Dispatch · Saturday, October 4, 2025
Method Oregon and the First 100-Point Oregon Chardonnay
Bethel Heights' High Wire gets 100 points from Decanter, then the case from Method Oregon that Champagne needs to make room at the table.
I came upon this paragraph from Tim Atkin the other week. As you take that first sip of coffee this morning take a moment to reflect and slow down a bit.
While I have your reflective attention can I bring your attention a 100 Point Oregon Chardonnay. It came from Bethel Heights and is the 2023 The High Wire Chardonnay. This is the first 100 point Oregon Chardonnay from Decanter. It is super rare for Oregon to get a 100 point wine and thanks to David Patte for letting me know. There’s a whole big list of 98 and 97 point wines all from the Eola-Amity Hills. If you are interested here they are!
Walter Scott
2023 Chardonnay, Koosah Vineyard - Decanter
97 Points
Bethel Heights
2023 Casteel Estate Pinot Noir - Decanter
2023 Casteel Estate Chardonnay - Decanter
Brooks Wine
2023 Rastaban Pinot Noir - James Suckling
2023 Cahiers Riesling - James Suckling
Corollary
2020 X-Omni Blanc de Blanc - Wine Enthusiast
Drouhin Roserock
2023 Zéphirine Pinot Noir - James Suckling
2023 Oregon Roserock Chardonnay - International Wine Report
Evening Land
2023 Summum Pinot Noir - James Suckling
Lingua Franca
2023 Inspiras Chardonnay - International Wine Report
2023 Novo Vivo Pinot Noir - International Wine Report
Walter Scott
2023 Chardonnay, X Novo Vineyard - Decanter
2022 Chardonnay, Lucille - Decanter
2023 Chardonnay, Hyland Vineyard - Decanter
Zena Crown
2021 Block 6 Pinot Noir - Decanter
More coverage of Bethel Heights 100 point Chardonnay
Oregon, corks, and tariffs from Cork Dork
Do you need more wineries to visit?
Oregon is showing up nicely in Wine Enthusiast's Wine Star Awards Nominees
Behind the scenes for Oregon's Women in Wine film and a sneak peak if you are curious.
A new winemaker for Krug from the Moldavi family
Alex Blosser reflects on 2025
Contrasts of the 2025 vintage for Oregon and Washington
The best Oregon Pinots to drink right now
James Suckling already released his best wines in the US list for 2025
Happy to see Hayward getting some press. If you haven't gone, go!!!
It is late afternoon on Tuesday, and the rain is coming down nice and steady. Normally, at this point in the year, I’m kicking and screaming that summer isn’t over yet. This year feels different. It was a jam-packed summer, and hearing the rain now sends a sense of calm throughout me.
I’m finally getting a chance to tell you all about Method Oregon, which took place the last weekend of July. It feels like it happened only last month, but wow, two whole months have already passed. My main takeaway from the event is this: Champagne, it is time to make room for Oregon Sparkling at the table. For years I’ve been saying we’re in the midst of a sparkling revolution in Oregon. We have killer Pinot Noir and killer Chardonnay. We even have wineries devoted entirely to sparkling wine. I mean seriously, what else do we need?
In 2021 I put together an Oregon Sparkling Report. I wanted to do another one this year, but it’s not looking favorable at the moment. Still, I’ve been keeping up with the producers making sparkling, and there are so many new names popping up. Compris, Privé, Approachment, Balsall Creek, Ambar, Hazelfern, de la Boue, Lonesome Rock, and Jachter are just a few that weren’t on the list back then and already have sparkling wines or will very soon. I’m sure there are many more I’m missing, and that’s exactly why another report is needed.
So how did Oregon get to the point of deserving a seat at the table with Champagne? In my book, it comes down to one person: Andrew Davis. He was the winemaker at Argyle and started Radiant Sparkling. He bought the equipment needed to make sparkling wine and created space for other producers to use it. Without Andrew Davis, there would be no Lytle Barnett, no Corollary, and no sparkling programs at Domaine Serene, and many other producers wouldn’t exist either. A few producers, like Arabilis, Lundeen, and Maison Jussiaume, still hand riddle and disgorge their wines, but they’re the exception rather than the rule.
There are five sparkling houses in Oregon that I’m aware of right now. Just to clarify, when I say sparkling houses, I mean wineries that produce only sparkling wine: Lytle Barnett, Corollary, Maison Jussiaume, Mellen Meyer, and, just this past week, I learned about Sivilli. I have no doubt more will emerge soon.
Now let’s take a look at the Top 100 Wines from Wine Enthusiast for 2024. The best wine in the world was ROCO’s 2013 RMS Brut Delayed Disgorgement 10-Year Sparkling.
- Number 32: Cho 2018 Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Pinot Noir
- Number 36: Corollary 2019 X-Omni Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Chardonnay
- Number 71: Irvine & Roberts 2018 Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay
That’s four Oregon Sparklings on the Top 100 list. There was only one Champagne, number 24 from Billecart-Salmon, 2012 Louis Salmon Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay. Arabilis, Lytle Barnett, Lundeen, and many others should be on that list too. My guess is they didn’t submit wines, otherwise we’d have seen far more Oregon bottles represented.
Do you see what I’m getting at here? The quality is there, and it’s only going to get better. Champagne, it’s time to make room for Oregon sparkling at the table.
