To become more visible in the American wine market, which is widely dominated by Californian wines, the producers of Oregon have decided to highlight their commitment to sustainable winegrowing. The movement began in 2005, but the certification programme for the wine industry was launched in 2008 by the Oregon Wine Board. Today, 29% of the vineyards and 11 wineries have obtained certification from one of the different accredited certifying bodies - Life Certified Sustainable, Demeter, USDA Organic, etc. The programme set up last year aims to promote sustainable principles both in the vines and in winemaking amongst 384 other wineries.

Oregon has 78,000 hectares (193,000 acres) of vines, almost 60% of which are Pinot Noir, a variety that has acclimatised very well to this region and its cool weather. (Source: Vitisphère.com)