The Dundee Hills is the most famous wine-growing district in Oregon, a cluster of hills in Yamhill County where volcanic Jory soil, ideal elevation, and perfect southwest-facing aspects combine to produce Pinot Noir of extraordinary depth and consistency. When Robert Drouhin of Burgundy chose this specific sub-region for his Oregon estate in 1987, the Dundee Hills gained international recognition it has not relinquished.
Jory soil, ancient basaltic volcanic rock weathered over millennia into a well-drained, nutrient-poor growing medium, is the geological signature of the Dundee Hills. Pinot Noir vines planted in Jory must work hard, sending roots deep to find water and nutrients. The resulting wines tend toward concentration, structure, and a distinctive mineral quality that sets Dundee Hills Pinot Noir apart from other Willamette Valley sub-regions.
The Dundee Hills produces wines across a wide range of styles and price points, from Argyle's visitor-friendly daily tastings and Erath's accessible entry-level bottlings to the appointment-only collector estates and the benchmark wines of Domaine Drouhin and Stoller. It is the ideal starting point for any serious exploration of Oregon wine.
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