Let’s talk a bit about Method Oregon itself. It’s more than an event. It’s a movement to put Oregon Sparkling firmly on the wine map. There’s a push to have “Method Oregon” recognized as a standard in sparkling wine. It’s meant to give buyers confidence, that sense of, “Damn, this has the Oregon Method stamp on the bottle. This is legit juice.” I could try to explain it all myself, but there’s no way I’d do it justice. So my request is simple: grab another cup of coffee and watch the Method Oregon video. Even two months later, it still gives me chills. Jason Wise and the crew at SOMM TV did an exceptional job. I know Jason isn’t reading this, but honestly, this is better than watching Val Kilmer walk away from a bank robbery in Heat. Insider tip: Jason’s favorite director is Michael Mann.
The last weekend in July is normally reserved for IPNC, but this was the first year it didn’t happen, sad on so many levels. Still, I’m glad Method Oregon stepped up to the plate and hit a grand slam. I’m not sure if IPNC will happen next year either, but you can bet your bottom dollar Method Oregon is already on the books. Look at me getting ahead of myself.
So what was Method Oregon like this year? It was a one-day event, and you could choose to attend the full day or just the grand tasting. Can you guess which option I picked? Of course, I was there for everything I could get my hands on, and there was more than just Method Oregon, just like a true IPNC weekend.
Thursday night was Chardy Party at Hazelfern. I crave that fried chicken all year long, waiting for all that glorious grease to clog my arteries along with some crazy bottles of wine shared with friends.
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Normally, the first day of IPNC kicks off on Friday, but since it didn’t happen this year, I decided to make a day of it by visiting Lonesome Rock, Tendril, and Laurel Ridge. That evening, I was invited to a pre-Method Oregon dinner at Sokol Blosser, and wow, what a dinner. I arrived a little early and had a chance to check out their new wine bar. It’s beautiful, and you should definitely visit.
During dinner Susan Sokol was telling us about Oregon sparkling. What a special event with so much in-depth history at the table.
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Saturday morning started with a hearty breakfast from Wooden Heart. While I was standing in line at Domaine Willamette for the festivities to begin, I struck up a conversation with a gentleman named Rich Cushman. I assumed he was just a regular attendee, but it turns out he went to UC Davis at the same time as Rollin Soles, and they were roommates. It was Rollin who convinced Rich to take a trip to New Zealand. In turn, Rollin would stay at Rich’s house in McMinnville while scouting locations for Argyle. The two go way back, and I had no idea until Rich stood up to speak. You never know who you’ll meet while waiting in line in Oregon wine country.
After talking with Rich, I found a seat for a panel spearheaded by Julia Coney. First up was Rollin Soles, who immediately gave credit to Rich Cushman, who was the winemaker at Chateau Benoit, better known today as Anne Amie. Here’s a brief history of Rich, or you can listen to his interview with the Oregon Wine Archive here.
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The panel, as always, was excellent. Other speakers included pioneers of Oregon sparkling like Andrew Davis and Kate Payne Brown. Toward the end, they opened the floor for questions, and of course, I had to ask one. I fanboyed a little before asking, “Is there going to be another Method Oregon next year?” To my surprise, Dan from Corollary answered, “Yes, mark your calendars for the last weekend in July 2026.” So there you have it, Method Oregon is on like Donkey Kong again next year.
After the panel, there was a lunch prepared by Domaine Willamette, and the sparkling was flowing generously. I tasted the first 100% Pinot Meunier from Lytle Barnett, along with RMS, Corollary, Lundeen, Soter, Argyle, Domaine Serene, Domaine Willamette, and many others I wasn’t able to document.
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The event itself was fantastic. Here’s the list of producers pouring that day:
Adelsheim
Arabilis
Argyle
Corollary
Domaine Serene
Domaine Willamette
Elk Cove
Flâneur
Goodfellow
Gran Moraine
Lundeen
Lytle Barnett
Maison Jussiaume
Mellen Meyer
Pashey
Ponzi
ROCO
R. Stuart & Co.
Sokol Blosser
Soter
Stoller
Winderlea
When is the last time you had that many traditional-method, high-quality sparklings in one place? On top of being able to taste all these wines, you could also purchase bottles to take home, which is rare. The only hiccup I noticed was that not enough people were buying wine. I hope that part of the event is highlighted more next year. I’d also love to see Oregon Sparkling Riesling get an invite.
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Here I am a couple of months after Method Oregon, the rain is falling, summer is slipping into the rearview mirror, and the vibrance of that day still lingers. I loved walking inside to grab a pour of world-class Oregon sparkling, stepping away from the crowds, and sitting outside with friends to soak it all in. I’ve said it over and over, we are witnessing a Sparkling Revolution. Oregon is known for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, to-die-for soils, and a cool, crisp climate that grapes thrive in. And now, we have pioneers passing their knowledge on to extraordinary winemakers at Corollary, Arabilis, Gran Moraine, Flâneur, and many more.
Put all of those variables together, and it only makes sense for Oregon sparkling to sit beside Champagne at the table. I see so much happening in the Valley that it’s hard to capture it all at once. Four years ago, I saw the potential. Today, it has blossomed into something remarkable, and the future promises even more.
So mark your calendars for the last weekend of July 2026. You don’t want to miss the second year of Method Oregon. And when you visit these producers next year, be sure to tell all of them, “A.J. sent me!”
With Gratitude,
A.J.
PS - This year there was a secret text chain that I sent out when tickets were available. Do you want to be on that secret text chain for next year? Send me your number and I will make sure you are on the list!
A.J. Weinzettel
Wine journalist & podcaster covering Oregon wine country