JamesSuckling.com 2019 scores for Oregon Wines are Out

As we await the full Oregon report in the next week or so, here are the Oregon reviews from JamesSuckling.com senior editor Nick Stock, who came to Oregon in May. (Note: you will need a subscription to log in and view the scores.) Said Nick: “It should come as no surprise the wines once again delivered a strong unified impression of rich flavors, structure and balance.”

Compared to the 2018 Oregon report, this year has about 50 more wines more reviewed, for a total of 451. This was the first time Oregon has been given a 99, for the Antica Terra Pinot noir Eola-Amity Hills Antikythera 2016. This wine has historically been a high scorer, but this vintage clearly bumped things up a notch for the reviewer.
In 2018, 92% of the Oregon wines reviewed had a score of 90 plus, or 374 out of 406. In 2019, that number soared up to 97% of Oregon wines reviewed had a score of 90+, or 438 out of 451. Here’s how we fared this year over last:

________2018              _____ 2019

99 points       0                      1

98 points       0                      0

97 points        6                      9

96 points       8                      18

95 points        9                      19

90+                374                 438

As for varieties, the top 5 spots were held by two Pinot noirs from Antica Terra and three Chardonnays from 00 Wines. They were:

1. Antica Terra Pinot noir Eola-Amity Hills Antikythera 2016
2. 00 Wines Chardonnay Willamette Valley EGW 2017
3. 00 Wines Chardonnay Willamette Valley Eola-Amity Hills Seven Springs 2017
4. 00 Wines Chardonnay Willamette Valley vgw 2017
5. Antica Terra Pinot noir Willamette Valley Obelin 2016

As for AVAs, the Willamette Valley and its nested AVAs dominate the top 18, and the Walla Walla Valley came in with all these rated at 96:

Hors Categorie Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2015 at 96
Horsepower Syrah Walla Walla Valley High Contrast Vineyard 2016
Horsepower Syrah Walla Walla Valley Sur Echalas Vineyard 2016
Horsepower Syrah Walla Walla Valley The Tribe Vineyard 2016
No Girls Syrah Walla Walla Valley La Paciencia Vineyard 2016

Quady North scored the highest from Southern Oregon with its flagship Syrah Mae’s Vineyard 2014 from Applegate Valley, with a 94, followed by fellow Applegater Cowhorn, with a 93 for its 2016 6 Grenache.