NOTIZIA della VIGNAAmici di Ponzi Exclusive Newsletter

SPRING 2012

Dear Amici,

It’s spring! The valley slowly transitions from a winter slumber to a vibrant scene—leaves return to trees and shrubs and busy birds flutter about, our vines have begun to the form little buds that will soon break open into new growth.

It’s an exciting time of year to see new life appear. Everything is bright and fresh. It is in this sentiment that we release the first our 2011 white wines with a new look.

We are pleased to debut the 2011 Ponzi Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir Rosé donning updated packaging that reflects the liveliness of the wines, and the occasions they often accompany. Learn more about the update on page X of this newsletter.

We wish you a warm welcome to the season and thank you for your continued support.

Salute!

The Ponzi Family

PONZI FAMILY LETTER

V I N E Y A R D & W I N E R Y U P D A T E :

It’s a busy season at the Ponzi winery. The white wines from the 2011 harvest are nearly all finished. The wines in this month’s shipment are the first to be bottled, with many more on the way. In addition to whites, we are also preparing to bottle the 2010 Reserves. These special wines will enjoy a restful 6 months in bottle before their release this coming fall.

The vineyard crew makes preparations for the impending budbreak. The pruning is complete, weeds have been cleared, and now it’s only a matter of time until the growing season really takes off. While date that budbreak occurs can’t tell us what kind of harvest we’ll have, it does give us a roadmap on how care for the vines in 2012. Look for a report on the vineyards’ progress in the June newsletter.

BEHIND THE SCENES

U N V E I L I N G N E W P A C K A G I N G F O R 2 0 1 1 P O N Z I W I N E S

We’re excited to reveal a new look for our signature wines. You get to see it first! We’ve brightened up the look and added an extra touch of elegance. The refreshed labels feature a lighter, simplified design with a cream background. The vineyard image, a photo of our 42-year-old Estate Vineyard, has been softened, resembling an illustration and offering a nostalgic look. The photo has been re-cropped to emphasize the rows of the historic site.

The wine formerly known as Ponzi “Rosato” Pinot Noir Rosé, loses the Italian “Rosato” from its name and is now bottled in a Burgundy-style, eco-glass, consistent with the rest of the line.

“We felt our signature line needed more cohesion and we wanted the high quality of the wine to be reflected in the package,” explains Maria Ponzi, Director of Sales and Marketing.

2011 Ponzi Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc release in April, with the 2011 Ponzi Pinot Noir Rosé available only in this shipment and to national distribution.

Other changes, happening this year, include incorporating Ponzi “Tavola” Pinot Noir, into the lineup. The “Tavola” name will remain. If you stop by the tasting room you’ll notice new cream colored case boxes to match the labels.

We hope you enjoy the new look and would love to hear what you think. Salute!

NEWS

CURRENT RELEASES

2011 PONZI PINOT GRIS* $15.30/bottle

“Quince, magnolia, nutmeg, pear, vanilla and green apple are just a few of the layered aromatics in the

nose. The palate is key lime pie, white peach, honey and minerality within a brilliant frame of acidity.”

2011 PONZI PINOT BLANC* $18./bottle

“Fresh yellow peach, honeydew melon with hints of lime zest and vanilla lead to a juicy mouth of

passion fruit, citric, honey and flint.”

2009 PONZI RIESLING $13.50/bottle

“The nose is distinguished with delicate aromas of peach and orange blossom, while the palate is a

lively display of lime sorbet and preserved lemon, finishing with a strong, steely austerity.”

2009 PONZI CHARDONNAY $18./bottle

“Delicate tropical aromas of peaches, citrus fruits and banana marry together with notes of freshly

baked baguette. The bright, zippy mouth of crisp, green apples and apricots finishes fresh and clean.”

2OO8 PONZI CHARDONNAY RESERVE $27./bottle

“This explosive and intriguing nose suggests guava, white peach, tangerine zest and cardamon. The

mouth is bright with a touch of pineapple and green apple, great minerality in the mid-palate. The

finish is long with a slight zing of Meyer lemon. ”

2O1O PONZI ROSATO PINOT NOIR ROSÉ $13.50/bottle

“This constantly evolving nose ranges from plum to fig and sandalwood to ripe strawberry and

Queen Anne cherry. The mouth is juicy and bright with key limes, guava, pear and pomegranate.”

Prices reflect Amici di Ponzi discount of 1O% off single bottles, * indicates new release

2O11 PONZI PINOT NOIR ROSÉ* $16.20/bottle

“Watermelon, guava and mango aromatics lead to a bright strawberry mouth, with a touch of white

pepper framing a finish of mouthwatering acidity.”

2O1O PONZI TAVOLA PINOT NOIR $22.50/bottle

“This fragrant nose of black cherry, brown sugar brûlée and vanilla leads to a mouth of fresh red

plums. The sweet middle leads to a silky, seamless finish that lingers with spice.”

