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
{"content":"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"}
Southern Oregon 2021: Top-wines tasted
{}
{"wineId":"75975","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75976","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75977","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75978","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75979","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75980","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75981","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75982","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75983","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75985","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75986","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75988","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75989","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74164","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75990","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"72848","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75991","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"72871","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75984","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75992","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"75987","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
Related articles
