Ponzi Vineyards

Pinot Noir Reserve 2015

Willamette Valley

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The Pinot Noir Reserve comes from primarily estate fruit, including from some of Oregon’s oldest vines.  In some years the Ponzis will choose to add complementary parcels from longtime grower partners. The constant is that the heart of the wines is from old vines grown on Laurelwood soils in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. Ponzi’s Pinot Noir Reserve is  one of the ultimate examples of artisanal, site-expressive Pinot Noir in the United States today, year after year epitomizing a character of restrained power.

Vineyard

Fruit for the Reserve was sourced from Ponzi Vineyards’ Aurora, Abetina, and Avellana Vineyards on Laurelwood soils in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. All Ponzi vineyards have been LIVE Certified Sustainable, the highest international standard of sustainable viticulture. Additional lots were from Zenith and Bieze Vineyards in the Eola-Amity AVA. Laurelwood soil is a mixture of Basalt and Loess particular to the Northern Willamette Valley.

Winemaking

All of the fruit was hand sorted and destemmed. Fermented in small lots with 5 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 (30% 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

2015 will be remembered in Oregon by its cooperative nature. Our earliest vintage since 1992,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 rosé 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 allowing vineyard workers and winemakers the unusual opportunity to enjoy the remainder of the fall season! 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.

Tasting Notes

Aromas of cinnamon bark, mulled spices, chai tea, and juniper berry leap from the glass intermingled with notes of maple syrup, nutmeg, and baked apple. The generous mouth has notes of black licorice, vanilla powder, and a salinity that balances juicy fresh fruit with dusty, light tannins.
-WINEMAKER LUISA PONZI

Color

Red

Grape Varieties

Pinot Noir

Appellation

Willamette Valley

Suggested Retail Price

$69.00

Reviews

"Sweet and broad on the palate, offering densely packed cherry liqueur, spicecake and cola flavors "

Vinous - June 13, 2019 "Lurid ruby-red. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe blackberry, cherry and candied flowers, and exotic incense and potpourri nuances add complexity. Sweet and broad on the palate, offering densely packed cherry liqueur, spicecake and cola flavors that slowly firm up on the back half. Finishes on a youthfully tannic note, with resonating cherry and spice notes, hints of mocha and vanilla and impressive persistence."

"pure crushed blueberry and blackberry fruit"

Wine Advocate (93+) - September 4, 2018 "The 2015 Pinot Noir Reserve is pale to medium ruby-purple in color with a lovely nose of lilac perfume over fresh, pure crushed blueberry and blackberry fruit with layers of pink peppercorn, warm earth and autumn leaves. Light to medium-bodied and silky textured with loads of spice-laced blue and black fruit in the mouth, it has wonderful grainy tannins and juicy, mouthwatering acidity, finishing very long and spicy with licorice notes."

"Precise dark raspberry"

Wine Spectator - August 9, 2018 “Refined and graceful, with precise dark raspberry, licorice and clove flavors that take on richness and weight toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2023.” ‒ 91 Points Wine Spectator

More on Pinot Noir Reserve 2015

Top Wines of 2018

November 2, 2018 - The Pinot Guy, Michael Alberty, contributed his best bottles of the year to Sunset magazines annual roundup, including the 2015 Ponzi Reserve Pinot Noir. “If I could only take one grape…

Trade Materials

Other Wines by this Producer

Laurelwood Pinot Noir

Laurelwood District, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley

For over 50 years, the Ponzi family has farmed 140 acres of certified sustainable vineyards all planted on Laurelwood soil. Situated along the Northern ridge of the Willamette Valley, these ancient soils are comprised of fractured basalt layered over with a fine, windblown sediment called loess. A decade-long effort by sisters Maria and Luisa, alongside their neighbors has resulted in the recognition of Oregon’s first soil-based AVA, the Laurelwood District. The 2019 vintage boasts the new label design, with a textured effect that resembles the layers of the Laurelwood soils.

Laurelwood Chardonnay

Laurelwood District, Willamette Valley, Oregon

The Ponzi family has dedicated over 30 years to innovation in farming and winemaking to develop Oregon Chardonnay's place in the world. Luisa Ponzi's formative experiences working in Burgundy in the early 1990s guide her vision of producing complex and ageworthy Chardonnay.

Tavola Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley

Tavola is Ponzi's delicious early release Pinot Noir, a fruit-forward wine with soft tannins, made primarily from younger, lower elevations vines. Meant for early consumption, it is an unbeatable value for quality Pinot Noir.

Pinot Gris

Willamette Valley

One of the original and most recognized Oregon and U.S. Pinot Gris producers, Ponzi was a major influence in establishing Pinot Gris as the first quality white grape variety in Oregon. Ponzi's Pinot Gris is an irresistably aromatic and expressive wine, and serves as a first encounter for many wine drinkers with Oregon wines and the Ponzi estate.