Eola-Amity Hills AVA
Encyclopedia
The Eola-Amity Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area
located in Polk County
and Yamhill County
, Oregon
. It is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA
, and stretches from the city of Amity
in the north to Salem
in the south. The Eola
and Amity
hills cover an area west of the Willamette River
approximately 15 miles (24 km) long by 6 miles (10 km) wide. The Eola-Amity Hills area benefits from steady winds off the Pacific Ocean
that reach the Willamette Valley
through the Van Duzer Corridor, a gap in the Oregon Coast Range
, moderating the summer temperatures. The Eola Hills were named after the community of Eola
, whose name was derived from Aeolus
, the Greek god of the winds.
to the east which keeps many weather currents from going much further east. Through the Van Duzer, cool pacific air comes more than 30 miles from the west in the afternoon to cool down the region, allowing the grapes to retain higher levels of acidity.
The majority of the year's rainfall comes between October and April with the peak months of growing season being relatively dry. However, harvest
time in late September and October can bring the hazard of rain, grape rot and dilution caused by the vines absorbing too much water from the wet soils and funneling that into the grape berries. Additionally, migrating
birds heading south for the winter will often prey upon ripening grape clusters as a food source.
The vineyard soils of the Eola-Amity hills include volcanic soils and shallow nekia over ancient basalt
beds. Throughout the AVA are soil deposits left over from the Missoula floods
.
, Seven Springs Vineyard that was planted in the late 1980s and Elton Vineyard located on the eastern side of the Eola-Amity Hills with 60 acres that were first planted in 1983.
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
located in Polk County
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....
and Yamhill County
Yamhill County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile . There were 30,270...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA
Willamette Valley AVA
The Willamette Valley AVA , is an American Viticultural Area which lies in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The AVA is the wine growing region which encompasses the drainage basin of the Willamette River...
, and stretches from the city of Amity
Amity, Oregon
Amity is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 1,614.-History:The town was established between 1848 and 1849 by Joseph and Ahio S. Watt, two brothers who had immigrated to Oregon over the Oregon Trail. Part of Joseph’s land claim became the...
in the north to Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
in the south. The Eola
Eola Hills
The Eola Hills are a range of hills northwest of Salem, Oregon, United States. They stretch from the community of Eola about north to Yamhill County.They are divided from the Salem Hills by the Willamette River at Eola....
and Amity
Amity Hills
The Amity Hills are a range of hills northeast of Amity, in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. A northern spur or extension of the Eola Hills, they are separated from them by a pass between Amity and Hopewell. They stretch about four miles from Amity towards Dayton Prairie. With the Eola Hills...
hills cover an area west of the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
approximately 15 miles (24 km) long by 6 miles (10 km) wide. The Eola-Amity Hills area benefits from steady winds off the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
that reach the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
through the Van Duzer Corridor, a gap in the Oregon Coast Range
Oregon Coast Range
The Oregon Coast Range, often called simply the Coast Range and sometimes the Pacific Coast Range, is a mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, in the U.S. state of Oregon along the Pacific Ocean...
, moderating the summer temperatures. The Eola Hills were named after the community of Eola
Eola, Oregon
Eola is an unincorporated community in Polk County, Oregon, United States four miles west of Salem on Oregon Route 22 at the confluence of Rickreall Creek and the Willamette River....
, whose name was derived from Aeolus
Aeolus
Aeolus was the ruler of the winds in Greek mythology. In fact this name was shared by three mythic characters. These three personages are often difficult to tell apart, and even the ancient mythographers appear to have been perplexed about which Aeolus was which...
, the Greek god of the winds.
Climate and geography
The Eola-Amity Hills has around 1,300 acres of the area's 37,900 acres planted to grape vines. Like most of the Willamette Valley, the Eola-Amity Hills experiences a maritime climate that includes mild winters but summers that are cooler and wetter than the continental climate experienced by Washington State's wine regions to the north and the Mediterranean climate experienced by many of California's wine regions to the south. The climate is influenced by the Pacfic currents that escape through the Van Duzer corridor gap between the Oregon Coastal Range and the Cascade rangeCascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
to the east which keeps many weather currents from going much further east. Through the Van Duzer, cool pacific air comes more than 30 miles from the west in the afternoon to cool down the region, allowing the grapes to retain higher levels of acidity.
The majority of the year's rainfall comes between October and April with the peak months of growing season being relatively dry. However, harvest
Harvest (wine)
The harvesting of wine grapes is one of the most crucial steps in the process of winemaking. The time of harvest is determined primarily by the ripeness of the grape as measured by sugar, acid and tannin levels with winemakers basing their decision to pick based on the style of wine they wish to...
time in late September and October can bring the hazard of rain, grape rot and dilution caused by the vines absorbing too much water from the wet soils and funneling that into the grape berries. Additionally, migrating
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
birds heading south for the winter will often prey upon ripening grape clusters as a food source.
The vineyard soils of the Eola-Amity hills include volcanic soils and shallow nekia over ancient basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
beds. Throughout the AVA are soil deposits left over from the Missoula floods
Missoula Floods
The Missoula Floods refer to the cataclysmic floods that swept periodically across eastern Washington and down the Columbia River Gorge at the end of the last ice age. The glacial flood events have been researched since the 1920s...
.
Vineyards
Established in 2006, the Eola-Amity Hills AVAs include several notable vineyards that have been provided grapes to wineries in order Oregon AVAs for years. Among the Eola-Amity Hills vineyards that will appear on vineyard designated wines include Temperance Hill Vineyard with 100 acres located northwest of SalemSalem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, Seven Springs Vineyard that was planted in the late 1980s and Elton Vineyard located on the eastern side of the Eola-Amity Hills with 60 acres that were first planted in 1983.