PONZI VINEYARDS PRESS KIT Ourour STORY Story
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PONZI VINEYARDS PRESS KIT OurOUR STORY Story In the late 1960’s Dick and In 2006, Ponzi Vineyards purchased 42 Nancy Ponzi uprooted their young acres atop a Chehalem Mountains slope family from their home in Los Gatos, and planted 20 acres of Pinot noir, California to pursue a dream of Pinot gris and Chardonnay. Two years producing world class Pinot noir. later a 30,000 square foot, state-of-the- After many research trips to Burgundy art winemaking facility, designed by and an extensive search for the ideal Dick and Luisa Ponzi, was completed. location, they purchased 20 acres on a The 2008 harvest was the first to be small farm just southwest of Portland, processed at the four-level, gravity-flow Oregon. Contrary to the existing winery. The Ponzi Vineyards Winery school of thought, the Ponzis believed was among the first to be certified the climate, soils and vineyard site met by the LIVE organization for its every need of noble cool-climate grape environmentally-conscious design and varietals. The Ponzi family planted sustainable winemaking program. their first Pinot noir cuttings, and in 1970 Ponzi Vineyards was founded. At the winery property, a modern new tasting room opened to the The first four commercial barrels of Ponzi Pinot Noir public in 2013. The stunning building was designed by were produced in 1974. Two years later, the wine was Maria Ponzi’s husband, Brett Fogelstrom of Portland’s released to the Oregon market. Since then, Ponzi Fogelstrom Design Build and maximizes the site’s has become internationally acclaimed for its limited vineyard and valley views. production Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Pinot gris. Driven by the concept that the variety must match the As pioneers and visionaries in the Oregon wine industry, terroir and climate, Ponzi Vineyards sets the standard for the Ponzi family has played a key role in creating its Oregon and remains at the forefront of the nation’s top foundation and ensuring its continued success. wine producers. Their everlasting passion for food and drink has extended For more than two decades, Ponzi Vineyards has thrived even further, with the founding of BridgePort Brewing under second generation ownership and operation. The Company in 1984, Oregon’s first craft brewery, and in Ponzi sisters, Winemaker Luisa Ponzi and President 1998 the establishment of one of the state’s most notable Maria Ponzi, have established themselves as leaders in the regional wine bars and restaurants in Dundee. industry. For more than four decades, the Ponzis have set the The Ponzi family owns and farms 130 acres of vineyards standard for Oregon’s viticultural innovation while in the Chehalem Mountains of the North Willamette maintaining an unwavering commitment to a tradition of Valley. All vineyards are LIVE Certified, the world’s winemaking excellence. highest standard for sustainable viticulture. Additionally, Ponzi Vineyards continues to hold long-term contracts with many of the best growers in the region whose For a 45 year timeline, visit ponziwines.com vineyards are also certified sustainable. LUISA ALICE PONZI WINEMAKER Luisa Ponzi graduated from sits on several advisory and wine Portland State University, Portland, organization boards. Oregon in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science. Following her undergraduate Luisa has been honored with awards studies, Luisa moved to Beaune, and accolades, all contributing to France, where she continued her Ponzi’s heightened stature in the education in viticulture and enology. national arena. As part of the required curriculum, Luisa apprenticed with Burgundian She, her husband, fellow winemaker producer, M. Christophe Roumier Eric Hamacher, and their four of Domaine Roumier of Chambolle children reside atop Chehalem Musigny, France as well as with Italian Mountain with commanding views producer Luca Currado of Vietti in of the glorious valley. Piedmont, Italy. In 1993, Luisa was awarded the Certficate Brevet Professionelle D’Oenologie With more than 20 vintages under her belt, Luisa’s et Viticulture, at the time the only woman to earn such passion and winemaking talent have helped sustain Ponzi distinction. Vineyards’ 45-year acclaimed tradition of producing some of the world’s finest wines. In addition to her formal studies of enology and viticulture, Luisa has traveled extensively throughout other prominent • • wine regions including Australia, New Zealand, Germany, ACCOLADES Italy, Austria, Slovenia and the United States. Since 1986, “Legendary producer now in 2nd generation she has participated in all the International Pinot Noir making excellent wines.” Celebrations in McMinnville, Oregon and has attended - Hugh Johnson all of the accompanying Steamboat Technical Pinot Noir Conferences. “Luisa Ponzi... one of the brightest stars among the new generation in Oregon.” Luisa combines her formal winemaking experience with - Paul Gregutt her lifelong work with her father, Dick Ponzi, at their Willamette Valley vineyards and winery. Since 1993, “Ponzi