Oregon’s wine industry is known for producing high-quality wines and a wide variety of grape cultivars. Since commercial production began in the 1960s, the state has earned a strong reputation, ranking fourth in the United States behind California, Washington and New York.
The state includes 23 American Viticultural Areas, with primary production in the Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon, Columbia Gorge and Eastern Oregon’s Walla Walla Valley.
By addressing emerging threats and improving production methods, OSU helps the state’s wine industry remain competitive, sustainable and resilient.
The Oregon wine industry is a significant contributor to the state's economy. In 2022, it generated an estimated $8.17 billion in economic activity and supported approximately 39,437 jobs statewide. In 2022, wine-related tourism generated approximately $758 million in revenue, supporting 8,806 jobs.
Oregon's wine grape harvest reached a record 137,065 tons in 2022. The state had over 44,000 acres of vineyards and more than 1,100 wineries. The industry’s focus on premium wine segments leads to above-average returns per ton and higher revenue per case compared to other states.
Oregon vineyards and wineries face growing challenges:
- Wildfire smoke affects grape quality.
- Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns affect vine health and fruit development.
- Grapevine diseases and pests threaten yield and wine quality.
- Rising labor costs and decreasing sales are contributing significant stress on vineyard and winery profitability.
These pressures increase the need for science-based solutions that growers and winemakers can use right away to product high quality grapes and wines as resource efficient as possible.
Oregon State University, through its Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension Service, supports the wine industry through research and outreach. The Oregon Wine Research Institute (OWRI), housed in the OSU Colege of Agricultural Sciences, brings together researchers in viticulture, enology, plant pathology, entomology and agricultural economics to tackle the industry’s most pressing issues.
To manage grapevine red blotch disease — an issue that affects berry ripening and reduces wine quality — a team of researchers at OSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service evaluated which vineyard insects may spread the virus, identified effective testing strategies to track the disease’s spread, and developed best practices to reduce the diseases impact in the field or in the winery.
To tackle the growing concern of wildfire smoke exposure, OSU formed a multidisciplinary research team to identify compounds responsible for smoke-related flavors in wine, and strategies in the vineyard and winery to mitigate the impact these compounds may have on the wine. This included the use of vineyard sprays to prevent uptake of smoke compounds into the grapes and winemaking options to reduce the sensory impact.
These efforts support growers and winemakers in making timely, cost-effective decisions throughout the production cycle. The research involves multi-institutional collaboration and is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Oregon Wine Board, the American Vineyard Foundation and the Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research.
Additional OWRI research explores how microbes influence wine quality, particularly aroma development and spoilage. This work helps winemakers manage microbial activity during fermentation and storage to ensure product quality.
In support of sustainable viticulture, Extension faculty conduct applied research and create outreach tools that promote grapevine health. Their work deepens the understanding of vine physiology and helps growers adopt science-based practices tailored to Oregon’s unique growing conditions.
OSU researchers have a long history of advancing viticulture and enology. Past achievements include isolating the first malolactic bacteria that can grow at low temperatures and pH, importing Dijon clones of Pinot noir and Chardonnay to the United States, and organizing the first International Cool Climate Symposium for Viticulture and Enology in 1984.
In addition to research, OSU Extension faculty based on campus or at experiment stations located throughout the state offer one-on-one support, online newsletter and web content, workshops, field days and more to meet the needs of industry. Topics encompass the life of a vineyard and production of wine and meet the needs of all grape growers and winemakers, from those new to production to those with decades of experience.
OSU’s long-standing commitment to the wine industry ensures growers have access to reliable information and practical tools. By addressing emerging threats and improving production methods, OSU helps the state’s wine industry remain competitive, sustainable and resilient.
