Oregon got on the international wine map in 1979, when a major French wine négociant, Robert Drouhin, held a blind tasting in Paris to compare Pinot Noirs. David Lett's 1975 Pinot Noir took second in this competition, and suddenly the world was aware that Oregon could be a source of outstanding Pinot Noir. Today Oregon is the 4th leading state in the US producing wine, with 12,000 acres under vine, and about 250 wineries.