Lovely rose-salmon color; strawberry, lemon thyme, rose petals on the nose; strawberry, watermelon, apple, bit of Bing cherry and wild honey on the palate;
serious rosé, fresh, superb acidity (3.24 pH) balances hint of sweetness (only a hint, this is decidedly not soda pop rosé), clean.
The Willamette Valley (south of Portland) holds a place among the special wine regions of the world, notable for the strictest label laws in the U.S. and serious commitment to environment and worker-friendly agriculture. This effort is fashioned by a superior winemaker—Luisa Ponzi, second generation of Ponzi family winemakers (she has been in charge of winemaking the past 23 years), and she is an example of how some of the best winemakers in the world now are women. It is biology—statistically women are more likely to have superior noses to men and more taste receptors than men, plus they can multitask more effectively than men. Freed from gender discrimination, women winemakers rise to the top of the profession and produce sophisticated delights such as this rosé of pinot noir. Luisa is more than a giant in Oregon winemaking, she is force in the entire wine world. This vintage celebrates 45 years of Ponzi wine.
Ponzi Pinot Noir Rosé is strikingly beautiful wine in the glass and delivers refreshing vitality on the palate, always with vivid acidity. This is clear demonstration rosé can be so much more than plonk wine newbies sip around the pool on a hot summer day while chatting about Kardashians. $20-22
Ponzi website
Second photo: Winemaker Luisa Ponzi
