Winemaker Notes
The Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, a blend of Ken Wright's traditional vineyards, is extremely enjoyable, lush and full of pure Pinot fruit. Made with fruit from Abbott Claim, Canary Hill, Carter, Freedom Hill, Guadalupe, McCrone, Meredith Mitchell, Nysa and Savoya vineyards. A terrific value!
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Production of the 2016 single-vineyard cuvées has been cut sharply, which suggests that an awful lot of really good juice has gone into this value-priced blend. Supple raspberry, blackberry and plum fruit is smoothly mixed together, with seams of cola and chocolate. Lighter details of Italian herbs add further complexity.
Home of some of the planet’s most amazingly elegant and expressive Pinot noir, the Willamette Valley is a pastoral, mixed landscape of green, bucolic rolling hills, dramatic forestlands and small, independent, friendly wine growers. As a leader in environmental stewardship, the valley has some of the nation’s most protective land use policies, with two-thirds of its vineyards farmed sustainably and over half, organically. While the valley claims a cool, continental climate, and is heavily influenced by the cold, moist winds of the Pacific Ocean, its warm and dry summers allow for the steady, even ripening of Pinot noir.
The potential of Willamette Valley Pinot noir continues to attract the investment of serious growers and winemakers both locally and from abroad, as naturally the finished wines bring accolades from professionals and enthusiasts. With a range of styles from delicate dried cherry, raspberry and hibiscus to stronger notes of truffle, mocha, plum and spice, a fine Willamette Valley Pinot noir is a perfect expression of both character and grace.