Those wineries are quickly making a name for themselves due to the Tualatin Valley’s prime growing conditions. The picturesque valley, which is surrounded by the Tualatin Mountains to the north and east, the Oregon Coast Range to the west, and the Chehalem Mountains to the south, is part of the Northern Willamette Valley. It boasts rich soil and ideal terroir for cool climate-loving grape varieties such as Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, like other parts of the state. But it also has other advantages including cooler temperatures in the spring and dryer conditions during the fall harvest period that come from its unique location in the rain shadow of the Northern Oregon Coast Range. The valley’s elevation, between 200 and 1,000 feet, helps to the grapes from the precipitation that comes off the Pacific Coast with slightly lower rainfall than surrounding viticultural areas.