Given such a singular vintage, it may be hard to draw conclusions about the region in general. Nonetheless, it’s clear that, as in California, a new wave of Oregon producers is striving to make wine in a lighter, more restrained style. Although this has been true for several years, a vintage like 2011 certainly played to their strengths. Not one of the bottles in our tasting hit 14 percent alcohol, remarkable among New World wines that habitually leave that mark in the dust.

While most of the bottles ranged from 12.5 to 13.5 percent, some went as low as 11 and 10.5 percent. Why the disparity? Remember, though 13.5 percent is just 3 percentage points higher than 10.5 percent, that amounts to almost 30 percent more alcohol.

I think it’s fair to say that some producers felt it necessary to take the legal step in Oregon of adding sugar to the fermenting grape juice in order to boost alcohol levels and add richness. This technique, chaptalization, has a long history in cool-climate wine regions, although I doubt that it alone would account for a difference of 3 percentage points. In my opinion, it is one of the more benign manipulations available to modern winemakers.

Those working in the most natural style possible would be among the least likely to chaptalize. For what it’s worth, neither Teutonic Wine Company’s Bergspitze Laurel Vineyard pinot noir from the Chehalem Mountains (10.5 percent) or Bow & Arrow’s Medici Vineyard, also from Chehalem (11 percent) made our cut. I am a big fan of both producers and love many of their wines. Both of these were light and pure, and while I found them deliciously gulpable, others thought they were too dilute. I will say that at $36 and $30 respectively, it’s possible to find equally thirst-quenching wines for far less money.

Our favorite was Soter Vineyards North Valley cuvée, made from purchased grapes rather than from Soter’s estate vineyard, a deep, earthy, deliciously tangy wine that was our best value at $29. Right behind was the Soléna Hyland Vineyard from the McMinnville region, with persistent complex flavors of red fruit and minerals and a sleek, almost gossamer structure. We also very much liked the harmonious Les Dijonnais from Brick House in Ribbon Ridge, which gave a slightly richer impression, and the bright, graceful Beaux Frères Willamette Valley.

Two of the more unusual bottles in the top 10 were the Eyrie Vineyards Dundee Hills and Big Table Farm’s Willamette Valley. Eyrie is a historic Oregon producer characterized by its pale color and ability to age well for decades. This wine was especially light, yet it would be a mistake to think it is slight or under ripe. Instead, it was surprisingly complex with subtle floral and mineral flavors. Big Table is an up-and-coming producer that I hope to follow over the years. Its 2011 was fresh and inviting, and very much in the delicate, restrained mode.

While our 20 bottles were a good cross-section of the vintage, they did not include all the top producers. Notably absent were Domaine Drouhin Oregon and J. Christopher, which I’ve come to very much like over the last few years.

I don’t doubt this vintage will be polarizing. Those who do prefer richer, warmer wines may find some of these puzzling, as if they lacked sufficient flesh. Others may be charmed by their unusual delicacy. Either way, 2011 is proof that among wine’s best qualities is its power to surprise.