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Issue#19
- April 09, 2008 |
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Ken Wright & Patricia
Green
Two Leading Oregon Pinot
Noir Specialists
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"Ken Wright Cellars has
long been one of the
reference points for
Pinot Noir fanatics. Ken
Wright is the ultimate
terroirist, stating on
his web site that the
value of Pinot Noir is
that it is the perfect
vehicle for expressing
the characteristics of
the site in which it is
grown."
- Robert Parker's Wine
Advocate, Issue #173,
Oct. 2007
Dear Friends,
Both Ken Wright and Patricia
Green are classicists who
place an unfathomable value
upon the expression of the
individual vineyard site.
Just look at the
evidence. Ken Wright has
championed the new series of
sub-appellations in the
northern Willamette Valley
of Oregon, producing some 12
different single vineyards
Pinot Noirs; 15-16 different
for Patty Green. Each of
their single vineyard
bottlings has its
distinctive personality that
shows the shape of its
maker's hand. Sometimes
claiming what is best is
not the point at all;
sometimes the point is
simply knowing
what something is and the
difference of this from
that.
Click here to sign-up for
the next issue of the "Burgundy
Report".
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This is the
first vineyard
directly owned
and developed by
Ken Wright
Cellars. The
vineyard is
located in the
Yamhill-Carlton
District
northeast of
Carlton.
Planting began
in 1999 with 4.5
acres of clones
777 and 115 on
phylloxera
resistant
rootstock..
Total planted
acreage as of
spring 2002 is
approximately 17
acres. Vine
spacing is 6.5'
x 4' and the
elevations
averages 450'.
The soil is
comprised of
marine sediments
known as
Wellsdale and
Willakenzie.
These are sandy
soils which
drain quickly
and hasten the
ripening
process. A
muscular wine
that has aromas
of dense black
fruit, seared
meat, cedar and
anise.
Approximately
240 cases are
produced.
2005 Ken
Wright Pinot
Noir Savoya
Vineyard
375ml
24.99
It
offers a
fragrant
perfume,
a plush
palate,
and a
lighter,
more
elegant
style
than its
peers.
There is
bracing
acidity
to
provide
uplift,
excellent
balance,
and
ample
ripe,
sweet
fruit.
Drink
this
stylish
Pinot
over the
next
8-10
years.
91
Points,
Robert
Parker's
The Wine
Advocate,
Issue
173
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2006 Ken Wright
Pinot Noir McCrone
Willamette Valley
49.99
Located in the
Yamhill-Carlton
District, this is a
densely planted
vineyard (1 meter x
2 meters). The
sedimentary soil,
know as Wellsdale,
is extremely well
drained and promotes
early ripening. The
wine from this site
is powerful, dense
and deeply colored
focusing mainly on
black fruits.
Approximately 700
cases are produced.
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This site is in the
Yamhill-Carlton
District just west
of the Chehalem
Valley. Our fruit is
sourced from three
small blocks, one of
which is planted to
the Pommard clone,
one to the Dijon 114
clone and the last
to Dijon 777 clone.
Soils are primarily
of the Goodin and
Melbourne type which
are sedimentary in
origin. The three
blocks range in
elevation from 450
to 600 feet and were
planted in 1989. The
wine from this
vineyard has a
complex array of
aromas and flavors
including black and
red fruits,
particularly
blueberry, spice and
earth. Approximately
725 cases are
produced. The
vineyard is owned by
Dick and Deirdre
Shea and managed by
Javier Marin. |
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Located just 1 mile
from Canary Hill in
the Eola Hills,
Carter Vineyard is
lower on the
hillside yet has a
leaner and less
fertile soil. It is
mainly Nekia soil,
which is formed from
weathered basic
rock. It lies at an
elevation of 325'
and was planted in
1983. This bottling
is comprised of the
Wadenswil, Dijon
777, Dijon 667,
Dijon 115, and
Pommard clones. The
wine is firmer than
Canary Hill in its
youth but evolves
beautifully after a
few years in bottle
to show black fruits
and fresh, healthy
earth scents.
