Friday, March 29, 2013

Drink of the Week: Ponzi Pinot Gris 2012


With Easter on Sunday and April around the corner, we’re ready to shelve our wintertime reds and uncork a few of our favorite springtime whites. Enter today’s Drink of the Week: the Pinot Gris from Ponzi Vineyards. Hailing from one of Oregon’s most respected (and longstanding) producers, Ponzi was among the state’s first to plant Pinot Gris (some of their vines date back to 1978), and this year’s 2012 release once again proves Ponzi is a major player among Oregon’s fast-growing white-wine scene. Fresh and zingy with expressive tropical fruit aromas and flavors (think passionfruit, pineapple and mango), a crisp lemon acidity (thanks to the absence of any malolactic fermentation) and a soft hint of residual sugar (4 grams per liter), this wine is equally at home on the brunch table or the backyard picnic table.