Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines Of 2020 Features Seven Oregon Producers - Forbes

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The Beaux Frères Vineyard in Oregon's Willamette Valley

Photo courtesy Cary Critchlow/The Beaux Frères Vineyard

Every year Wine Spectator, one of the leading wine magazines in the world, publishes a list of the top 100 wines in the world. The wines are selected from the more then 11,000 wines that are reviewed by the magazine’s editors each year.

Wines from Oregon’s Willamette Valley have been appearing on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list for the last two decades. In 2020, however, they won seven spots on the list, the most the Oregon wine industry has ever achieved.

Considering that Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine producers represent less than 1% of global wine output, that’s an impressive benchmark. It is further proof that the Willamette Valley’s Pinot Noir wines are world class, and that the region is increasingly recognized for the quality of its wines.

The selection of the Top 100 list is, according to Wine Spectator, is based on three criteria. Per the magazine:

Our selection prioritizes quality (based on score), value (based on price) and availability (based on the number of cases either made or imported into the United States). These criteria are applied to the wines that rated outstanding (90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale) each year to determine our Top 100…These wines are a diverse group—ranging from emerging labels and regions to traditional estates exploring new directions—and all generate the excitement we call the ‘X-factor’.

The top ranked Oregon wine, at #9, is the Beaux Freres Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge, The Beaux Frères Vineyard 2018 (MSRP $95). It garnered a score of 95. Senior Editor Tim Fish described this wine as:

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A wine of presence and expression, impeccably structured yet elegantly layered, with evocative raspberry, rose petal and brown baking spice notes that pick up richness and tension toward fine-grained tannins.

According to Wine Spectator, a wine that scores 95 points and above is considered a “Classic.” Wines that rate between 90 points and 94 points are considered “Outstanding.”

The other six Willamette Valley wines making the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 are:

#19: Résonance Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2017, 93 Points, MSRP $35

#29: The Four Graces Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Reserve, 2017, 94 Points, MSRP $40

#33: Ken Wright Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 2017, 91 Points, MSRP $22

#37: Bergström Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Cumberland Reserve 2018, 94 Points, MSRP $42

#64: La Crema Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2018, 92 Points, MSRP $35

#79: Stoller Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2018, 90 Points, MSRP $20

According to Tom Danowski, President of the Oregon Wine Board:

Placing a record seven Oregon wines among the world’s Top 100, and five in the top 40, is welcome recognition for Oregon and a reflection of the exceptional fruit and winemaking talent here.

Making its debut on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list is legendary Dundee Hills producer Stoller Family Estate. At an MSRP of $20, the 2018 Stoller Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is not only one of the world’s top wines but also an extraordinary value.

Founder Bill Stoller was quick to single out his exceptional winemaking team, noting:

Our Vice President of Winemaking, Melissa Burr, has been honing her craft over the last 15 years. She created an everyday Pinot Noir that embodies the spirit and complexity of our region. To have our 2018 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir place alongside some of the best in the world is a testament to Melissa and her team's dedication.

Oregon’s Willamette Valley Pinot Noir wines represent fantastic quality and value. It’s impossible to go wrong with any of these seven excellent picks from Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines of 2020.

Cheers

January 03, 2021 at 06:47PM
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Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines Of 2020 Features Seven Oregon Producers - Forbes

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