Approximately 650
cases are produced.
The vineyard is
owned by Jack and
Kathleen Carter, and
managed by Mark
Gould. |
2006 Ken Wright
Pinot Noir Abbott
Claim Vyds. 1.5L
109.99
Our newest arrival
to the stable. This
site is a portion of
the original John F.
Abbott Donation Land
Claim and lies in
the middle of a
sedimentary ridge
east of Carlton.
This is a consistent
broad face of land
with soil depths of
30 inches to mother
rock. Elevation
ranges from 400' to
475' and the
inclination is S-SE.
Soils are mostly
Wellsdale with some
areas of Willakenzie
and Peavine. All of
them lie atop mother
rock of fractured
sandstone and
siltstone. The
planted acreage
totals 17 acres.
Vines are roughly an
equal mix of Pommard
clone on Riparia
Gloire rootstock,
777 on 101-14 and
115 on both 101-14
and 3309. As would
be expected from a
vineyard in the
Yamhill-Carlton
District the wine is
very darkly colored,
dense and lush.
Fruits tend to be
darker such as plum,
cassis and black
cherry. |
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2006 Ken Wright
Pinot Noir Guadalupe
375ml
27.99
The vineyard was
planted in 1989 and
represents the
definable change of
the Jory soils of
the Dundee Hills to
the sedimentary soil
of the
Yamhill-Carlton
District. It is
spaced 7' by 5' and
is planted to the
Wadenswil clone. The
soil, known as
Willakenzie, is a
well-drained shallow
soil over siltstone.
It lies at an
elevation of 350'.
The vineyard
consistently
produces small
berries and clusters
that are intensely
colored. The wine
possesses the
character of black
fruits, cocoa,
leather and earth.
Approximately 400
cases are produced.
Jim Stonebridge and
Kathleen Boeve own
the vineyard. It is
managed by Joel
Myers. |
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2006 Ken Wright
Pinot Noir Elton
Vineyard Willamette
49.99
Planted in 1983 to
the Pommard clone on
its own roots.
Located on the east
side of the Eola
Hills above Hopewell
with an
east-southeast
inclination at an
elevation of 250'.
Jory soil.
Distinctive candied
cherry aromas, firm
structure, very
ageable.
Approximately 140
cases are produced.
The vineyard is
owned and managed by
Dick & Betty
O'Brien.
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2006 Patricia Green
Pinot Noir 4 Winds
37.99
 This
particular wine has
stood out in the
cellar for its
unique combination
of gaminess, forest
floor, licorice and
black fruits and
that certain
expression of Pinot
has appealed to
people living in the
Eastern Time zone.
While there is still
a distinct sense of
the nuances
mentioned above
there is palpable
sweetness of
blackberry styled
fruit, more richness
and density in the
back-palate and an
increased overall
sense of balance in
this wine. This wine
is still atypical of
what we generally
produce but this
vintage is probably
a bit closer to
being in line with
our other wines. 575
cases bottled.
Patricia
Green Cellars Fall
2007 Newsletter |
2006 Patricia Green
Pinot Noir Whistling
Ridge Vineyard
39.99
 There is a greater
degree of purity and
compelling qualities
in the wine right
now and less "rough
around the edges
stuff that will
ultimately meld into
the wine" kind of
thing. The wine is
still packed with
wild berries and
raspberries, as well
as having a good
degree of tannin to
it, but there is
better sense of
comportment and
completeness that
speaks well of a
wine that will
ultimately become
graceful and
nuanced. We still
just get our one
little acre so the
volume will never
rise above the 150-
to 175-case level.
With the more user
friendly quality to
the wine, this
vintage this will
not last as long as
it has in the past.
Patricia
Green Cellars Spring
2007 Newsletter |
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To place an order
please call toll free at
1.888.B21.Wine
(1.888.221.9463) or visit
our website
www.B-21.com.
All items in this offering
are linked to our website.
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