American Viticultural Area · OR
Chehalem Mountains
Chehalem Mountains is a federally-designated American Viticultural Area in OR, established in 2006. The map below shows its official TTB boundary alongside nearby AVAs.
The Chehalem Mountains boundary is highlighted. Nearby AVAs are rendered in gray — click any of them to view that AVA's page.
At a glance
Established
2006
State
OR
Climate
Cool maritime
Signature varietals
Boundary recorded in 27 CFR Part 9 · Source: TTB
About the Chehalem Mountains AVA
Chehalem Mountains, designated 2006, is a sub-AVA of Oregon's Willamette Valley and contains the single highest point in the valley, Bald Peak, at just over 1,600 feet. The AVA spans a broad uplift of hills southwest of Portland and is unusual for encompassing all three of the Willamette Valley's major soil types — volcanic basalt (Jory), marine sedimentary, and wind-deposited loess (Laurelwood). Elevations and exposures vary widely across its range. Chehalem Mountains lies within the larger Willamette Valley AVA and fully contains the smaller Ribbon Ridge AVA.
Pinot Noir is the signature grape, with Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Riesling also grown. Because the AVA covers so much variation in elevation, aspect, and soil, its wines are diverse, and producers often emphasize the specific soil type of a given block. It is one of the larger and most geologically varied of the Willamette sub-AVAs.
Nearby AVAs
Other American Viticultural Areas closest to Chehalem Mountains — useful when a vineyard sits inside more than one AVA at once.