Gran Moraine takes its name from the cataclysmic floods that occurred in the northern Willamette Valley of Oregon during the last ice age. As the flood waters receded, they sculpted the region, leaving a distinct pattern of small indentations or mini valleys (moraines)—much like the Côte ’Or in Burgundy.
Located in the special Yamhill-Carlton AVA, the status was granted in 2004 to distinguish fruit grown in the oldest marine sedimentary-based soils in the greater Willamette Valley. In addition, the AVA is located primarily on hillsides between 200 and 500 feet in elevation, the sweet spot for distinctive, age-worthy Pinot Noir.
