The Experience

At Ponte, you hear us talk a lot about the “experience” wine can create.  We tell you to “come and experience a day in the country.”

This isn’t something we just say, it’s something we believe in.  Wine can create an experience.

I’ve had my share of experiences with wine over the years and, every time I have one, I try to hang onto the bottle once it’s empty.  Two such bottles I’ve kept over time are the very first magnum of Zinfandel Ponte released and an empty bottle of Saint André de Figuière Côtes de Provence rosé I bought in Boston last year.  Both bottles created experiences for me.

During my first year working at Ponte I bought the Magnum of Zinfandel for Thanksgiving.  I’d seen the creation of the wine from beginning to end, from the grape harvest to the selection of the label art to the bottling, and now I would be able to share the wine with my family.  Not only did the sheer volume last from appetizers to pumpkin pie and through many conversations, but the Zinfandel was so delicious.  I can still remember how good it tasted and how we laughed because the bottle never seemed to end.

The bottle of rose came from Beantown.  My husband and I were able to enjoy one day in Boston last spring.  While strolling in the city’s North End, we stumbled upon The Wine Bottega where we purchased the salmon-colored rose after the proprietor recommended it.  When we returned home we uncorked the bottle and agreed that it was one of the best roses we’d ever had.  Why was this?  Sure, it tasted great, but mostly because it reminded us of the lobster rolls we had in Boston by the water’s edge…and of the dim sum we ate in bustling Chinatown a couple of hours later…and the heavenly pistachio cannoli we ate for breakfast…and the sights we saw while walking the freedom trail…and sitting in Boston Common park under the sunshine eating the bing cherries we had bought at the farmer’s market that morning.  The wine evoked an experience and became an experience itself.

When you walk into Ponte, yes, we aim to serve you great wine, but what’s more is that we hope to create an amazing experience.  We want you to forget about life for a while and just enjoy a glass of wine, eat a great meal, take in beautiful views and stay in a top notch hotel.  We guarantee that bottle of Ponte Sangiovese you enjoyed at the Tasting Counter will taste just as good at your own dinner table because of the memories you made when you first fell in love with it.

–Perhaps you’ve had an experience with wine.  We’d love to hear about it in the comments section!