Ponzi Vineyards- Sherwood, OR

It is my firm belief that Willamette Valley produces the best Pinot Noir in the United States. Not that I don’t have a lot of love for California, but my wine loyalty lies further north. Almost all of my favorite wineries are located scattered across various AVAs in this small corner of the world; while I would be hard pressed to pick an absolute favorite, my short list would absolutely include Ponzi. It is a wine I am always excited to see on a menu, and its tasting room did not disappoint.

Surprisingly modern, their tasting room perfectly complements their wines. Concrete and wood works well with nearly floor to ceiling windows; a great open space, with an earthy, organic feel. It is almost tempting to sit inside, but I will always choose a covered patio if offered. I personally don’t care for air conditioning, but really, both spaces are amazing. From the patio, the landscape unfolds; as far as you can see, rows of vines. The view is nothing short of magnificent.

Founded in 1970 by Dick and Nancy Ponzi, the winery started with 20 acres just southwest of Portland. At the time, the Pacific Northwest was not thought to be a suitable place to grow Pinot Noir grapes; which is absolutely outrageous, and wrong. The Northern Willamette Valley proved perfect for cool climate varieties, and their vineyard thrived. By 1974, the winery produced their first barrels of Pinot Nior. By 1979, a Ponzi Pinot Noir was featured by The New York Times, a first for Oregon wines.

Over the years, the family amassed numerous accolades; in 1988 Dick Ponzi was honored by The Wine Advocate as one of the World’s Best Winemakers, and Oregon’s Best Producer. Soon, their wines were being compared to the best of the Burgundy region. Which is almost unbelievable, considering a mere two decades before people doubted the suitability of Oregon for growing grapes.

In 2006, the family purchased 42 acres on a Chehalem Mountain slope with the intention to plant additional vineyards and build a new, state of the art gravity flow winery. In 2007, the Chehalem Mountains AVA was created, with the majority of Ponzi vines located on the north slope of this appelation, in Laurelwood soil. In 2013, the beautiful new tasting room debuted. Keeping it in the family, it was designed by vineyard president Maria Ponzi’s husband, architect Bret Fogelstrom.

One of the area’s larger tasting rooms, they offer a variety of tasting flights, as well as cheese, charcuterie, and seasonal flatbreads. Of course while you are there, you should try their Chardonnay and Rose, but it really is the Pinot that steals the show. Of course that is just my biased opinion, but it is also true. In additional to the tasting room, they also operate a wine bar in Dundee, which should not be missed if you are staying in town. Both locations have a knowledgeable staff, that can direct you to wines you will love, some completely unexpected. Which really is all part of the fun at a tasting room.