This month we are featuring wines from the Laurelwood AVA — one of the many new AVAs that have popped up in Oregon over the past two years.

Oregon has added 4 new AVAs (or American Viticulture Areas) over the last two years — we are now up to 23! These unique, federally recognized grape growing areas can be stand alone areas or they can be “nested” within another AVA. Laurelwood is a sub-AVA of the Chehalem Mountain AVA which in turn is a sub-AVA of the Willamette Valley AVA.

This AVA encompasses over 33,000 acres and includes the highest elevation in the Willamette Valley, at 1,633 feet. It includes more than 25 wineries and 70 vineyards and was designated as a growing area because of its unique soil, recognized as Laurelwood, found on the north- and east-facing slope of the Chehalem Mountains

Our first red is a 2018 Pinot Noir from long time winery partner Dion Vineyards. Our second red is also a Pinot Noir, a 2020 wine, from brand new winery, Sidereus.

Our first white is a Pinot Gris from Raptor Ridge, one of the heritage wineries in the AVA. Our second is a Chardonnay from Six Peaks Winery.

I hope you’ll enjoy these wines as much as we do.