2OO9 PONZI PINOT NOIR $31.50/bottle

“Spiced cherry, cinnamon, clove and graham cracker aromatics lead to a soft entry of licorice and

peppercorn notes. The mid palate sweetness finishes with dusty firm tannins.”

2OO9 PONZI PINOT NOIR RESERVE $54./bottle

“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.”

2OO9 PONZI DOLCETTO $22.50/bottle

“Ripe plum and roasted game, cigar tobacco, cranberry compote and roasted vanilla aromas give

way to a generous mouth of focused fruit. The finish has firm tannins and a backbone of mouth

watering acidity.”

SHOP ALL WINES

R E C E N T P R E S S

“Rich, well-integrated 2008 Ponzi Reserve... balanced with lingering flavors of flowers, nuts and oak.”

Eric Asimov, March 12, 2012

Ponzi noted as a top Riesling producer in the Pacific Northwest.

Paul Gregutt, April 2012

2008 PONZI CHARDONNAY RESERVE

2009 PONZI RIESLING

BEST BUY, A YEAR’S BEST PINOT NOIR

“Scents of cola and spice yield to deep black cherry accents. There

is such purity of fruit at first that the wine feels simple, but with air

the black cherry is grounded by forest floor notes and kissed by oak,

which gives the flavors length and ballast.”

December 2011

2009 PONZI PINOT NOIR92POINTS

U P C O M I N G E V E N T S

“AMICI AFTER HOURS”

April 11th | 5:30-7pm

The Vineyard Home | RSVP to david@ponziwines.comThe second in this series of intimate after hours tasting events.

PINOT BLANC EVOLUTION- SIDE-BY-SIDE TASTING

April 21st & 22nd | 10-5pm

Estate Tasting RoomKicking off the release of the 2011 Pinot Blanc, taste it side-by-side with a gently aged Ponzi Pinot Blanc from the cellar.

PRE-MEMORIAL WEEKEND

May 19th & 20th | 10-5pm

Estate Tasting RoomJoin us for a sneak peak tasting of one of our limited production whites.

MEMORIAL WEEKEND TASTING

May 26th - 28th | 10-5pm

Estate Tasting RoomWineries around the valley release the first of their 2011 white wines.

“AMICI AFTER HOURS”

June 6th | 5:30-7pm

The Vineyard Home

RSVP to david@ponziwines.comThe concluding after hours experience for 2012.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...

AMICI FESTA

Italian-style BBQ

August 19th Details coming soon.

PONZI LIBRARY WINE EXPERIENCE

Friday, September 14th Details coming soon.

PONZI HARVEST TOURS

Saturday & Sunday in October | 12-2pm & 3-5pm

$45/$40 per club member

Tour the Ponzi winery, Collina del Sogno, during Harvest and enjoy a traditional

Ponzi Harvest meal. Date will be announced closer to Harvest.

SUMMER IS HERE!

Reserve a Bocce ball court by

contacting the Tasting Room at

503-628-1227

SAVE THE DATE!Sunday, August 19th

AMICI FESTAI T A L I A N - S T Y L E B B Q

LUISA’S SELECTION

VINTAGE 2011: The season started quite late and wet

with budbreak finally revealing itself in early May. A heavier

than normal crop was thinned down to handle the late season,

but even into the last part of August there was not significant

heat to convince us that everything would get ripe enough.

We thinned again at veraison (color change) and headed into

September with cool, wet weather. As we were about to lose

all hope towards the beginning of October, the sun decided to

shine! A beautiful Indian summer saved this “Miracle Vintage”

and though we were picking into the middle of November,

the fruit was ripe and sound. This vintage will be remembered

as the latest on record to date. It resembles, in structure, fruit

intensity and color, the beautiful 1999 vintage.

HISTORY: Recognized as one of Oregon’s most consistent

Pinot Gris producers for more than 30 years, Ponzi remains a

leader of this varietal with initial plantings in 1978.

VINEYARDS: The 2011 Pinot Gris is produced from

certified sustainable Ponzi Aurora, Avellana and Estate Vineyards,

Linda Vista, Gemini, Dion, Walnut Ridge, Ridge Road, Kraemer

and Zenith Vineyards.

FERMENTATION: Fermented in temperature-

controlled, stainless-steel tanks, not exceeding 55˚F. malolactic

fermentation was prohibited to retain the bright and lively

character of the wine. Stelvin closures (screwcaps) were used

on 100% of the production. Alcohol is 13.%. Finished pH is

3.10. Residual sugar is 5.7g/L.

Quince, magnolia, nutmeg, pear, vanilla and green apple are just a few of the layered aromatics in the nose. The palate is key lime pie, white peach, honey and minerality within

a brilliant frame of acidity.-WINEMAKER LUISA PONZI

LUISA’S SELECTION

VINTAGE 2011: The season started quite late and wet

with budbreak finally revealing itself in early May. A heavier

than normal crop was thinned down to handle the late season,

but even into the last part of August there was not significant

heat to convince us that everything would get ripe enough.

