Ponzi Pinot Blanc – The Third Pinot

The Ponzi Pinot Blanc, it’s time to give some respect to Pinot Blanc.

Pinot Blanc from the Aurora Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, the Thistle Vineyard in the Dundee Hills AVA and the Zenith Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, all in Willamette Valley, Oregon. The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and did not undergo malolactic fermentation. It has residual sugar of 1.8 grams/Liter.

The Ponzi Pinot Blanc has an SRP of $20 and is available for as low as $17. 1,000 cases produced. Sample submitted for review.

From the bottle:

Founded in 1970 and thriving under the second generation for more than two decades, the Ponzi family continues to set the standard in the New World, crafting cool-climate wines of distinction. Ponzi Vineyards maintains an unwavering commitment to winemaking excellence and responsible stewardship of the land. Pinot Blanc for this cuvee was harvested from Ponzi’s Aurora Vineyard (74%), as well as Zenith (19%) and Thistle (7%) Vineyards.

13.4% Alcohol

The Pinot Blanc grape needs to get itself a new agent. Not only does it get overshadowed by Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio but how boring of a name is Pinot Blanc? That said, if you’ve followed this site for long and checked out any of our recommendations from Alsace and Alto Adige, then you know that we are big fans of this under-appreciated white variety. And since Pinot Blanc is a genetic mutation of the Pinot Noir grape that causes it to bear white grapes instead of red, it’s no surprise that Willamette Valley, home to tons of great Pinot Noir, would also be a good spot for Pinot Blanc.

The 2014 Ponzi Pinot Blanc begins with a very inviting aroma of citrus, tropical fruit, honey orange blossom and a little vanilla. The wine tastes bright, crisp and fruity with lots of peach and nectarine along with apple, pear and tropical fruit notes. The fruit is so rich and lively that you’d swear this one has a lot more residual sugar. It ends with a bit of slate minerality underlying the rich, sweet fruit on the long finish.

See a listing of local retailers selling the Ponzi Pinot Blanc here.