Ponzi Vineyards

From the second we walked in, the experience was excellent. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The winery itself is absolutely gorgeous with the Willamette Valley in the backdrop. Oh, and the Pinot’s rock!

I had a lovely visit to Ponzi last weekend. I have been wanting to go since ordering a glass at the Dundee Bistro last year. The grounds are gorgeous. It’s obvious no detail or expense was spared.
I love that they offer bottles here– which I will gladly return for. My group of six shared the Pinot Blanc and the Pinot Gris (easily one of the best I have had). I also had a tasting. The whites are the star here the reds they were pouring tasted hot to me. They also serve small plates which is a nice touch– but be aware no outside food or beverages are allowed.
After a wonderful visit I asked to see their wine club info (we belong to 8 clubs). I was surprised to see it was the least generous I can ever recall seeing in Oregon. 10% off for members, only 2 tastings per visit. They also require a significant purchase to waive tastings. Which is their prerogative. But this is the way I have seen business done in Napa and Sonoma– not the valley. I’ll stick to buying bottles when I visit the property.

My husband and I went to this winery/​vineyard for the first time. It was amaz8ng, the views were gorgeous. There was ample seating, bache (spelling) ball courts, and an air conditioned inside where you could sit to beat the heat.
We sat outside with the Amazing views and the amazing breeze. Danielle was our server and was super attentive, nice, friendly and knowledgeable. We did not try the food but we did purchase a bottle of the rose to go. Will definitely be coming back here.

Fabulous place!
Perfect for a happy hour, romantic and classy with tasty delicious wine and appetizers. Reasonable prices too.
My husband took me there and I was very impressed and definitely will be back

I’m more of a restaurant guy than a winery guy… Still this is a beautiful places with some delicious easy drinking wine.
A good place to start or end your journey with good customer service.
I came away with two bottles and pictures of the gorgeous mountainous views.

I’m not a huge wine person. This 5 star rating is mostly for the pleasant/​friendly staff and the beautiful venue! I loved chillin here even though I have nothing really to say about the wine. On a Saturday afternoon, the four of us were able to snatched a pretty good spot outside. It was busy, but not too packed. The view was AMAZING! Absolutely loved it! Don’t forget sunblock! It is blazin and very warm in the summer. The inside was nice too, but why be inside when you could be outside? :) Some people were playing some games outside on the grass. We got the $ 15 flight with 4 – 5 wines. The pour was not that generous though, but I honestly don’t super care. The Pinot Gris was my favorite in the flight.

This place is fabulous. A beautiful facility and beautiful views. My friend and I shared the tasting and bought a bottle of rosé, which was so good, to enjoy the whole experience while sitting on the patio looking at the views. It was very relaxing! I only wish there were a picnic area though. That would make this place more fantastic.

Sherwood, OR: View was stunning. Service was decent. The antipasti plate, however, was the worst thing I’ve ever had. Crackers tasted stale, the ricotta cheese was DISGUSTING, and all in all, totally not worth $ 15. I’ve never regretted a good purchase more.

Amazing.
Modern and minimalist style winery with absolutely delicious wines! Some of the best views in the area and a great way to spend an afternoon with friends savoring some wine and cheese.
Can’t wait to come back.

Beautiful grounds!
Nice staff
Great wines!
I wish the tasting wasnt so expensive, I would go more often.

Amazing winery! Great wine selection great staff! The grounds are amazing! Beautiful views! Plenty of seating both inside and out. Nice fire place! I go on a lot of wine tours. This winery is by far the best I have been too! I will definitely be bringing all of my clients back. I highly recommend!

Delightful vineyard to visit. First in the area to explore Pinot and I am so glad they did. Very good wines and the tasting are presented to you wherever you decide to sit. The views are beautiful and even though it was chilly we sat outside. Our server brought us our tastings outside every time and told us about every wine. We enjoyed every moment, ordered more of the Pinot Grigio which was superb and enjoyed the outdoor fire. We will definitely be back.

