It's been a heady 12 months for longtime Oregon winery Ponzi Vineyards with a new state-of-the-art facility, being chosen as Wine Press Northwest's 2009 Oregon Winery of the Year and its wine being served at President Barack Obama's inauguration.
I met founder Dick Ponzi back in 1981 when he showed up at the third Tri-Cities Wine Festival. He submitted a Sauvignon Blanc and a White Riesling (the acclaimed Ponzi Pinot Noirs and Pinot Gris were yet to come).
Dick came to Oregon in 1969 to start his wine dream. His first vintage was 1974, and he was one of the first to introduce Pinot Gris in 1978. The son of Italian immigrants, he never lost his fondness for his European wine heritage.
Back in 1981, the Pacific Northwest's modern-day wine industry was in its infancy and most of the winemakers could fit in my back yard. In fact, many of them did as my wife, Joyce, and I would play host to a backyard brunch at our Kennewick, Wash., home. We had a pool and plenty of sunshine, something a bit novel to wine folks from west of the Cascade Mountains.
Each winemaker would bring a bottle or two, often something new, and it was a great time to sit in the sun, sip wine, devour a delicious omelet and dream of what might be the future of the Pacific Northwest wine industry.
Last fall as I traveled south from Portland toward the tasting room, I knew why I so love the picturesque Willamette Valley countryside with its neat farms, clumps of forest and bushes and, of course, the statuesque oak trees. A few folks from Portland also were there enjoying the ambiance that included places outside to enjoy wine and commune with nature that is only a cork's throw away.
And a few miles south of the tasting room is another Ponzi innovation, the Dundee Bistro, a restaurant that serves gourmet cuisine, including tasty fresh-caught Oregon seafood.
And new to the scene this year is Dick Ponzi's dream, a state-of-the-art, four-level, 30,000-square-foot winemaking facility a few miles away that includes almost every "green" component imaginable.
There are solar panels, earth berms around the buildings and a rainwater-collection facility to supply a large pond. But the biggest thing is total gravity flow, in which grapes come in at the highest level and the resulting wine eventually flows into the lowest level, where the aging take place.
Dick has turned his winemaking duties over to his daughter Luisa Ponzi, who was trained in Burgundy, France. Two other Ponzi children, Michel Ponzi, director of operations, and Maria Ponzi Fogelstrom, director of sales and marketing, are part of this pioneer Oregon wine family.
No wonder Wine Press Northwest chose Ponzi Vineyards its 2009 Oregon Wine of the Year in this issue of the magazine. It was an honor long overdue. When I visited the winery last fall, I had no idea this would happen.
I also had no idea that Ponzi wines have been so popular in Washington, D.C., over the years. Ponzi's rare Italian white 2007 Arneis was served on the eve of President Obama's inauguration in January at a posh $500-a-plate event. Although now sold out, look for future Arneis vintages that offer flavors similar to a Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc with pear, grapefruit and grassiness.
Wines that are available:
2007 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, $17: Great mouth feel with citrus and melons and a lingering lemony finish.
2007 Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley, $17: Floral aromas along with tangerines. Balanced flavors with a hint of rosemary spice.
2007 Riesling, Willamette Valley, $20: Oregon Rieslings are a bit more subtle that Washington Rieslings. This example is very citrusy, with flavors of Fuji apples and a lingering crisp finish. Great food wine.
2007 Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, $20: All steel fermentation produces a Chablis-like, food-friendly wine. Crisp with tropical fruit and banana aromas.
2006 Reserve Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, $30: I really can't afford a $30 Chardonnay often, but this is a gem. Rich vanilla spice and almond aromas, with flavors of lemon meringue pie and a smooth, juicy finish.
2007 Rosato Pinot Noir, $15: A racy rosé of Pinot Noir that offers raspberries and oranges with a crisp balance of fruit and acids. A match with salmon.
2007 Travola Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $25: Meant to drink young. Plums and smoke aromas with cherry flavors and food-friendly acids. Also goes with salmon.
2006 Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $60: Huge layers of complex cherry components from the nose to the finish. Hints of tobacco yet a smooth, rich chocolate mid-palate.
2006 Dolcetto, Willamette Valley, $25: An attractive Italian red variety that shows licorice, cranberries and dried currants with a lengthy finish.
2006 Vino Gelato, dessert white dessert, Willamette Valley, $30: A sweet, aromatic delicious blend of Early Muscat and Riesling. Jasmine, apricots and passion fruit leap from the glass.
BOB WOEHLER is Wine Press Northwest's tasting editor. He has been writing about Northwest wine since 1976.
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