop ringing and we resume usual rapport with our feathery fiends … er, friends.
From the Oregon Wine Board:
2010 Preliminary Oregon Harvest Report
Harvest later than normal, but a warming trend in late September and early October advances ripening, with winemakers and growers thrilled with the potential for a balanced vintage with lower alcohols
October 13, 2010 — Oregon experienced a relatively dry and warm winter highlighted by the warmest January and February on record in most locations. Spring arrived with very cool conditions statewide from April through June, but the July through September timeframe and early October temperatures have been near normal to slightly cooler than normal statewide with fewer than normal heat spikes, according to Dr. Greg Jones, a climatologist at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon who monitors conditions throughout the state’s winegrowing regions.
Statewide, a relatively dry winter was followed by a relatively wet spring. But September through early October shows close to normal rainfall totals.
As of October 11th, the 2010 vintage cumulative growing degree day (GrDD) values for four sites throughout the state are tracking slightly down from 2008, one of the best vintages Oregon has experienced.
The result is a harvest on average two to three weeks behind schedule, but with warm conditions in early October and a forecast for warm, relatively dry days ahead, growers and winemakers patiently await further indications of ripeness before making the call to harvest.
Winemakers and growers report lower yields, small berries and full flavor development at lower brix levels – all signs pointing toward the potential for high quality wines with lower alcohols.
Statewide, harvest is expected to be in force in the Willamette Valley in the next week or so. In Southern Oregon, ripening whites are being harvested with Pinot noir coming in as well, but warm climate varietals are expected to be harvested in the next ten days. In Eastern Oregon, reports of Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay are in, with other varieties soon to follow. In the Columbia Gorge, Pinot noir will be coming off the vine in the next week with other varieties to follow. The bulk of harvest activity for all regions is likely to continue throughout the month of October.
“Late can often translate to great,” said Sam Tannahill, interim executive director of the Oregon Wine Board and Director of Viticulture and Winemaking for A to Z Wineworks/REX HILL. “The timing of this year’s harvest is not particularly unusual for our industry and we are a wine region that thrives on farming on the edge. All signs are pointing to the potential for great wines with balance, elegance and finesse.”
The current forecast by the Climate Prediction Center calls for a high pressure ridge position that is projected to bring warmer than normal temperatures and generally dry conditions through the month of October, allowing growers to harvest in very good conditions, according to Jones.
18380 NE Buena Vista Drive, Dundee, OR 97115 • 503 538-6476
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