The spicy black cherry flavor is first felt, followed by complex aromas of stewed blackberry, cinnamon, white pepper, lavender and bergamot. The velvety silky mouthfeel and honey-like flavor are rich with hints of cypress, sage and cedar. The lingering tannins have nuances of graphite and dark chocolate. 2021 has brought sighs of relief and many smiles for winegrowers and winemakers. After a smoky 2020 due to wildfires, 2021 brought a heat dome phenomenon that made us wonder "what's next!" Fortunately, the heat wave only caused minor damage and actually prevented the development of powdery mildew that could have occurred. The rains in early September helped the vines recover, and by mid-September we had beautiful, ripe and flavorful grapes. The nights were very cool, reminiscent of 2012, and the wine has a balanced acidity and rich aroma. The yield was slightly lower than expected, but the wine is dark in color and has a strong concentration. The advantage of this vintage is that people were happy to harvest and were once again motivated to make good wine. This is definitely expressed in the taste of the wine. The grapes were hand-sorted, 35% were fermented whole-cluster, and 65% were destemmed. Small lots were divided and cold soaked for 5 days to extract the color and aromas of the wine. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, the temperature during fermentation reached nearly 32°C. The fermentation tanks were aerated or punched down twice a day for about 12 to 20 days before maceration for 5 days. Aged 14 months in French oak, 37% new barrels. The wine is then racked and bottled by gravity flow, then released after 12 months of bottle aging. Dick and Nancy Ponzi moved their young family to the Willamette Valley in the late 1960s with a passion for making world-class Pinot Noir. After many visits to Burgundy and an exhaustive search for the ideal location, they purchased 20 acres on a small farm southwest of Portland, Oregon. At the time, no one thought of the area as a good place for Pinot Noir to grow, but Dick and Nancy realized that the northern Willamette Valley climate was ideal for Pinot Noir. And so, in 1970, Ponzi Vineyards was founded. Ponzi Vineyards has always strived to innovate and elevate the quality of Oregon viticulture while maintaining an unwavering commitment to the traditions of fine winemaking. This philosophy has been passed down by the second generation of the Ponzi family for over 25 years, with President Anna Maria Ponzi and Winemaker Louisa Ponzi. The vineyards are based in Laurelwood District, a new AVA permitted in 2020, located within the Chehalem Mountains AVA. All 130 acres of vineyards are LIVE Certified Sustainable, the world's highest standard for sustainable viticulture and brewing. Based on the concept that "varietals must match the terroir and climate," Ponzi Vineyards continues to raise the bar in Oregon and is at the forefront of the top winemakers in the United States. In 2021, it was acquired by the Bollinger family, which owns Champagne House Bollinger. With Anna Maria in charge of sales and marketing and Louisa continuing as Director of Agricultural and Winemaking, the company will continue to be Oregon pioneers in producing high quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.