We thinned again at veraison (color change) and headed into

September with cool, wet weather. As we were about to lose

all hope towards the beginning of October, the sun decided to

shine! A beautiful Indian summer saved this “Miracle Vintage”

and though we were picking into the middle of November,

the fruit was ripe and sound. This vintage will be remembered

as the latest on record to date. It resembles, in structure, fruit

intensity and color, the beautiful 1999 vintage.

VINEYARDS: The 2011 Pinot Blanc is produced from

Ponzi’s LIVE Certified Sustainable Aurora Vineyard in the

Chehalem Mountains AVA. This wine meets requirements for

the Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine program for responsible

agriculture and winemaking practices certified by an independent

third party.

FERMENTATION: Fermented in stainless steel tanks with

a portion in neutral oak barrels. A partial malolactic fermentation

occurred to expand inherent flavors in this delicious wine, and

lightly filtered just before bottling. Alcohol is 12.8%. Finished

pH is 3.27 Residual sugar is 2.6g/L

Fresh yellow peach, honeydew melon with hints of lime zest and vanilla lead to a juicy mouth of passion fruit, citric,

honey and flint.

-WINEMAKER LUISA PONZI

VINTAGE 2011: The season started quite late and wet with budbreak finally revealing itself in early May. A heavier than normal crop was thinned down to handle the late season, but even into the last part of August there was not significant heat to convince us that everything would get ripe enough. We thinned again at veraison (color change) and headed into September with cool, wet weather. As we were about to lose all hope towards the beginning of October, the sun decided to shine! A beautiful Indian summer saved this “Miracle Vintage” and though we were picking into the middle of November, the fruit was ripe and sound. This vintage will be remembered as the latest on record to date. It resembles, in structure, fruit intensity and color, the beautiful 1999 vintage.

VINEYARDS: This Pinot Noir Rosé is a blend of many saignéed lots from various vineyards and fruit sourced specifically for rosé from the Ponzi Estate Vineyard and Dion Vineyard, both old vine vineyards in the Chehalem Mountains AVA.

FERMENTATION: The fermentation in stainless steel was cool and long and malolactic was inhibited to retain the bright, fresh fruit character. Alcohol is 13.5%. Finished pH is 3.13. Residual sugar is .6g/100ml.

2011 PINOT NOIR ROSÉ

“Watermelon, guava and mango aromatics lead to a bright strawberry mouth, with a touch of white pepper framing a finish

of mouthwatering acidity.” - WINEMAKER LUISA PONZI

LUISA’S SELECTION

RECIPE SUGGESTION

Aperitifs…Appetizers…Antipasti…All come first, all offer lighter wines accompanying small

dishes, all welcome diners to relax, refresh, comfortably recount the day and anticipate a lovely

meal…all in good time. The three 2011 Ponzi white wines ideally perform the role of aperitif

wines. Each may be more complementary with a peculiar dish, but all can reliably take center

stage at your appetizer selection. Depending on the number of diners, select one wine and two

or three appetizers, or present all three varieties with a dazzling array of small dishes—simply

having delicious nibbles and terrific appropriate wines ready and waiting for guests arrival and

immediate hospitality ensures a sense of leisure and flowing conversation.

The Ponzi Vineyards Cookbook offers simple recipes for several of my favorite appetizers, plus

suggestions on what to keep on hand for the sometimes—and sometimes best--impromptu guests

and gatherings. Of course the new Amici wines can go on to accompany lighter dinner entrées,

but here are four appetizers that will be beautiful and delicious served with the 2011 whites:

SHRIMP & SPRING HERBS

RECIPE SUGGESTION

TECHNIQUE1. Bring liquid, salt, curry power, ginger, garlic to a boil – the aroma will be wonderful!

2. Add the herbs and shrimp. Cover and return to gentle boil, approximately 5 min. (See

notes.) Take care not to overcook.

3. Immediately put shrimp in bowl of cold water to stop cooking.

4. Clean shrimp, cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate to hold before serving.

5. Serve shrimp drizzled with fine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, medium/coarse salt

and finely chopped herb garnish or an herb mayonnaise.

Tarragon—or nettles, parsley, basil-- mayonnaise: In food processor place 2

egg yolks, 2 T. fresh lemon juice, 1 T. white rice vinegar, 1 C. of fresh tarragon leaves,

salt. Whirl until tarragon is pureed. With processor going, slowly add 1 C. canola oil

until sauce thickens…the longer mixture is processed the thicker is gets. Adjust flavors;

adding any of basic ingredients until the sauce zings…it will also be a gorgeous color

which enhances the presentation as well as taste of the shrimp antipasto.