I’ve known about Ponzi for years, but it’s always seemed so fancy (read: expensive) and so I avoided the vineyard just as I avoid the likewise named scheme. However, on a recent wine tasting trip, another vintner recommended I try out Ponzi for it’s stainless steel Chardonnay. I was hesitant– dressed in cut-​off shorts and loud flower tights, I did not think I looked the part to swirl wine with the Ponzi-​goers. However, the promise of flawless Chardonnay brushed aside these insecurities and so to Ponzi boldly I went.
Ponzi is located in the beautiful Willamette countryside. It offers amazing valley views adorned with the vines and orchards that brought us all here in the first place. The tasting room is located at a gorgeous estate. Walking up the stairs to the tasting room, I almost convinced myself I was walking into a spa. In a word, this place is luxurious. Tables with plush seats and comfy couches surrounding a fireplace mark the spacious interior. Outside on the expansive deck, you can sit by a table-​side fire in the most comfortable lawn furniture ever created by man. This fire emits enough heat that even in winter, sitting on the covered deck is a viable option.
I had never tried a Ponzi wine before because that damned price tag does not coalesce with my student loan payments. However, for a $ 15 tasting fee, I was able to try two pinot noirs, the stainless steel chardonnay, a pinot blanc, and a pinot grigio (if I recall correctly). Now truth be told, I’m not a white wine girl. Don’t tell HUAC, but my allegiances lie with the reds. That said, I would happily buy a bottle of any of the whites I sampled. At around $ 20 a bottle, the whites are much more affordable than Ponzi’s reds. Of course, the reds were out of this world good. The vintage pinot blew my mind, but at $ 60 a bottle, it would also blow my bank account; the light pour was all of the bliss I could afford.
One of the things I love about wine-​tasting is that your pour is often received with a brief education of the vines and process that created the good stuff in your glass. While service was wonderfully prompt at Ponzi, there was never a description of what we were drinking (in fact, we were not even told what the wine being poured was. Instead, our server ran down the list and expected us to fill in the blanks). The absence of description wasn’t a deal-​breaker, but it is not my preference.
Ponzi is not your run-​of-​the-​mill tasting room. It’s posh aesthetics could easily fit in with the likes of Napa and Sonoma. It’s wines, however, are true to the Willamette Valley. Ponzi is an exquisitely luxurious experience, and I look forward to the day I will next visit the vineyard (in proper pants, natch).
Note: While many Willamette Valley vineyards are relatively dog-​friendly, Ponzi kindly asks the pets to be left at home.

Beautiful location overlooking the vineyards. There’s a comfortable seating area inside for lounging and an expansive deck surrounding the tasting room.
Nice variety of wines to choose from, both white and red — mostly dry, crisp and refreshing!
I only had time for one winery on this trip to Portland, so this was a good choice for that reason. Also, this winery is open a little later than most, so I was able to relax and enjoy at my leisure without having to rush out at 4:30 on the dot, as is the case with most of the other wineries in the area.

This place IS wine country. From the décor and ambiance to the fabulous tasting flights, I could’ve spent all day here. Do yourself a favor and get a glass «to go» and sit outside on the outdoor deck. It overlooks the vineyard and features a wonderful outdoor gas fireplace as well as heat lamps. Jeff and his staff will take excellent care for you and are happy to fill you in with their wonderful history and wine making process. At only a 35 minute drive from Portland, you can’t go wrong.

My wife and I had a fun time at Ponzi. We purchased a wine tasting and played bocce ball while tasting wine. The staff came out to us and poured more wine between taking turns.
Scenery was AMAZING!
Overall an wonderful and beautiful experience.

This place was a ton of fun. Started with wine tasting, then we bought a bottle and went outside to use the bocce ball courts. The people there were fun, the employees were nice and knowledgeable. The wine is tasty and reasonably priced and they have it cold and ready to go. My only complaint is that all of the umbrellas near the bocce ball court were un-​weighted and/​or broken so they couldn’t be opened. It was 95 degrees out and having no shade was not pleasant :)

We weren’t going to stop here originally because it’s a big named property. Boy were we glad we did stop in. Their customer service is out of the park and the wines are very good as well. Thanks to our friend behind the counter — gorgeous lady with knowledge of the wines and history of the winery. Can’t remember her name but her gorgeous red curls are a give-​away. Thanks!!! Bought ourselves a few bottles and stared out the windows at the lush beauty that is Oregon. Wish we’d had more time to relax here — next time.

Ponzi —-thank you for the free wine tasting coupon, but I won’t be coming back.
Ponzi I used to love you… when you were down-​to-​earth and felt like a «Portlander»…now you’ve changed into a complete snob it seems, what happened?
This is the new tasting room that Ponzi opened this year (2013), which is tucked on a hidden road off in the hills of Sherwood. It was a modern tasting room, but it looked like it was done by the same designers that just completed Stoller and Sokol Blosser’s new tasting rooms. Since I had already see those wineries, I wasn’t that impressed.
We got there and tastings were $ 20 for only 4 tastes. The wines were alright, but nothing I would consider buying. I had a free wine coupon voucher so I thanked them for that, and gave them an extra star with this review. However, the hazelnuts that are included in the wine tasting, we had to ask for. Common etiquette would say buy a bottle if you got a free tasting. Yes, for sure! Only problem was I didn’t like their wines. I guess I could have bought a bottle for a friend, but all the wines were $ 25 – 65 a bottle, and not anything I would truly like buying for myself or someone else. Not sure where they lost me, since I remember liking their wines at their original location. Why did they change, and why did it seem so much more expensive?
I just lost my job in September too, so my budget is also on the conservative side with the lack of income. However, just like another reviewer mentioned, Nobody on their staff seemed that friendly, and the pours were pretty small too. On my way out — I did notice that they had a dessert wine for sale. I asked if I could try it… told the server I also could pay to try it since dessert wines are what I gravitate towards. The server said they don’t taste test that one at that location, and I was «out of luck». Well, they lost me as a customer. A winery that has wine, but won’t taste test it… very odd and strange.
It does have some beautiful views, and worth a visit once to check them out, but I probably won’t be back.
The bottom line is… do I feel that their wine tastings are too expensive, yes I do.
If I am going to go wine tasting, I am going to want at least 5 – 8 tastes for that price and/​or a winery tour. 4 tastes for $ 20 and it is non-​refundable even with a purchase, not worth my time or vote… so many other places to go wine tasting than this place. California Napa Valley wineries are way cheaper than that since they often give larger flights and free winery tours. Oh, wait, the wine tasting is refundable here… only if you spend over $ 179 on wine, or some insane figure like that. winery tours here come with a hefty price too. Only yuppies and rich kids would like and appreciate this place.

