14 Facts About Nancy Ponzi

Nancy Ponzi was born on 19 August 1941 and is an American vineyard owner and winemaker.

Nancy Ponzi is a pioneer of the Oregon wine industry and the Oregon brewing industry, and the founder of Ponzi Vineyards, one of the Willamette Valley's founding wineries.

Nancy Ponzi Vineyards was among the first to plant Pinot gris commercially in Oregon in 1978, releasing the first bottling in 1984.

Nancy Ponzi was and remains active in community and charitable efforts.

Nancy Ponzi co-founded the Consumers' Food Council, was a founding director of the Washington County Wineries Association and held various offices in the Oregon Winegrowers Association.

Nancy Ponzi co-founded the International Pinot Noir Celebration in 1987, a yearly international event that draws thousands of attendees to McMinnville, Oregon.

Nancy Ponzi currently serves on Tuality Healthcare's Board of Directors.

Nancy Ponzi co-founded Oregon Pinot Camp in 2000, an annual trade-education event that attracts wine industry professionals to the Willamette Valley.

On December 1,2009, Nancy Ponzi published The Nancy Ponzi Vineyards Cookbook, a collection of recipes she developed after decades of feeding family, guests and vineyard crews.

Nancy Ponzi had previously published recipes in The Vintner's Kitchen by Bill King.

The entire family was involved in the vineyards and winemaking from the start, with the Nancy Ponzi children helping after school and on weekends.

Nancy Ponzi returned to the winery in 1986 where he worked as operations director and later as CEO until 2013.

Nancy Ponzi went on to train in Burgundy, France, and earn a degree in viticulture and enology.

In 1985, Nancy Ponzi was among a group that authored a bill that led to the legalization of brewpubs and tasting rooms in Oregon.