In honor of Women’s History Month, Wine Enthusiast has published a story, “Six New World Female Winemakers You Should Know,” to honor the accomplishments of some of today’s most trailblazing and talented female winemakers. Luisa Ponzi of Ponzi Vineyards is one of the six women featured in this dedicated story. In the candid and personal piece, Luisa explains her evolution from a two-year old playing in the vineyard to becoming winemaker of her family’s winery at age 26. Though firmly rooted in Oregon, Luisa gained Old World perspective studying under some of the most esteemed names in Burgundy and Peidmont, including Christophe Roumier and Luca Currado, respectively. Luisa has since continued to set and raise the standard for world-class wines from Oregon, while also helping to promote and advocate for more women in decision making positions in the cellar. With nearly 800 wineries in Oregon, Luisa was disappointed to see in a recent tasting group that there were only about 10 women that held the title of winemaker. Writer Lauren Mowery notes that Luisa “believes that the strong number of women enrolled in wine studies programs, along with local mentoring efforts and an emphasis to empower women in sciences will change those statistics soon.” She encourages women studying to become winemakers to “Stick with it, listen to your instincts, find like-minded women, take the long view and enjoy the ups and downs.” Read the full story here
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Ponzi Vineyards
Chehalem Mountain AVA, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Dick and Nancy Ponzi helped put Oregon on the wine map, and the Ponzi family has worked continuously for over 50 years leading and innovating in the region and, in the case of Pinot Noir, across the country and indeed the world. Today winemaker Luisa Ponzi continues her work with the family of Champagne Bollinger, which acquired the estate in 2021.
