2003 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (9/7/2009)
WIML90
Tasted September 7, 2009.
Opened and served immediately. Followed over about 5 hours total. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black berries, kirsh and a dash of smoke. Flavors of red berries and cherries. Medium to bright acidity, integrated tannins, medium body. Drink over the short term. (90 pts.)
Joe,
That’s a good result for a 2003 Ponzi. Thanks for the note.
The previous bottle wasn’t quite this kind.
really! i thought the packing has been same since last few years, maybe i am wrong
but being new in the ‘Vino’ scene, i may have not noticed the change
Martin,
That’s not the same wine. The picture is their lower end bottling.
Hey Philip!
my apologies… as i told ya’ i am comparatively new to the Wine business, so i realy didnt knew that its the lower end, do you mind giving me an info on the higher end of Ponzi?
I’m not Phil but I can help. Ponzi makes three different pinot noirs in most years. The low end of the spectrum is the Tavola you posted. It is followed by the Willamette Valley blend and the Reserve, each respectively more expensive and reflecting a more stringent selection of either lots or barrels. All are made from both Estate and purchased fruit. The production drops as you move up in price.
In some years Ponzi bottles wines that are even more limited and more expensive such as the Abetina, which comes from a two-acre vineyard of the same name that they own in the Chehalem mountains. In 2006 they bottled something called “Amici Select” and in 2007 they bottled “Il Luce” from a one-acre vineyard they own next to Abetina. It’s all clone 777.
EDIT: I had to pull the Amici and Il Luce info from their website because I didn’t know about them. I can be at the Ponzi winery in about 20 minutes but don’t visit often. Their wines are very good most of the time, but when the Willamette Valley is $35, I know lots of wines I’d rather have at that price point.