To be clear, Bollinger s stated intentions are not to make more sparkling wine than Ponzi does already. Ponzi makes 30,000 cases of wine annually and bubblies are a tiny portion of that. In 1999, Bollinger bought a still wine producer in Burgundy, Chanson Père & Fils, and has not turned it into a Crémant house.
That said, Oregon has a small but growing portfolio of quality sparkling wines. Argyle was the first Oregon bubbly producer to be nationally known. Now many well-known Pinot Noir producers are also making bubbly, including Domaine Serene, Elk Cove and Soter.
Moreover, in February Robb Report ran a story about Oregon sparkling wine in which Argyle founder Rollin Soles is quoted as saying: Christian Bizot, chairman of Bollinger, declared he believed this was the first region to make sparkling wines with the potential to age as well as Champagne.