Oregon vs California Pinot Noir

Both Oregon and California produce exceptional Pinot Noirs, but there are some key differences you should know about if you’re a fan of this wine. An Oregon Pinot Noir is typically a more earthy expression of the local terroir, with elements of spice alongside its fruit, and a lower alcohol percentage. In contrast, a Pinot Noir from California is often a bigger wine that’s more fruit focused. It may be darker and a little fuller in body too. This is not so much a result of the style of any one winery but more so differences in climate and location.

In California, you’ll find Pinot Noir is generally planted along the coast, all the way from the Mendocino area north of San Francisco down to Santa Barbara. The grapes benefit from a maritime climate with morning fogs, afternoon sunlight, and a diversity of terrain, including some higher elevations and a range of soil types.

On the other hand, most of Oregon’s Pinot Noir comes from the Willamette Valley. This is a generally cooler region that sits 50 miles inland from the Pacific, on the other side of the Coastal Mountains. They see very little rainfall here from June to August, and get snow in the winter. Willamette is also on the 45th parallel which means daylight hours are longer in the early summer and then drop off steeply in the autumn, before harvest. Some wine experts cite this as a key factor in the heightened complexity of Oregon Pinot Noirs.

If you’re planning a nice dinner at home and you want to pick up a quality bottle of Pinot Noir from Oregon, expect to pay $30-65. A similar wine from California will run between $20 and $65. One thing to note is California also has some highly sought after wines made by smaller producers for $100+ a bottle, in addition to some mass-produced wines in the $10-15 range.

Other differences between Oregon and California

The Oregon wine industry is mostly made up of small wineries that predominantly grow Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and/or Chardonnay. In fact 65% of the wine Oregon produces is Pinot Noir. You can also find sparkling wines and some Riesling here, but that’s about it for Oregon. In contrast, California grows pretty much everything. They have more land and more diverse soil and climate types and as a result you’ll find Merlot, Cabernet, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, as well as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. California additionally has some much bigger producers with greater land holdings, sometimes in different parts of the state, and there’s a longer history of wine production here as they’ve been growing grapes since the 1800s.

Grape varietal origins

The Pinot Noir grape originated in Burgundy, France. Similar to Oregon, Burgundy is made up of smaller holdings with no one producer or winery dominating the region. You’ll find an abundance of historic vineyards and a cooler continental climate, along with some pricey wines that can start at $1000+.

How Pinot Noir came to America

When Pinot Noir was first brought to the United States, winemakers mistakenly planted it in some of California’s warmer regions. The grapes developed their sugars too quickly, but not their acidity. As a result, the wines were flabby, unbalanced and generally pretty bad. California learned its lesson and today Pinot Noir is mainly grown along the coast or at higher elevation locations where the climate is generally cool and average temperatures are lower.

Best regions for California Pinot Noir

California is a big state and you’ll find subtle differences in their Pinot Noirs depending on where they come from.

• Anderson Valley. This region is further north and the Pinot Noir here tends to have less fruit and be in a more mineral and terroir driven style. Expect a light to medium-bodied red wine that’s well balanced with boysenberry and mulberry, and some floral aromas.
• Sonoma Coast. Sonoma Coast actually has two sub regions where they make excellent Pinot Noirs. Fort Ross-Seaview is known for its steep mountain-side vineyards with shallow soil. Their wines are characterized by plum and boysenberry, along with baking spice notes. In Petaluma Gap, the vines are exposed to stronger winds and the wine has more earthy and herbal notes, ranging from anise to tea.
• Russian River. Further inland in Sonoma you’ll find the Russian River Valley. This part of California experiences big differences in temperature from night to day (up to 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit) and consequently their wines are bigger and in a more full-bodied style. See below for tasting notes.
• Carneros. Carneros spans the southern tip of both Napa and Sonoma where cooler temperatures and morning fog are common thanks to San Francisco Bay. Expect a well-structured and medium-bodied style with cherry, blackberry, spice and a silky texture.
• Monterey. To the south of Carneros is Monterey, which includes Santa Lucia Highlands, Arroyo Seco and Chalone, all sub regions where they make noteworthy Pinot Noirs. The vines here get cold ocean winds and breezes with morning fog, but temperatures can rise dramatically in the afternoon. Their Pinot Noirs are characterized by both raspberry and blood orange hints.
• San Luis Obispo. They make delicious wines here with dark plum, strawberry and a hint of spice. Look for Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande on the label.
• Santa Barbara. This area includes Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, and Santa Ynez Valley. They make more fruit forward Pinots with cherry and raspberry notes.

