Here in the Willamette Valley, wine is a part of life. The vineyards are hard to miss, even as they intermingle with hazelnut orchards, hops farms, alpaca paddocks and nurseries. Tasting rooms dot the hillsides and downtowns, and more wineries and wine labels appear every year. The wine business is becoming an increasingly important part of the local economy, especially considering that wine consumption is on the rise in America. Pinot noir sales continue to grow, and winery-direct shipments exploded in 2014. “Eno-tourism,” or wine country vacationing, is booming.

More subtly, wine is part of our identity and story. People in London, Tokyo, and Auburn, Alabama see and think about the Willamette Valley every day, if only subconsciously. They see it spelled out at the local wine store, on the bottle on their counter, or treasured deep in their cellar, (or more likely, their basement.)

International recognition can be dizzying, but for the most part, our wineries and winemakers enjoy the opportunity to share their love of wine with the whole world.

As people pick up bottles from all over the state of Oregon, they naturally begin to ask questions as well. Why does pinot noir grow so well here, and often taste more ‘Burgundian’ than pinot noir grown in other parts of France? How do we deal with all the rain? Are there any wineries in Portland? How do you pronounce ‘Jory’ soil? (With a hard j, like ‘jury.’) And why is red soil so special?

We’re excited to help wine-lovers answer these questions, and learn more about Oregon and international wines. Located in downtown Newberg, The Oregon Wine Education Center plans to host seminars, workshops and certification classes for locals, wine industry professionals and visitors. We will focus on the richness of the Willamette Valley’s terroir, climate, winemakers and wines, (Pinot Noir included,) as well as extend our vision to surveying the entire world of wine. We are also excited to examine the fascinating local spirits, beer and coffee produced in Oregon, and their parallels to wine.

In addition, we’ll be posting up news, articles and insights into Oregon’s wines here at this blog.

We’re looking forward to peering through the wine glass with you. Cheers!