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Southern Oregon 2021: Vintage report

The 2021 vintage was a warm, rather than a hot one in Southern Oregon's Umpqua, Rogue and Applegate Valleys. Extreme heat in June was followed by more moderate temperatures throughout the rest of the summer resulting in conditions that made ripening come easy.

The region’s vintners welcomed the 2021 vintage after what was a cataclysmic year in 2020, marred by wildfire smoke. The heat dome phenomenon was the signature event of the growing season. Yet, as in the Willamette Valley further to the north, it occurred early enough in the summer not to impact the vintage’s final wines. Yields were below average, and the dry conditions marked the beginning of a drought that is still ongoing in this part of Oregon.

Overall, the wines from 2021 in Southern Oregon are riper in style, and the white wines show brilliant balance. While many of the red wines have yet to be released, they are tending towards opulence and ripeness overall.


Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 21 top wines from Southern Oregon in 2021


Warm but not hot


Southern Oregon 2021: Top-wines tasted


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