After a couple of visits to Ponzi’s tasting room, a sum of experiences at 3 stars. Charming ambiance albeit with equal access problems. Some good wine and even some great white wines, although a not as great tasting policy. Knowledgeable tasting room host, although on the occasion of each visit it has been so that the numbers of folks tasting was overwhelming for him, as good as he was. No knock on the host, it means more than one person behind the tasting bar might be helpful.
Ponzi’s tasting room is convenient to where we often stay when in the Portland area and when we’re traveling with people who haven’t been to Ponzi, we’ll take them for a visit. Last time, our guests reflected after a weekend of wine tasting that of all the wineries we visited, Ponzi was the single tasting room where they wouldn’t go back.
Observations follow.
AMBIANCE:
Lovely setting for the building and charming interior. Cozy in the way aged buildings can be with a bit of sophistication at the same time. Outside there are seating areas to take in the ambiance. Inside the tasting room the focal point is the tasting bar. Also display tables with arranged food history and cookbooks suggesting the owners’ interest in food and wine as companions.
TASTING SET UP & POLICY:
Tastings are now $ 15 for a five wine (?) fixed card. This fee is not refunded with purchase.
We think tasting fees are a good idea for many reasons. But we also they ought to be refunded with a minimum purchase of a couple of bottles. After all, the wine buyer pays more for wine at the winery than any other retail channel. The winery also makes more profit on those sales. We’re always willing to pay more for wine at the winery to support farmers and food artisans (wine makers are both). But, we feel «had» when we’re paying more for the wine and don’t have the fee refunded with a purchase. Bad policy it seems to us for us as it relates to customer loyalty. Really bad policy said our companions who cite this as a reason not to go back.
Ponzi once had tastings structured to offer a red flight or a white flight, taster’s preference, for $ 10. This time the $ 15 tasting fee card was fixed with five pours of which three were Pinot Noir. (A white to start and also Dolcetto in the mix of red.) We enjoy Pinot Noir and Ponzi makes some nice ones. But Pinot Noir is über abundant in this part of Oregon and Ponzi stands out for making some great whites including varietals not as much bottled elsewhere. So we missed not having white options on the tasting card.
THE WINES:
Our favorite of all Ponzi bottlings is their Arneis. An Italian white varietal which is not much planted in the US is a personal favorite and Ponzi makes a great one. Released each Spring, it sells out quickly. At $ 30 /​bottle this year, it seems a bit spendy. (You can also find some good Italian Arneis for less at E&R wine sellers in Portland.)
Ponzi also makes wonderful Pinot Blanc. We also like their Riesling which has great acid balance and off dry finish. A great food wine. We’ve also been big fans of their dessert wine called Vino Gelato, it was a blend of old vine Riesling and Muscat with the grapes frozen in «ice wine style» to produce what the marketing material cleverly called «a sorbet of wine». Lovely. Didn’t see it in the winery this time, but if they have it when you visit, it is worth the purchase.
EQUAL ACCESS PROBLEMS:
The parking lot here is gravel and unmarked. But sometime between our previous visit and this recent one, they’ve planted a single «wheelchair symbol» sign in the gravel lot nearest the door. That’s a start. But as anyone who has used a wheelchair… or pushes a stroller for that matter. will tell you, deep loose gravel is not considered an accessible surface because wheels don’t roll on it.
As my young vet acquaintance who uses a wheelchair since his legs were severed in Iraq says he sometimes feels like the enemy for just wanting to get in the door to participate. Also note, the loo inside is up a step or two so not accessible. The odd thing is the owners have a history of being socially progressive, and yet they don’t meet twenty three year old ADA (which is a civil rights law after all) minimum access here.
THIS N THAT:
It seems Ponzi has a new, state of the art tasting room in progress of being built. Located at 19 500 S.W. Mountain Home Road in Sherwood, it will be in addition to and not replacement for this Beaverton location. Hopefully they’ll reconsider tasting policies as part of opening that new tasting room. And in that new building, set to open in June 2013 I think, there will be reason to get equal access wrong.