Ken Wright Cellars
Located in rural Carlton, Oregon, Ken Wright Cellars is devoted to single vineyard Pinot Noir that showcase the terroir of some of the Willamette Valley's top vineyards. Assiduous attention is paid to optimal site selection and vineyard health. Source is everything. When you work with great sites, great things can happen. These great things cannot happen without a commitment by the Vineyard owner to the health of the vineyard and extremely low crop levels that ensure intensity of aroma, flavor and texture. Certain things in this world are better left alone. Minimal handling of the wine is essential to preserve what it is, a gift of nature. This winemaking philosophy defines Ken Wright Cellars. Ken Wright is very active in local charities and was instrumental in organizing the six new American Viticultural Areas that define the Northern Willamette Valley. Ken wrote the proposition for the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and served as the association's first President.
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| Website | www.kenwrightcellars.com/ |
|---|---|
| Address | 236 N Kutch St., Carlton, OR 97111 |
| Wine Maker | Ken Wright |
| Country | America |
| Region | Oregon |
| Appellation | Willamette Valley, Columbia Gorge, Dundee Hills, Mount Pisgah Polk County, Oregon, McMinnville District, Yamhill-Carlton, Ribbon Ridge |
From this Winery
The Ken Wright Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is a representation of many of our single vineyard Pinot noir sites in one bottle. This new
vintage boasts true Oregon elegance. A balanced purity of black cherry, red plum and cranberry are enveloped by hints of gingercake, orange zest and cedar.
100% Pinot Blanc, from Freedom Hill Vineyard, in the Mount Pisgah AVA, is barrel fermented and barrel aged in neutral French oak barrels.
Typically it exhibits complex aromas of cantaloupe, tangerine, white peach and orange blossom on the nose. Ripe melon and citrus on the palate. Long, silky, and refreshing finish.
The Celilo Vineyard is a unique vineyard situated on a 1,000 foot bluff overlooking the Columbia River in the Columbia River Gorge. It lies on the south face of Mount Underwood, which is currently an inactive volcano. The soil is pulverized basalt, extremely porous and loose, which promotes deep rooting. The vineyard was planted in 1983 using Wente clone. Unlike the Chardonnay grown in the hot eastern desert of Washington, this is a much cooler site. As a result, the fruit retains more acidity and the wine displays a clean mineral character with an expansive texture.
This Chardonnay is from a half acre planting of Dijon 548 clone. This clone is a precocious ripener, often harvested before Pinot noir. Clusters and berries are both small in size, leading to naturally low crop levels and intense aroma and flavor.
Remaining on the lees in barrel through fermentation and aging creates a beautiful silken mouth feel on this Yamhill-Carlton Chardonnay. Detailed qualities of honeysuckle, lemon curd, pear and brioche play on the note and palate. While integrated touches of oak allow a brilliant acidity to shine.
Canary Hill Vineyard
Winemakers comments: Fruit Focused
Light tannins and bright acidity. Red and blue fruit - juicy red plum, pie cherry, and marionberry.
Artwork shows Dick and Nancy Daniel (original owners) planting the vineyard in 1983
Fruit Focused. Floral hints of fresh linen, hyacinth lilt over blackberry and black cherry preserve. Great acid and structure lead to a mouthwatering finish.
Floral & Spice Focused Very forward & attractve in its youth with a depth of flavor - raspberry, mulberry combine with morel mushroom for an earthy & luscious mouth feel.
Floral & Spice Focused. Red currant, cranberry, and bing cherry are wrapped in notes of black tea, cinnamon bark, and cedar. Flovers of red fruits and black licorace are soft and lush on the palate.
Floral & Spice Focused Blue & red fruits of blueberry and raspberry with delicate anise and cola notes.
Opulent texture and a luscious mouth feel.
TASTING NOTES: Floral & Spice Focused. Complex and brooding. Rich, sweet floral notes of jasmine, savory notes of sorrel and shiso leaf
mingle with salted cramel and honey crisp apple.
VINTAGE: “2019 is a defining vintage. Though we had several weather systems come in early September, we now have incredibly beautiful wine in our house. Patience was key as true ripeness only happens with mother nature’s blessing. Our 24 sorters removed everything harmful. Yes, we lost a significant volume of fruit but with the effort of our sorting line we were able to “PERFECT” the fruit we received. In this competitive world quality is requisite.
Our 2019 wine is ridiculously dark in color and concentrated in flavor and aroma. The wine shows great purity. This is a great vintage for us that reminds me of 1991. That vintage, without question, was the best of the 90’s. Great balance, perfume and longevity. 2019 will be one of Oregon’s
signature vintages.”- Ken Wright
TASTING NOTES: Red fruit focused. Red fruits of strawberry, bing cherry and red plum swirl with sweet hints of vanilla, and brioche.
VINTAGE: The 2020 growing season began in early/mid-April with
beautiful weather that had us progressing well into the first stages of
flowering the second week of June. However, over a string of 10 days, the temperature dropped significantly, and it rained steadily. This weather had a profound effect on the fertility of our flowers, resulting in one the lightest crops in the modern industry’s history. A silver lining to this low crop was that the clusters were very open and loose, which allowed for good air movement and disease prevention. The fruit was incredibly healthy. The berries were also very small in size which meant a higher precentage of skin to juice ratio. Higher levels of skin to juice will result in greater concentration of color, aroma and flavor. Like 1998, our 2020 wine is dense and rich but in short supply.
Warm temperatures and high winds caused several local fires in the Willamette Valley that affected nearby vineyards in late summer. Of the 13 sites that we source, only one had detectable issues and it was minimal and isolated to one area of the vineyard. We were fortunate that our vineyards were located in areas that were far from the live fires.
TASTING NOTES: Floral & Spice Focused. Rich dark color. Black
cherry, rasberry, mushroom, and dried rose petal on the nose. Cherry cola and tea leaves are open and graceful on a soft and supple palate.
VINTAGE: “2019 is a defining vintage. Though we had several weather systems come in early September, we now have incredibly beautiful wine in our house. Patience was key as true ripeness only happens with mother nature’s blessing. Our 24 sorters removed everything harmful. Yes, we lost a significant volume of fruit but with the effort of our sorting line we were able to “PERFECT” the fruit we received. In this competitive world quality is requisite.
Our 2019 wine is ridiculously dark in color and concentrated in flavor and aroma. The wine shows great purity. This is a great vintage for us that reminds me of 1991. That vintage, without question, was the best of the 90’s. Great balance, perfume and longevity. 2019 will be one of Oregon’s
signature vintages.”- Ken Wright