About Ponzi Vineyards
Dick Ponzi, a former ride designer at Disneyland, moved his family to the Willamette Valley in the late 1960s and founded Ponzi Vineyards in 1970, making it Oregon's third winery. In 1983 it released what the winery calls the first commercial Pinot Gris in the United States. Today the estate in the Laurelwood District near Sherwood, about 20 miles from downtown Portland, makes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and sparkling wines in a gravity-flow winery, and its modern tasting room looks over Avellana Vineyard and the Chehalem Mountains.
The tasting room is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, with hours stretched to 6 pm Thursday through Sunday in July and August. A seated tasting is $60 and takes about 90 minutes, with the fee refunded on a $120 wine purchase; glasses and bottles are also poured without a full flight. Longer options include the Vine to Barrel walk through the vineyard and winery with barrel samples ($125), the four-course Laurelwood Table lunch Wednesday through Saturday at noon ($175), and a harvest-season vineyard tour. Reservations are recommended on weekends and in summer, and walk-ins are seated when there is room.
A chef-led seasonal menu is served alongside the wines, with vegan and gluten-free options and non-alcoholic drinks. Patios and vineyard bocce courts open in good weather. Children are welcome when they stay seated with a parent, and leashed, well-behaved dogs may join you on the patios. The fall 2026 calendar includes a blue cheese dinner on November 7 and a Tasting Notes evening on November 15.
Thistle & Bloom, the organic lavender farm on Ladd Hill, is only about 15 minutes away, making this one of the easiest winery and lavender pairings in the Portland area during the summer bloom.
What to do
- Book a 90-minute seated tasting of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay
- Walk Avellana Vineyard and taste from barrels on the Vine to Barrel tour
- Reserve the four-course Laurelwood Table lunch, Wednesday to Saturday at noon
- Play bocce in the vineyard on a fair-weather day
- Join a harvest-season vineyard and winery tour in the fall
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Open year-round; longer Thursday–Sunday hours in July and August; harvest tours in fall
- Hours
- Posted on their website (checked October 2026): daily 10 am–5 pm; July–August Thursday–Sunday until 6 pm; closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day
- Admission
- As posted in 2026: seated tasting $60 (refunded with a $120 purchase); Vine to Barrel $125; Laurelwood Table $175
Good to know
- Age
- 21 or older to taste or drink alcohol
- Dogs
- Leashed (patios only; vaccinations must be current)
- Accessibility
- Accessible parking behind the winery with a side entrance
- Reservations
- Recommended on weekends and in summer; walk-ins welcome as space allows
Tips for your visit
- Book ahead for summer weekends; for a same-day visit, call or text the winery
- Parking is free, with EV charging in the main and overflow lots
- Groups larger than 10 should contact the events team first
- Plan a designated driver before heading out
Pair it with a lavender farm
Thistle & Bloom · about 15 minutes away
Thistle & Bloom on Ladd Hill is about 15 minutes away, close enough for morning U-cut lavender and an afternoon tasting at Ponzi.
Getting there
Questions
Where is Ponzi Vineyards?
At 19500 SW Mountain Home Rd near Sherwood, in the Laurelwood District about 20 miles from downtown Portland.
Do I need a reservation?
Reservations are preferred but not required; book ahead for weekends and summer.
Are kids and dogs allowed?
Kids are welcome when seated with a parent. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome on the patios.
How much is a tasting?
A seated tasting is $60 as posted in 2026, refunded with a $120 wine purchase.
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
