Ponzi Vineyards - Abetina Pinot Noir2014
RED WINE
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Country
USA
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Region
Oregon
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Appellation
Willamette Valley
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UPC
0 15643 56840 4
Technical Details
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.
Tasting notes
Spicy notes of nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla frame this nose. The mouth follows with bay rum, dark chocolate and cedar notes leading to firm and persistent tannins to finish. Jam packed with everything needed to carry this wine for years.
Vineyard
Abetina sits on a spectacular east-facing slope planted in 1975 as part of a clonal test conducted by Oregon State University. 22 different Pinot noir clones are planted sideby-side on this two-acre site. These vines consistently produce the most profound and distinct Pinot noir of all our vineyards. This single vineyard offering is only produced in select vintages.
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 degrees. The fermenters were aerated or manually punched down twice a day (for 12-20 days) before undergoing a 7 day
post-fermentation maceration to increase structure and length. This wine was aged in French oak barrels (50% new), for 20 months. It was racked and bottled by gravity without filtration or fining and was aged in bottle for 5 months before its release.
Vintage
Said to be a Goldilocks vintage in Oregon; not too hot, not too cold and not too much rain! 2014 was, however, the warmest season on record in the Willamette Valley, due not to high maximum temperatures, but rather higher than normal minimum temperatures. A warm spring and a little rain gave way to an early bud break and the season maintained warm temperatures throughout. Well above normal nighttime temperatures accelerated ripening and harvest began at the very beginning of September. The dry weather inhibited disease pressure, allowing for a bountiful, clean and quite ripe vintage.
Wine
Produced only in select vintages, this wine has notes of baking spices, rum, and chocolate followed by persistent tannins to finish.