Oregon Wineries
By Wine Atlas, Thursday 4 January 2007 :: Wine - United-States :: #127 :: rss
EUGENE, Ore. - Pinot noirs and chardonnays have put Willamette Valley vineyards on the map. But now a few Oregon wineries are branching out, dabbling in the production of champagne and other sparkling wines.
Vintners say it's a natural fit: Pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, after all, are two of the three varieties used in champagne.
Nationally, sparkling wines accounted for 4.1 percent of all wine purchases in 2005, according to the Wine Institute, an advocacy organization for California's wine producers.
Stephany Boettner, senior communications manager for the Oregon Wine Board, says she sees the overall sparkling wine market as being relatively flat. She thinks most people see it as a "celebratory" drink, reserved for special occasions.
But Oregon winemakers say they see champagne as a way to make ordinary meals special.
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