The Manual published an article highlighting prominent women in the wine industry, including Maria and Luisa Ponzi of family owned winery Ponzi Vineyards. Founded in 1970, the Willamette Valley, Oregon winery is one of the oldest in the region and is now managed by the second generation sisters as President and Winemaker, respectively. The piece highlights several ways in which the Ponzis empower females in the industry through job opportunities and mentorship.
Maria proudly explained to the writer that Luisa was the first American woman to be awarded the Certificate Bevet Professionelle D’Oenologie et Viticulture, and that. in 1993, there were only two other female winemakers in the region when Luisa returned from her training in France. Maria added, “today about fifteen percent of the winemakers in Oregon are women so that’s amazing progress. The scene is changing.”
The writer continued, “Thanks to outstanding wines – including a devout devotion to local Chardonnay that greatly predates the current trend – Ponzi is poised to continue being a beacon on the hill, even as it enters its third generation.” There is so much more to read about the Ponzis and the other 4 wineries featured in the story here: https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/notable-women-in-american-wine/
Related Wines
Ponzi Vineyards
Ponzi Vineyards Chardonnay Reserve 2016
Willamette Valley
The Ponzi family has dedicated over 25 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.
Related Producers
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.
