North Williamette Valley - Dundee Hills- established 2005

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Touring Washington/Oregon

Dundee, OR

About Dundee Hills

Dundee is a colorful small town on 99W in the north centrl part of the Willamette Valley. It is home to many wineries, restaurants, and accomodations. The town was founded by a group of pioneer families. It was named for the home of William Reid from Dundee, Scotland. The town was incorporated in 1895, and the population is about 3000 people.

There is a colorful controversy between the "old timers" who lived in Dundee before the town became a tourist destination, and the wineries and assoicated businesses that have sprung up throughout the area. As you drive through, you'll sometimes see signs expressing different points of view.

Over 25 wineries and independent vineyard owners representing 44,000 cases of world-class Dundee Hills wine and 1,300 acres of prime vineyards, have united to form the Dundee Hills Winegrowers Association (DHWA).

Defining the Dundee Hills as “The heart and soil of Oregon wine” the Association highlights the unique relationship between soil, climate and vintners as expressed in exceptional wines.

“The Dundee Hills are the epicenter of Oregon Pinot Noir,” says DHWA President Sean Carlton of Archery Summit Winery. “Our red volcanic soils have long served as an expression of place, and a bottle of wine with ‘Dundee Hills’ on the label now pinpoints that origin.”

Located 28 miles southwest of Portland and 40 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the Dundee Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area) encompasses a total of 6,490 acres. The hills are effectively an island in the center of the sprawling Willamette Valley AVA. To the north, the Chehalem Mountains act as a buffer to the extreme winds and weather patterns often associated with the Columbia River Gorge. Grape vines also benefit from warmer nights and less frost than adjacent valley floors, and are not subjected to wildly fluctuating climatic influences.

The region’s geology dates back 15-17 million years ago when lava flows from northeast Oregon pushed into the Willamette Valley, covering all but the highest hills with up to 1,000 feet of basalt. The catastrophic Missoula floods 10-15,000 years ago deposited a blanket of sediment on land below the 200 ft elevation, sparing the original red volcanic hills above the small town of Dundee. Today, the 200 ft contour line defines the Dundee Hills AVA.

The unique relationship between volcanic Jory soils, elevation and protective microclimates has consistently proven ideal for vineyards, and the Dundee Hills have produced Oregon’s top Pinot Noirs for decades.

About the Dundee Hills AVA

Quality wine production in the Dundee Hills was initiated over 40 years ago, when pioneers such as David “Papa Pinot” Lett of Eyrie, Dick Erath and the Sokol Blossers cleared south-facing slopes to plant many of Oregon’s first vineyards. Despite the overwhelming consensus of the time that Oregon’s climate could not support a quality wine industry, they forged a new frontier in cool climate viticulture, pooling resources and learning experiences as they produced their early wines.

Their faith in the Dundee Hills as a premium winegrowing region was confirmed in 1979 when Lett’s 1975 Pinot Noir twice placed among the top three in a French-sponsored blind tasting of international Burgundies. Other wineries took note, including top Burgundy producer Maison Joseph Drouhin. When Drouhin embraced the Dundee Hills as the next frontier in Burgundian varietals, his 1987 decision to purchase 225 acres and build a winery ricocheted around the wine world, squarely placing the Dundee Hills--and Oregon--on center stage for premium Pinot Noirs.

Today, Dundee Hills wines enjoy a well-earned, international reputation for quality on all levels.

First Dundee Hills Passport Tour: April 22-23, 2006

The DHWA will host a “Passport Tour” on Earth Day Weekend, inviting the public to visit participating wineries and take part in vineyard seminars.

“Benchmark wines don’t happen overnight,” adds Carlton. “They require years of experience and teamwork between growers and winemakers, along with a solid understanding and appreciation for the soils and climate. We’re inviting people to see and taste how exceptional fruit, great winemaking and a shared sense of community are reflected in our wines.”

Appellation Maps

Dundee Hills