SHERWOOD, Ore. — They're pioneers of Oregon wine. For more than 50 years, Ponzi Vineyards has helped bring Willamette Valley pinot noir into the international spotlight. And this week, the longtime Sherwood vineyard announced it has been sold.
The buyer? The prestigious French champagne maker Bollinger.
It's the next chapter in the story that began in the late 1960s. That's when Dick and Nancy Ponzi moved their young family to the Willamette Valley with the goal of making world-class pinot noir. It was a move that many scoffed at.
Winery president Maria Ponzi, then a young child, recalls those days.
"People told us to go back to California and we had it wrong and we would never make it," Maria said. "And yet here we are."
These days, Ponzi Vineyards is one of the most well-known wineries and makers of pinot noir in the region and beyond. Now it's about to switch ownership.
The deal with the French Bollinger family, well-known for its champagne, came after months of talks and much reflection and consideration.
"I don't think Ponzi was really ready to sell necessarily at this particular time, but it was kind of the perfect situation," Maria said.
So what does this mean for the winery? To the public, it won't change much at all.
"There are no plans for them to come in and make big moves," Maria said. "This is a French family that does things very thoughtfully."
Luisa Ponzi, who's been the winemaker for more than 25 years, will remain the winemaker. "It's an ideal situation for me because I get to focus all day long on wine making and viticulture and not have the day-to-day running of a business," Luisa said.
And the winery will remain Ponzi Vineyards. "It's still the house of Ponzi," Maria said. "When you come to visit, it's still Ponzi wine."
In other words, don't come to Ponzi expecting a glass of Bollinger champagne. But what you can expect is a tasty glass of genuine Willamette Valley pinot from a region that over the decades has solidified itself as one of the best when it comes to good wine.
"This acquisition validates the original vision of the original pioneers who came here over 50 years ago with this crazy original idea of planting pinot noir in this cool region," Maria said. "For that reason it makes for a very proud moment for us."