NOTES 1. If shrimp are frozen (best unless you have a secret source for actually fresh shrimp), thaw

in lukewarm water just until they are pliable. If already thawed, run cold water over

shrimp for 2 min. before cooking to avoid toughness.

2. Shrimp cook quickly; overcooking pretty much ruins them. Rule of thumb:

Medium: 3-4 min.; large: 5-7 min; jumbo: 7-8 min. Always cool immediately.

3. Clean shrimp by removing all the shell except a little “holder” piece at the tail end.

Devein by running a sharp knife down the back and rinsing. Cleaning before cooking

is discouraged, but if it’s necessary, reduce cooking time 25%.

4. If you can obtain Alaskan Spot shrimp, you’re in for a treat.

INGREDIENTS

[Adjust amounts to number of guests]2 lb. large shrimp (16 – 20/lb.) Approx. 28 oz. cooking liquid -

sufficient to just cover shrimp (water and/or white wine – this is a great place to use leftover wine, especially something with a little sweetness like the last bit of Vino Gelato.)

4 T coarse salt1 T curry powder – to taste1 T fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped1 C combined summer herbs: Italian

parsley, chervil, thyme, tarragon, and basil (your selection) roughly chopped. Reserve some herbs or pick a little more for garnish. (Stronger flavored herbs such as rosemary, cilantro, dill, anise and mint are probably best reserved for other dishes, but, like noveaux chefs with their surprising small dishes, experiment and taste.)

INGREDIENTS

[Yield depends on size; enough for a picnic]1½ c. unbleached white flour½ c. potato flour¼ t. salt1/3 stick butter (2 heaping T.)½ c. walnuts, toasted, finely chopped1 c. ice waterCoarse salt for tops if desired

OR TRY:2 c unbleached white flour

1 stick butter

1 ½ c grated Parmigianino or other hard

cheese

1 egg yolk

½ c water

RECIPE SUGGESTION

CRACKERS & CHEESE

TECHNIQUE1. Use a food processor with steel blade. Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until

integrated with flour… just like pastry dough. Add walnuts.

2. Pour ice water into flour/butter mix while whirling and continue until dough ball is

formed.

3. Put dough onto work board and knead very briefly. Dough can be rolled immediately

or—best—wrap in plastic and stick in fridge for 15-20 minutes.

4. Divide dough in half if more convenient. Use additional flour to roll dough out very

thin, try for 1/8”. This dough doesn’t need to be handled as carefully as pie dough.

5. Score into desired shape: squares or rectangles, free form or using a straight edge guide;

cut with cookie cutters, sharp knife, pizza cutter or pastry roller for fluted edge.

Sprinkle tops with coarse salt if desired.

6. Bake app. 10 min. at 350˚F or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Brake apart and

store in airtight container.

NOTE So many cheeses! Just stay away from the “big” flavors: very ripe, blues, cheddars;

select rich mild varieties (i.e. Brie), medium textured such as aged Gouda and

Manchego. A word from Chef Mark Bitman, “Crackers are ridiculously easy to

make”. They’re also cheap, quick, barely messy and you can change flavors just by

looking around in your fridge and spice drawer. They don’t need refrigeration, are

portable and just handy to have around.

INGREDIENTS

1 package phyllo dough – frozen1 lb. feta cheese – French, Greek or artisan domestic½ lb.Butter, melted butter (you may not use it all, but have it ready) Fresh oregano and/or Italian parsley - optional

RECIPE SUGGESTION

TYROPITA

TECHNIQUE1. Prepare your phyllo dough – see NOTES below.

2. Cut sheets into 2 ½ - 3” strips.

3. Crumble the feta into a bowl. Add a little chopped fresh oregano or parsley if you’re

inclined.

4. Place a strip of phyllo on your work surface and brush well with melted butter.

5. Put a teaspoon of feta about 1” from the end. Fold one corner over to form a

triangle. Continue folding into triangles…just like you were taught to fold the flag in your

Scouting days.

6. Place the triangle wraps on lightly buttered cookie pans, give tops a final light butter

or olive oil brush, and bake 15 minutes @ 350˚F, until golden brown. Cool on wire

racks.

NOTESPhyllo dough can almost always be found somewhere in the frozen food section. Keep

the dough frozen until the day before you plan to use it. Stick it in the fridge to defrost,

then bring to room temperature a couple hours before making the tyropita. The sheets

are easiest to cut with scissors. Depending on the size of the sheets, cut strips at least 2

½” wide. Work with only one strip at a time; cover the other strips with wax paper and a

damp—not wet—cloth. The dough is so thin it dries out really fast. If you tear a strip,

try to patch with another…or just toss. You probably won’t use all the phyllo dough;

wrap remainder with wax paper and refreeze.