The Willamette Valley had really, really made it, but for those in the know, the ascendance of the pinot noir powerhouse in Portland’s backyard seemed almost inevitable.

In early February 1996, a confluence of natural forces turned the Willamette River into a monster that destroyed lives and property.

The Willamette Valley is crossed by the 45th parallel, that imaginary line halfway between the equator and the North Pole linking some of the world’s great wine regions.