Ponzi Vineyards
2009 Pinot Noir Reserve, Willamette Valley
Fact Sheet
This wine meets requirements for the Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine program for responsible agriculture and winemaking practices certified by an independent third party.
Vineyard Profile
This Pinot Noir is a blend of LIVE Certified Sustainable fruit from Ponzi’s Aurora, Madrona and Abetina vineyards, as well as fruit from Linda Vista, Lazy River, Gemini and Lemelson vineyards.
Vintage Report
In the end, 2009 made some spectacular wines, but reflecting back, the most dominant impression is how schizophrenic it was! There was no clear understanding of whether we were having a cool vintage or a warm vintage until all was said and done. After a colder than normal winter, we began the growing season with a late budbreak. As we headed into the summer, temperatures were quite moderate leading us to believe we were in for a late, cool year. Then, July and August brought extreme heat spikes, desiccating fruit, rushing ripeness along and catching our attention. We began harvest in late September with some very ripe young vineyards and white varieties. October cooled down again and we had the luxury of leaving the majority of the fruit to gain flavor without accumulating sugar, while the cool nights kept our acidity in check. 2009 proved to be very similar to the 2002 or 2006 vintage.
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 12-20 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 then racked and bottled by gravity without filtration or fining. The wine was aged in bottle for five months before its release.
Tasting Notes
A spicy nose with notes of Mexican chocolate, blackberry and violets. The silky supple mouth explodes with sweet plums, tobacco and spiced black cherries leading to a long finish with firm tannins. Luisa Ponzi, Winemaker
