Oregon wineries are ushering in a ‘new era for Oregon bubbles’

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A group of 50 Oregon wineries is teaming up to transform the state into a “global destination” for sparkling wine.

In March, the wineries launched Method Oregon, a nonprofit made by and for sparkling winemakers — ranging from wineries with decades of experience perfecting sparkling Oregon wine to other brands that are new to the scene.

With Method Oregon, the wineries are creating a standard for producing “world-class” traditional method sparkling wine with sustainable practices.

“Oregon sparkling wine has reached a tipping point,” said Andrew Davis, a founding board member of Method Oregon, winemaker for Lytle-Barnett, and the founder of Radiant Sparkling Wine Co. “After decades of experimentation and innovation, producers across the state are crafting traditional method wines that stand confidently among the best sparkling wines in the world.”

One of Method Oregon’s key initiatives is to create a symbol that will be used to identify Oregon wines that meet the nonprofit’s standards for traditional method sparkling wine production.

To earn the Method Oregon mark on its bottles, winemakers must meet several requirements. These include 100% Oregon production using fruit from the Willamette Valley, Columbia Gorge or Southern Oregon American Viticultural Area.

Next, the wineries must use the traditional method for producing their sparkling wine, including a second fermentation in the bottle.

The wine must undergo a minimum of 24 months of aging en tirage – when extra sugar and yeast is added to a bottle of sparkling wine. This method is also part of the traditional method used in Champagne, France.

Starting in 2029, Method Oregon will require additional sustainable farming requirements – mandating that fruit used for Method Oregon wines be farmed with products approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute – an Oregon-based nonprofit that reviews products such as fertilizers, livestock care products and pest controls, that meet organic standards.

A group of 49 Oregon wineries teamed up to create Method Oregon, a nonprofit aiming to turn the state into a global destination for sparkling wine (Courtesy Method Oregon).

“The Method Oregon standard establishes an unusually exacting baseline for traditional-method sparkling wine by pairing a 24-month minimum tirage with mandatory disgorgement date,” Method Oregon said in a press release. “These requirements go beyond the entry-level standards in many of the world’s best-known sparkling regions.”

In an interview with KOIN 6 News, Andrew Davis explained that Method Oregon was “something that needed to be done because there was a lot of these sparkling wines being produced that

were exceptional and we wanted the world to hear about it.”

“So, there was this push to get the concept of what Oregon is doing out into the greater world.

But there was also this consumer side that we wanted to let the consumers know that if they saw the Method Oregon mark on a bottle, that they would be getting a quality assurance,” Davis said.

A perfect pairing

For Method Oregon, providing these standards and boosting the state’s reputation for sparkling wine makes sense, given that Oregon is “uniquely suited” for traditional method wine production, the nonprofit says.

The Willamette Valley’s cool climate, paired with its long growing season and marine influence, helps the natural acidity and slow ripening process, Method Oregon explained in a press release, noting Southern Oregon and the Gorge have microclimates with higher elevations, wind influence and cooler temperatures as well.

This comes as Oregon is already known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which serve as the classic foundation for traditional method sparkling wine, Method Oregon said.

“While it seems like every wine region in the world that’s making a little bit of wine will also have a little bit of sparkling in their portfolio somewhere…but no one has necessarily reached to be the next icon producer of sparkling,” Davis told KOIN 6.

“In the old world, it’s obviously Champagne. In the new world, no one has done that and I think that we stand the potential to do that in Oregon. Our climate is right for it. We are already growing the grapes and we’re actually a little bit cooler than Champagne, which makes for these beautiful, racy, fruitful, delightful wines that are incredibly well-aged. So, I think that that’s why we’re set to perform like rockstars,” Davis continued.

Elena Hammond, marketing manager for Willamette Valley Vineyards, added, “I think our climate for growing wine, we’ve proven to be successful with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and those are the wines used to make most of these traditional method sparkling wines from Champagne.”

“We’ve shown that we can make Pinot Noir and Chardonnay really great and so sparkling wine is the next step in that,” Hammond told KOIN 6.

World class

Before Method Oregon, sparkling wine from the state already garnered international attention. For example, in 2024, five Oregon traditional method wines were named on Wine Enthusiast’s top 100 wines list.

Alongside Method Oregon’s standards for sparkling wine, the nonprofit also wants to invite the public to explore sparkling wine across the state — creating the Method Oregon Trail Map. The map is an interactive guide for tasting rooms pouring Method Oregon sparkling wines.

The Method Oregon nonprofit – established in March 2026 – created a sparkling wine trail map, showcasing wineries pouring Method Oregon wines (Courtesy Method Oregon).

“With a growing number of Oregon wineries focused on traditional method production, Oregon is rapidly emerging as a destination for travelers seeking exceptional sparkling wine,” Method Oregon said.

While there is a push to bolster Oregon’s reputation for sparkling wine, that doesn’t mean the state’s sparkling wine industry is struggling, Davis explained.

“I would say that it’s one of the few jewels,” Davis said of Oregon’s sparkling wine industry. “I know that we’re going through a rough patch with wine sales generally and globally but sparkling still has this drive behind it and there’s interest from consumers and Oregon specifically seems to be getting a lot of attention and that feels great. That said, this is sort of the second wave coming on now.”

“There were a couple of big producers that started the sparkling Oregon movement and now in the more recent years we’ve seen a lot more jump on board and that’s been a real advent for getting more wine out to consumers and that’s just drove more and more interest,” Davis said.

According to Method Oregon, there are more than 100 sparkling wine producers in the state.

Lacking perfect data, the nonprofit estimates that production volume of traditional method sparkling wine has increased about 25-30% in the last three to four years in Oregon.

As far as 2025 production, Method Oregon estimates that 85,000 to 90,000 traditional method wines were made in Oregon.

While Oregon wineries may be in competition for consumers, camaraderie has been key for the industry.

“Oregon has always thrived through collaboration,” said Andy Lytle, a founding board member of Method Oregon and co-founder of Lytle-Barnett. “Method Oregon reflects that same spirit—winemakers coming together to tell the story of a region that is redefining American sparkling wine.”

“It’s been said many times before that Oregon is very much a collaborative environment,” Davis adds. “We realize that compared to our neighbors to the north or to the south, that we are a drop in the bucket so we cannot compete on a price point basis. We have to compete on a quality basis and the only reason and the only way that we’re going to get to that quality point is if we all work together to achieve something greater than the individual.”

“So, sharing of information, whether it’s in still wine or sparkling, has always been a part of the Oregon mantra,” Davis explained. “It’s kind of baked into what we are, and the wines reflect that in that the quality has risen very rapidly.”

Reflecting that collaboration, Method Oregon is hosting a Grand Tasting Weekend to celebrate traditional method sparkling wine with its member winemakers.

The tasting will take place July 24-26 — featuring an educational panel moderated by Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine magazine.

The event will also offer guided tastings, production facility tours, and a “Bubbles Block Party,” with food trucks and music.

The grand tasting will give a glimpse into the pioneering standards of Method Oregon and what Oregon sparkling wines have to offer.

“Method Oregon sets us in a unique category with some of the most rigorous standards in the world and the first sparkling qualifications for the U.S.,” Davis emphasized. “While there’s sparkling being made in California, and Washington, and New York and various other places, we are the first one to put a set of standards to say, ‘This is what quality in Oregon looks like, and this is what our classifications are to achieve that goal.'”