Oregon’s sparkling wine scene is popping locally — and beyond

Champagne can only legally come from French vineyards. Spanish tasting rooms pour cava. And prosecco is an Italian delight on its own or in spritzes.

But the best sparkling wine might be made in Oregon.

In November, Wine Enthusiast released its list of the 100 best wines of 2024 across varietals and the globe. Five of the wines were from Oregon — and they were all sparkling.

One of them even took the very top spot on the list, from ROCO Winery in Newberg. That wine: ROCO 2013 RMS Brut Delayed Disgorgement 10-Year Sparkling.

“It’s incredibly exciting on so many fronts. The Willamette Valley can compete with champagne for quality, and that’s a great acknowledgment,” said Rollin Soles, who’s made wine for decades in the valley. He founded Argyle Winery in 1987 and started making ROCO sparkling wine in 2013.

“Whenever ROCO gets a great accolade, my first thought is not to ROCO. It’s always to, ‘Oh my goodness, I sure hope that helps all my buddies out there in the wine industry,’” said Soles. “I feel very Oregonian and very Willamette Valley-an because of all those kind of things.”

Soles, 68, calls himself part of the “old guard” of winemakers in Oregon. Now, he’s among a growing number of sparkling wine “buddies” in the state — including a new generation of young innovators in the Willamette Valley.

So, as people prepare to pop corks for New Year’s Eve, here’s a look at Oregon sparkling wines’ place in the spotlight.

There are more than 1,100 wineries across Oregon, with the majority in the Willamette Valley.

While Oregon remains mostly known for pinot noir, more than 100 make sparkling wine in the Willamette Valley alone. There are events that celebrate the wines that fizz and even a “best Oregon bubbles trail.”

In 2022, Travel + Leisure called the valley the “next big sparkling wine destination.”

And the numbers back up that distinction.

Related: How chardonnay reflects Oregon’s changing wine scene

Each year, the Oregon Wine Board releases a vineyard and winery census report, which overviews production and sales. The wine board only started collecting data on sparkling wine sales in 2022.

From 2022 to 2023, the portion of Oregon wine sales that was sparkling essentially doubled. “In 2022, an estimated 3-5% of all cases of Oregon wine sold across all channels was sparkling wine. In 2023, that number went up to 8-10%,” Katie von Bargen, the communications director of the Oregon Wine Board, said in an email.

That encompasses direct-to-consumer sales, like tasting rooms, websites and wine clubs, as well as wholesale.

According to the Oregon Wine Board, an estimated 200,000 cases of Oregon sparkling wine sold in 2022 and 500,000 cases in 2023.

A case consists of 12 bottles of wine. So that translates to roughly 6 million poppable corks of sparkling wine bought out of Oregon last year.

The newer faces making Oregon wine sparkle

Let’s go back to that Wine Enthusiast list. After ROCO’s top-ranked bottle, the next highest Oregon wine, at No. 32, was a sparkling by CHO Wines.

Run by Dave and Lois Cho, CHO Wines is the first Korean American-owned winery in Oregon. Wine Enthusiast included the Chos on its “Future 40 Tastemakers 2023” and industry publication SevenFifty Daily featured them among its “2023 Drinks Innovators.”

“It’s really exciting because we are just fledgling winemakers. And so to be recognized on a national and global level, it’s really an honor for us and to be alongside winemakers like Rollin Soles, who is the guy for sparkling here in Oregon. I think it’s a testament to the region that we’re in,” said Lois Cho, chief executive officer of CHO Wines.

The Chos opened their Willamette Valley tasting room in March, about a decade into their winemaking journey. Of their wines, 40% are sparkling.

“We have this kind of influence we can make on the world stage [that] I think is really exciting,” said winemaker Dave Cho.

The Chos, both 40, are also members of the demographic their wines are appealing to: millennials.

“We are seeing the majority of our demographic is — the hotspot right now is 30 to 40 year olds. We have a lot of women as well that are drinking sparkling wine. So I think women in this age range are really driving the consumer market right now,” said Lois Cho.

“Costco did a consumer report and they said the average Costco buyer is an Asian 40-year-old woman. I was like, that’s me. And sparkling wine is what I’m drinking.”

In their winemaking, the Chos consider what foods might pair well with each bottle, and are inspired by their Asian American upbringings. In 2023, they founded the AAPI Food & Wine Fest in Oregon.

“What we’ve been finding is that they’re really a variety of cuisines that we haven’t typically paired with wine,” said Lois Cho. “For example, a black bean pork noodle pairs super well with Oregon pinot noir… There’s so many different options. I think that’s the same thing that we’re finding with sparkling wine.”

