Lyn Archer on US Sparkling Wine

My Substack Live conversation with Caroline Henry:

US Traditional Method Sparkling Wine & Method Oregon

 

I’m delighted to share my recent Substack Live conversation with Champenoise journalist and author Caroline Henry about US sparkling wine – and Method Oregon – versus Champagne.

For those of you unfamiliar with Caroline’s work, she’s a journalist who lives in Champagne, and writes for wine-searcher.com, a global wine platform serving over 5.2 million active monthly users. She’s also the author of Terroir Champagne.

Caroline covers Champagne’s sustainability practices, delving into areas like greenwashing.

I must admit we fell down a rabbit hole about vineyard density and yields, with Caroline the ultimate expert in these areas.

In contrast, I added some fun factoids about the history of American sparkling, which started with an accident – just like Champagne!

I also explain a bit about how one winery in particular still labels their wines “California Champagne.”

(Spoiler Alert: You’ll have to watch the video to learn the full story about these quirky sidebars….)

Additionally we touched on Northern California’s Champagne houses that moved to Northern California in the 1980’s, including Domaine Carneros, Roederer Estate, Domaine Chandon, and Mumm Napa.

Finally, we explored the differences and similarities between Oregon and Champagne, and why Oregon is considered the most favorable US region to produce traditional method sparkling wine outside of Champagne.

In short, both Oregon and Champagne share a cool climate, and rest along the 45th parallel. They also favor hillside vineyard planting.

By contrast, while Champagne soils tend towards mostly calcareous, Oregon soil series include basalt, marine uplift, and windblown loess.

And though both grow traditional grapes Pinot Noir, Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc, Oregon also grows other varieties, like Syrah.

Most importantly, I explained Method Oregon, a rigorous, sustainable traditional method sparkling wine standard introduced by Oregon in 2025.

Specifically, Method Oregon sparkling wines must comprise 100% Oregon grapes, grown without the use of synthetic herbicides or pesticides, aged a minimum of 24 months in bottle, and labels must denote all sustainable certifications. It reminds me a bit of Corpinnat is its focus upon transparency and sustainability. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE.

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