What makes Russian River so special?

Russian River Pinot Noirs are some of the highest-rated and most popular Pinots from California. You’ll run into them on many restaurant wine lists and there’s a good reason for that. Pinot Noir is typically a lighter red wine, but Russian Rivers can hold their own against red meats, including roasts and heavier dishes with stronger flavor profiles. They tend to be fuller-bodied with a richer texture, big fruit and a good balance of acidity. Expect dark currant and raspberry, kirsch, mulberry and hints of spice in this wine, with a long finish.

The 7 Appellations of Oregon’s Willamette Valley

Most Oregon Pinot Noirs come from Willamette, but within the valley there are seven recognized appellations, also called AVAs. You’ll note subtle differences in each area.

• Chehalem Mountains. Grapes here are planted along a 26-mile ridge line that has some of the most diverse soil types in Willamette. These Oregon wines have a rich mouthfeel with plenty of fruit forward cherry and blueberry notes, along with North African spices.
• Ribbon Ridge. This is the smallest of the AVAs. Ribbon Ridge Pinots are known for their long finish, with strong tannins. Expect a wine with dark fruits, blackberry, and spices.
• Yamhill-Carlton. In the foothills of the Coastal Mountains, Yamhill-Carlton is home to some of the most well-known wine producers in Oregon. In fact, it was also one of the first areas in the state to be planted. You can look forward to layers of blackberry and plum fruit with hints of black pepper.
• Dundee Hills. Dundee actually has the oldest vines in Oregon, dating back to the 1960s. The Pinots from this area are known for their silky mouthfeel, long finish and flavor profile of cherries, raspberries, strawberries and currants.
• McMinnville. This windy Oregon AVA produces wines with bold black-cherry flavors and blackberry, with hints of dried flower and savory spices.
• Eola-Amity Hills. The vineyards here are planted between small forests. Their Pinots are long-lived with savory and baking spice flavors, along with dark fruits and firm tannins.
• Van Duzer Corridor. This is the newest Willamette appellation, established in 2019. It sits in a break between the mountains, meaning it gets cooler winds off of the ocean and sees lower average temperatures. This gives the grapes a higher skin to pulp ratio. Wines from Van Duzer Corridor consequently have more earthy tones and are more tannic.

An Oregon winery may have holdings in several of these regions, so you want to look at the bottle label carefully to see if it’s a blend or a single-vineyard from a specific appellation.

Wine tip: AVA stands for American Viticultural Area and is the equivalent of the French Appellation Origine Controllée and the Italian DOC you see on many wine labels. AVAs are geographic growing regions that have been officially recognized for the particular characteristics of their wine.

Best wine food pairings

Pinot Noir is one of the best red wines to enjoy on its own or with a lighter meal. It pairs well with seafood, including sushi and oilier fish like salmon. It also makes a great summer red and it’s a surprisingly good match for duck and gamier meats. You might even pair this wine with your Thanksgiving turkey!

5 Tips for tasting Oregon and California Pinot Noirs

1. Pay attention to price. There is some mass-produced bulk California wine on the market (this is less of an issue in Oregon). Choose a bottle in the $20-65 range to ensure you get the best value for your money.
2. Try a fuller-bodied wine. Rodney Strong makes a delicious and affordable Russian River Pinot Noir and for a higher-end option, look for a bottle of En Route.
3. Serve them slightly chilled. To be sure your wine isn’t too warm and you can fully taste its fruit, it’s best to put it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before serving.
4. Explore the Oregon appellations. If you’re planning a trip out West, consider a few days of wine tasting in the Willamette! You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to wines from the different Oregon AVAs. Just check ahead to see if the winery you want to visit has a tasting room and book a tour if they have them available.
5. Select the right glass for your wine. There’s actually a specific glass that’s been created for New World Pinots. Compared to a regular Burgundy glass, there aren’t too many differences. Both are round with a wide bowl and slightly tapered top but the New World stemware has a different lip at the rim, which makes it best for tasting Oregon and California Pinot Noirs.