One of their personal favorite pairings is sparkling wine with sushi.

As the Chos continue to develop their approach to cultural food pairings with wine, another winemaking Oregon couple is uncorking an industry space with diversity of drinkability in mind.

Toasting without getting toasted

While other Oregon producers are crafting nonalcoholic beer and liquors, Varnum Vintners in Amity is leading the way for wine — despite one of the owners calling the process “horrifying,” because of the complicated steps involved.

Related: The booze-free movement is thriving in the Pacific Northwest

“Once you remove the alcohol from [wine], it’s extremely volatile. It doesn’t have that alcohol as a preservative, essentially,” said Cyler Varnum, 39, another millennial winemaker, who makes wine alongside his wife and co-owner Taralyn Varnum.

They grow their grapes in Oregon and make non-alcoholic sparkling wine with the help of a distillation company in California.

The alcoholic wine is loaded into a special spinning cone, kind of like the one in a household vacuum. In the cone, the alcohol is boiled out, but at a temperature that preserves the “essence of the wine,” according to Cyler Varnum.

Removing the alcohol is tricky. Flavor and body are like pieces of a puzzle.

“What does a wine taste like without alcohol in it? And you realize how much of an impact that has on the flavor profile. And so we adjusted our winemaking to bring as much weight to the wine as possible even after the alcohol was removed,” Cyler Varnum said.

The Varnums were drawn to the Willamette Valley’s “old-school and farmer-driven” sense of community. They want to extend that feeling by making wine approachable to all drinkers. “Made to drink, don’t overthink” is a motto they’ve embraced.

“For us, we really want to make something for everybody,” Cyler Varnum said.

Varnum Vintners debuted its non-alcoholic sparkling Brut Zero, available in a smaller bottle under the name Porch Zero, in the spring, and it aims to make three more nonalcoholic wines available in February.

Winemakers say sparkling wine is the most difficult to make, with or without alcohol.

But in Oregon, they celebrate the challenge — and how a bottle of sparkling can bring people together.

“Definitely drinking is much more enjoyable than making it. It has a lot of extra steps in winemaking. It takes a lot longer, but it’s that much more rewarding at the end,” Dave Cho said. “But I think the best part is most of the times you share it with a lot of people. So it’s the communal aspect of it, I think it’s the best part of drinking sparkling wine.”

Best bubbles for your buck

We asked sommelier Chevonne Ball, who was previously featured in the chardonnay episode of OPB’s food series “Superabundant,” for her top Oregon sparkling wine picks at any budget. She suggests these:

The Eyrie Vineyards Spark $23

Having had the pleasure of working with Jason Lett in 2020, I can say The Eyrie Vineyards Spark perfectly captures his playful, creative spirit. This wine is pure fun—vibrant, fresh, and approachable. Its lively bubbles and bright acidity are balanced by delicate fruit notes, making it the perfect bottle for casual gatherings or simply celebrating the everyday. This wine reflects Jason’s dedication to innovation while staying true to The Eyrie Vineyards' legacy of quality and authenticity.

Dolores NV Sparkling Pinot Gouges Blanc $55

The incomparable Kate Payne Brown makes this rare grape into an even more rare sparkling wine. This wine will surely be a conversation starter. Pinot Gouges Blanc is grown only in Oregon and a small plot in Burgundy. It pairs perfectly with roasted meats, cheeses, and a roaring fire.

ROCO Winery 2020 RMS Brut $65

ROCO’s 2020 RMS Brut is a stunning Willamette Valley sparkling wine crafted using the méthode champenoise. It offers vibrant acidity, a creamy texture, and green apple, pear, and brioche notes. Perfect for celebrations or elevating any meal, it’s a testament to the elegance of Oregon wines.

2021 Cramoisi Blanc de Noirs $72

This exquisite sparkling wine reflects winemaker Sofia Torres-McKay’s commitment to biodynamic farming and inclusivity. With delicate notes of red berries, citrus, and minerality, it highlights the purity of Pinot Noir. Sofia’s impact extends beyond winemaking through AHIVOY, which supports and educates vineyard stewards while uplifting underrepresented voices. This wine is a true celebration of thoughtful farming and meaningful change.

Arabalis 2020 Willamette Valley Extra Brut Sparkling Wine $75

These new kids on the block are one to watch. Husband-and-wife duo Kenny and Allison are making waves in the Oregon sparkling wine world with their small batch of sparkling wines. Their dedication to overseeing the vineyards where they procure their fruits is just the beginning of their incredible wines' journey, and they are there every single step of the way. With notes of Meyer lemon and a long mineral finish, this wine is perfect for all seafood dishes.