What Is Pinot Noir?
A Legacy of Elegance and Adventure
Pinot Noir (pronounced pee-noh nwahr) is a red wine grape variety from the species Vitis vinifera. Its name comes from the French words for “pine” and “black,” a nod to the grape’s tightly clustered, dark purple, pinecone-shaped bunches. Known for its elegance and complexity, Pinot Noir is one of the most cherished—and challenging—grapes in the world of wine.
THE SPIRIT OF OREGON
With its elegantly crafted Pinot Noir, Erath captures the true community spirit of Oregon, delivering a wine that offers authenticity and a connection to the land.
The Oregon Expression of Pinot Noir
Oregon’s Willamette Valley has earned a global reputation for producing Pinot Noir that rivals the great wines of Burgundy, France. Unlike the bold, fruit-forward styles often found in California, Oregon Pinot Noir leans into subtlety and nuance, shaped by the region’s cooler climate and unique terroir.
The grape thrives in Oregon’s northern latitude, where long summer days and cool autumn nights allow for slow, even ripening. This extended growing season helps develop the grape’s delicate flavors and refined structure. While harvest-time rain can be a gamble, warm Indian summers often reward vintners with beautifully balanced fruit.
Though inspired by Burgundy, Oregon Pinot has its own identity. The Willamette Valley’s volcanic and marine sedimentary soils, combined with Pacific breezes and coastal influences, create wines that are bright, fresh, and expressive. Compared to Burgundy’s earthy restraint and California’s ripe exuberance, Oregon Pinot strikes a graceful middle ground—fruit-forward yet elegant, vibrant yet grounded.
The Art Behind the Wine
Crafting Pinot Noir in Oregon is both a science and an art. At Erath, three essential elements come together to shape every bottle:
Climate: The region’s cool, maritime-influenced climate provides the perfect conditions for Pinot Noir to flourish. Warm days and cool nights help preserve acidity and build complexity.
Viticulture: Growers in the Willamette Valley have honed their techniques over decades, perfecting techniques to thoroughly ripen fruit and produce quality, uniquely flavored grapes.
Winemaking: At Erath, traditional methods meet modern innovation. The goal is to capture the essence of the vineyard—its terroir—in every glass.
The result? A wine that celebrates a sense of place while highlighting the essence of Oregon Pinot Noir. From its aromas to the palate feel, Erath wines represent traditional Pinot Noir but with its own twist by being light, delicate, and fruit-forward.
A Pioneering Spirit: The History of Oregon Pinot Noir
Oregon’s winemaking journey is rooted in exploration and resilience. A group of pioneers arrived in the 1960s, drawn by the promise of the land and the challenge of the vine.
Among them was Dick Erath, who planted his first Pinot Noir vines in the Dundee Hills in 1968. Inspired by the region’s similarities to Burgundy, he and a small group of visionary vintners believed Oregon could produce world-class Pinot Noir.
They were right. Ever the first Pinot Noir planting in 1965, many growers including Erath gained regoniton for their wines—cementing Oregon’s place on the global map.
Throughout the 1980s and beyond, Oregon’s wine industry blossomed. What began as a bold experiment has become a celebrated tradition, with Pinot Noir at its heart.