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The Cork Stops Here: Biggest of the bunch

Arts and Entertainment | Fri, 01/08/2010 - 7:14 pm | Read 286 | Commented 0 | Emailed 0
By Karl Klooster

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Production figures on the 2009 vintage in Oregon haven’t yet been compiled, but when the National
Agricultural Statistics Service releases it annual report in late February of 2010, the totals will almost
certainly exceed 2008 by a considerable margin.

Last year, total tonnage came in at 34,700, compared to 38,600 in 2007, an 11 percent drop. Using an
average of 63 cases per ton to arrive at 12/750 ml case production, the figures translate to 2.19 million
cases in 2008 and 2.43 million cases in 2007.

A just-completed Oregon Wine Press survey of the state’s 20 largest wine production facilities found
that they alone accounted for an estimated 1.53 million cases in 2009 as compared to 1.17 million
cases in 2008.
King Estate, with 179,000, continued to lead the pack in both production at a single winemaking facility
and by a proprietary brand or brands. Put in perspective, however, the southern Willamette Valley
winery may be Oregon’s largest, but in terms of the industry as a whole it falls on the low side of
medium-sized.
Coming in a solid second once again was the combined A to Z/Rex Hill operation at 135,000 cases,
followed by Willamette Valley Vineyards in third place with 129,000 cases. Though the top two had
incremental increases of 11 and 4 percent respectively over 2008, Willamette Valley made a single-
year leap of 41 percent.
Three other wineries — all of which produce custom crush wines along with their own brands —
showed similarly exceptional results.
Bridgeview Vineyard and Winery led the way in Southern Oregon, with production of 50,000 cases at
its Cave Junction facility and 75,000 cases overall for the brand. Dundee-based Wine by Joe’s jump
from 84,000 to 127,000 cases, represented a whopping 52 percent increase.
Perhaps the most impressive of all was Eola Hills Cellars, which shot up from 38,700 cases, which put
it in 10th place among brands in 2008, to 63,500 cases and fifth place for 2009.
The Rickreall winery produced a total of 102,000 cases in all of last year, compared with 67,800 cases
in 2008, or a 50 percent increase. Winemaker Steve Anderson said they anticipate harvesting more
than 1,000 tons just of pinot noir from their own vineyards within the next five years.
Size, of course, doesn’t necessarily indicate quality. But all of the wineries on this year’s list are
premium producers by any measure and most of them seem to be well-positioned with wines covering
a range of competitive price points, good name recognition and well-established distribution networks.

If any lesson has been learned in the past year or two, it’s that price is important even to discerning
consumers and only a handful of the most coveted brands can hope to survive with only expensive
wines in their portfolio.

Oregon’s largest wineries are solid players who seem to have taken heed from that message and will
make the adjustments necessary to emerge from these difficult times not only intact but better for the
experience.

Karl Klooster, the News-Register’s regional editor and wine columnist, can be reached by e-mail at
kklooster@newsregister.com or by phone at 503-687-1227.

http://www.newsregister.com/article/42804-cork+stops+here+biggest+bunch 1/9/2010