Ponzi Vineyards
2008 Pinot Noir, Abetina, Willamette Valley
Fact Sheet
Abetina is a spectacular 2-acre site planted in 1975 as part of an Oregon Clonal Test site with over 20 different clones of Pinot Noir planted. Abetina crowns an east-facing slope in the Chehalem Mountains AVA on Laurelwood soil. Consistently producing the most profound and distinct Pinot Noir of all our vineyards, it exhibits a slightly wild, just barely controlled personality, both in the vines and wine. This single-vineyard offering has only been produced in select vintages (’98, ’99, ’05 and now ’08).
Vineyard Profile
This Pinot Noir is crafted exclusively with fruit from Ponzi’s LIVE Certified Sustainable Abetina Vineyard.
Vintage Report
A winemaker is lucky to receive a handful of really magical vintages in a lifetime. 2008 is one of those vintages. In the Willamette Valley, the season started two weeks late due to a cool spring, which delayed budbreak. A cool season throughout June and into July persuaded Ponzi to bring already low crop levels even lower to ensure ripening for what was shaping up to be a very cool vintage. To the winery's surprise and excitement, the sun came out in August and persisted into September and October with a gorgeous Indian summer. The daytime temperatures remained high while the nighttime temperatures dropped into the 40s—equating to ripe, beautiful fruit with retained natural acidity. Ponzi began picking in October and finished in the first part of November. Long hangtime for the vines and the luxury of picking when the winery wanted made this vintage exceptional!
Vinification
All of the fruit was hand sorted and destemmed. Fermented in small lots with five days of cold soak to increase aroma and color, the peak temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The fermentors were aerated or manually punched down twice a day for 12 to 20 days before undergoing a seven-day post-fermentation maceration to increase structure and length. This wine was aged in French oak barrels (50 percent new), for 20 months. It was racked and bottled by gravity without filtration or fining and was aged in bottle for five months before its release.
Tasting Notes
The nose holds trademark Abetina notes of white pepper, cola and black licorice laced with blackberry. The mouth is lush with Italian plum, spice and milk chocolate. Tannins are dense and lead to a long lingering finish. --Luisa Ponzi, Winemaker
