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Ponzi Vineyards - Willamette Valley - Pinot Noir Classico 2015
Tasting notes
Notes of hickory, white pepper and blackberry bramble erupt from the fragrant nose. Lavender, dark chocolate and sarsaparilla follow, leading to a lush mouth of dark cherry and velvety soft tannins balanced with juicy acidity. The finish lingers tinged with red fruit.
Vintage
2015 will be remembered in Oregon by its cooperative nature. One of the winery's earliest vintages, the season was marked by a warm and mild winter, early bud break at the end of March and exceptional
conditions throughout bloom, flower and fruit set. The summer was dry and warm encouraging early picks of white varietals and rose sites to retain fresh acidity. The temperature dropped and September was
one of the coolest on record allowing the pristine fruit to be picked at perfect ripeness with slightly higher yields than normal. The harvest wrapped up at the beginning of October. This vintage will show these beautiful conditions by the intensity of fruit flavor, but the balance and acidity will keep the wines nuanced and elegant. A truly gorgeous year for the Willamette Valley.
Estate
In the late 1960s Dick and Nancy Ponzi uprooted their family to pursue a dream of producing world class Pinot Noir. After research trips to Burgundy and an extensive search, they purchased 20 acres on a small farm just southwest of Portland, Oregon. The winery was founded in 1970, and the first 4 barrels of wine produced in 1974. Ponzi has since become internationally acclaimed for its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. For the last 25 years President Maria Ponzi and Winemaker Luisa Ponzi have brought the estate to even greater heights, setting the standard for Oregon and remaining at the forefront of the nation’s top wine producers.
Vineyard
This Pinot Noir is a blend of LIVE Certified Sustainable fruit from Ponzi's Aurora, Avellana and Madrona Vineyards, as well as Paloma, Sufi, Gemini, Lazy River, Bieze, Wahle, Zenith and Sunset View Ranch
Vineyards.
Vinification
All of the fruit was hand sorted and destemmed. Fermented in small lots with five days of cold soak to increase aroma and color, the peak temperatures reached 90 Farenheit. The fermenters were aerated or manually punched down twice a day (for 12-20 days) before lightly pressing at dryness. This wine was aged in French oak barrels (35% new) for 11 months. It was racked and bottled by gravity without filtration or fining and was aged in bottle for five months before its release.