Vineyards remains a reference point for Luisa has brought her knowledge of Burgundian practices American Pinot Noir with winemaker Luisa combined with her personal experience to the family- Ponzi at the top of her game.” owned winery. – Robert M. Parker’s The Wine Advocate Luisa continues to educate herself through contacts “By adding academic knowledge to her with winemakers around the world, frequent winery unparalleled experience learning from her tastings and winemaking conferences. She currently father, Luisa Ponzi has become one of the most formidable winemakers in the country.” – Oregon Wine Report ANNA MARIA PONZI PRESIDENT Maria Ponzi, second generation distribution and export sales. She vintner, is President and Director has been operating the company of Sales and Marketing of Ponzi with her sister Luisa Ponzi, the Vineyards, located in the Chehalem winemaker, for the last 25 years. The Mountains of Oregon’s Willamette winery currently produces 40,000 Valley. The winery was founded in cases annually and farms over 130 1970 by her parents Dick and Nancy certified sustainable vineyards. Ponzi. In 1992, Maria was a founding Growing up the daughter of a board member and later President pioneering wine family, Maria has of the Oregon Chapter of Women had the rare advantage of being for Wine Sense. She currently sits directly involved in all areas of the on the board of Travel Portland, an wine business. Seeing the region grow firsthand, she organization which helps strengthen the state’s economy, gained a depth of knowledge that allows her to uniquely positioning the region as a top travel destination. She serve the state’s wine industry. has served extended terms on Oregon Travel Experience, Willamette Valley Wineries Association and the Oregon Maria graduated from the School of Journalism at the Wine Board. Maria also is an active board member of University of Oregon in 1987. Her studies included a the Portland Chapter of CASA (Court Appointed year each at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst Special Advocates) which serves abused and neglected and the Universita per Stranieri in Perugia, Italy. Post- children living in foster care. graduation, Maria worked in the publishing industry in Boston before returning home to the wine business. Maria’s husband Brett Fogelstrom of Portland’s Fogelstrom Design Build completed the winery’s modern Her current focus is growing the family business in the new tasting room in June 2013. The couple have two modern age of global wine sales. Maria oversees business beautiful children and reside minutes from the winery operations, including two tasting rooms, national on 15 acres with their cherished chow chow, Sami. MICHEL CARLO PONZI CO-OWNER For over twenty years, Michel passions. He and his wife founded Ponzi helped grow the family winery Casal Cristiana, specializing in from a garage-based operation to its Italian olive oils in 2013. Although current state-of-the-art operation, still a co-owner of Ponzi Vineyards, which now produce nearly 40,000 he now resides in Italy with his wife cases of wine annually. The business and two children. thrived through his contributions as he introduced technological Ponzi Vineyards continues to be innovation and infrastructure to the owned and operated by Maria and growing company. Luisa Ponzi. Their parents and winery founders, Dick and Nancy In 2012, Michel stepped down remain active owners as well. from his position to pursue lifelong NANCY ANN BERRY PONZI FOUNDER Nancy was born in Southern and cows (Scottish Highlanders, California, but grew up all over the no less). All this while building the world. Her father worked in the oil family’s wine business and helping to business, which took her to exotic create a foundation for the state’s wine areas of the globe like the jungles of industry. Venezuela, the San Angel District of Mexico and the Ozarks of Arkansas. In addition to being one of the first She studied at The University of marketers of Oregon wine in the Mexico, Mexico City; El Camino country, she was a founding Director College and West Valley College of the Washington County Wineries in California. In Palo Alto, she Association and was instrumental completed the Association Montessori in establishing the Oregon Wine Internationale Primary Education Advisory Board. Nancy has Course. Her emphasis was in Spanish, contributed to the conception English and Primary Education. and establishment of Oregon’s most successful wine events and has played a vital role She married Dick Ponzi in 1961. Their mutual love of in promoting the Willamette Valley as a viable wine food, wine and family made their union “storybook” region. One of the most widely recognized events is the and naturally lead them down a path overwhelmed with International Pinot Noir Celebration. This is Oregon’s the culinary arts. An overly ambitious woman, she has premiere wine event which brings together winemakers a steady record of taking on “never before attempted” and aficionados from around the world to discuss, taste projects and gracefully turning each of them into great and explore Pinot Noir.