Ponzi Vineyards
Tavola Pinot Noir 2021
Willamette Valley
Ponzi’s Tavola Pinot Noir is a perfect introduction to Oregon wine, sourced from lower elevation sites and younger vines to highlight a fruit-forward character with soft, approachable tannins. Generous and bright, it delivers the classic hallmarks of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir with ripe fruit, exotic spice, and lifted floral notes at an exceptional value.
VINEYARD
The fruit comes from LIVE Certified Sustainable Ponzi Aurora and Avellana Vineyards, as well as sustainably grown vineyards in the Chehalem Mtns, Yamhill-Carlton, Dundee Hills and Eola Hills AVAs.
WINEMAKING
All fruit is sorted then destemmed to 1.5–3 ton fermenters. An extended cold soak increases color and aroma. Fermented by native yeasts, the peak temperatures reach 90°F. The fermenters are aerated or punched down twice a day, then lightly pressed. The wine is aged in French oak for 11 months (20% new). A barrel selection is made for Tavola, then racked and bottled by gravity without fining or filtration.
VINTAGE
After the smoke filled 2020 vintage, and the “heat dome” events in the summer of 2021, the early rains in September refreshed the vines and the fruit started coming in mid-September perfectly clean, ripe, and full of flavor. Reminiscent of 2012, the nights were very cool creating wines with balanced acidity, big aromatics, and delicious full flavors. Yields were somewhat smaller than expected, but that adds to the intensity of color and structure of the wines.
TASTING NOTE
The nose is lively with spiced cherry, dried cranberry, raspberry jam, light cedar, and a hint of white pepper. The palate bursts with fresh, juicy acidity, unfolding layers of cherry cordial, cranberry, and red plums.
FOOD PAIRING
Roasted poultry, grilled salmon, mushroom risotto, or charcuterie boards
Color
Red
Blend %
100% Pinot Noir
Appellation
Willamette Valley
Alcohol
13.3%
Suggested Retail Price
$35
Reviews
Wine Advocate - May 18, 2023
Wine Enthusiast - June 26, 2023
Jeb Dunnuck - September 19, 2023
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Laurelwood Chardonnay
Laurelwood District, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Situated along the Northern ridge of the Chehalem Mountains, the Laurelwood District boasts ancient soils of fractured basalt layered over with a fine, windblown sediment called loess. A decade-long effort by the Ponzis, alongside their neighbors, has resulted in the recognition of Oregon’s first soil-based AVA, the Laurelwood District.
Pinot Noir Reserve
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Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve is the epitome of restrained power. It hails from estate grown fruit on Laurelwood soils in the Chehalem Mountains, including from some of Oregon’s oldest vines. This remarkably complex wine is handcrafted with tremendous attention to detail.
Laurelwood Pinot Noir
Laurelwood District, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley
Dick and Nancy Ponzi helped put Oregon on the map in the United States and the world, 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 of the last 30 years with the family of Champagne Bollinger, which acquired Ponzi Vineyards in 2021. The estate’s drive to create distinctly pure Pinot Noir, in a distinctly Oregon manner, has never been stronger.
Pinot Gris
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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.
