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“Oregon is increasingly recognized as the ‘Champagne of America,’” says Levi Seed, director of hospitality, head sommelier, and chef de cuisine at the Joel Palmer House Restaurant in Dayton, Oregon. “While there are distinct differences in soil and climate, compared to France, the quality of Oregon sparkling wine has evolved significantly since Rollin Soles founded Argyle in the 1980s.” Serving bottles from Domaine Willamette, Gran Moraine, Maison Jussiaume, and Roco RMS—where Soles is now head winemaker—Seed says despite rapid expansion in the sparkling sector “most modern producers are operating decades ahead of the original standards.”
With all the excitement we’ve seen for several years around Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it was only a matter of time before the state’s sparkling wine started gaining notoriety, too. Those varieties are the main ingredients in Champagne, so it makes perfect sense that Beaver State winemakers would add additional yeast to bottles to turn their still wine into delectable bubbles. With a history reaching back almost 40 years, production of Oregon sparkling has since grown so large that it has its own trade organization, Method Oregon, which boasts 55 member wineries.
