Meet Luisa Ponzi of Ponzi Vineyards
Luisa of Ponzi Vineyards in Sherwood, OR
Luisa Ponzi knows a lot about winemaking: she’s the daughter of Oregon wine pioneers Dick and Nancy Ponzi. Established in 1970, Ponzi Vineyards was among the first Oregon wineries to produce estate-grown Pinot Noir. Today, it is one of the largest wineries in the state, and its signature wines are produced under the direction of winemaker Luisa Ponzi, one of several second-generation Oregon winemakers in the Willamette Valley.
“Behind every bottle of Ponzi wine is more than four decades of winemaking discovery and innovation.”
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Portland State University, Luisa studied abroad and became the first American woman to receive her certificate in enology and viticulture in Beaune, France. She crafted her first vintage of Ponzi wine in 1993, bringing a new perspective to winemaking, which continues to this day.
