Oregon’s reputation for outstanding sparkling wine is on the ascent. Now King Estate has joined with other top producers to safeguard that reputation by establishing Method Oregon, a new organization dedicated to establishing and maintaining the highest standards for sparkling wine.
Since its first bottlings in 2008, King Estate has made its sparkling wine according to the méthode champenoise used in Champagne, France, which requires second fermentation in the bottle and minimum levels of carbonation that create the bubbles. Now that standard is being enshrined in the Method Oregon certification.
Other requirements for carrying the Method Oregon mark include that wines must be produced with 100% Oregon fruit from the state’s three major American Viticultural Areas – Willamette Valley, Columbia Gorge and/or Southern Oregon – and must be made from start to finish in Oregon. Further, the wines must be aged a minimum 24 months en tirage, or in the bottle, where it rests on the spent yeast cells (lees) and develops the distinctive perfumy notes of brioche, toasted nuts and caramel. Starting in 2029, fruit must be sustainably grown by following organic or LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) certification standards.
Classic sparkling wine is made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – grapes that thrive in Oregon’s cool climate. While wine bearing the Champagne name can come only from the province of Champagne, France, Oregon producers are confident that Method Oregon wines will stand with the best sparkling wines in the world.
“The eyes of the winemaking world are on Oregon and its emergence as a superb region for sparkling wine,” says King Estate Co-CEO and Winemaker Brent Stone. “Method Oregon is how we can maintain a level of excellence and secure our reputation for exceptional sparkling wine.”
