Wine enthusiasts rejoice! Oregon’s preferred land of pinot noir has been named 1 of the greatest areas in the planet.

TIME magazine named the Willamette Valley in its list of “The World’s Greatest Areas of 2023,” calling the wine area “the subsequent Napa” noting its buzzy vineyards and hailing some progressive components in the nearby neighborhood.

“The wine planet let out a collective gasp in 2021 when Champagne property Bollinger produced its initial acquisition outdoors of France: not some location in Napa or Sonoma, but Ponzi Vineyards, which set the normal for Oregon winemaking back in the 1970s,” TIME wrote. “The Willamette Valley had definitely, definitely produced it, but for these in the know, the ascendance of the pinot noir powerhouse in Portland’s backyard seemed just about inevitable.”

The Willamette Valley was 1 of only a handful of destinations in the American West that produced the reduce. Vancouver, B.C., Yosemite National Park and Bozeman, Montana had been also on the list.

To make the list, “TIME solicited nominations of areas from our international network of correspondents and contributors, with an eye toward these supplying new and fascinating experiences.”

Neighborhood wine drinkers currently know all about the Willamette Valley’s a lot of tasting rooms, vineyards and boutique hotels that dot the valley. Towns like McMinnville, Dundee, Newberg and Yamhill anchor the wine area, which is discovered southwest of Portland.

It is 1 of quite a few superlatives earned by Oregon destinations this year. The towns of Joseph and Manzanita had been previously integrated in lists of the most stunning areas in the U.S.

Study Additional: Highway 18 revisited: Uncovering Yamhill County’s hidden wine treasures

— Jamie Hale

503-294-4077 jhale@oregonian.com @HaleJamesB

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