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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.2 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 99 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Pastalover on 5/28/2022 & rated 93 points: Burgundian nose. Elegant and refined, but perhaps a bit short on the finish. Tannins have been shed resulting in a refined balanced Pinot with black cherry nuance. Splendid match with salmon tonight, a classic Pacific Northwest pairing (829 views) | | | Tasted by Pastalover on 5/28/2022 & rated 93 points: Burgundian nose. Fully mature but not over the hill, although perhaps a bit short on the finish. Tannins have been shed, resulting in a very balanced Pinot with dark cherry nuance. Splendid with our salmon dinner, a classic Pacific Northwest pairing (734 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 7/18/2021 flawed bottle: Second Sunday Group: 2008 Ken Wright Pinots (Fontina’s Italian Kitchen (MiY)): Double blind. Bouillon; madeirized.
My #8, Domino’s #4
Group #8, 78 pts (1376 views) | | | Tasted by dthrash111 on 1/25/2020 flawed bottle: I can’t say it was definitely flawed, and I don’t think it was corked, but the flavor profile was odd and not good. I like old wines, but if these flavors were due to age, I think it’s faded and not great anymore. (1771 views) | | | Tasted by SeaSea on 12/29/2019: Tasty. Age has nicely added to the integration of dark fruit and tannins. Will give my other bottles another five years. (1535 views) | | | Tasted by golfhawk on 10/29/2019 & rated 94 points: Out of a Jereboam, an outstanding Pinot that may have been benefitted being in a 3 L bottle. The wine of the night! (1468 views) | | | Tasted by Oregonnative on 11/11/2018 & rated 87 points: Developing secondary characteristics. Fruit forward but awkward biter tannic finish was distracting. Front palette dark fruit and mid caramel and hints of herbs. Wish the tannins were more integrated. Nice weight/mouth feel. (2130 views) | | | Tasted by Motz on 11/5/2018 & rated 92 points: A Ten Year Tasting: Wines of 2008 (Primarily Oregon Pinot Noir & Ringers) - Graciously hosted by Grinner:
Flight One of Five - Wine 5:
Appealing, if modern, fruit forward perfume. Juicy, rounded, and balanced. Not my preferred style of Oregon Pinot Noir, although not lacking for charm. Just lovely. (2139 views) | | | Tasted by Grinner on 11/3/2018 & rated 93 points: The Lyon 10 Year Tasting: 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir (Lyon Den): I MAY have the opposite effect with Carter vineyard, compared to the previous wine. An idiosyncratic love for wines from this vineyard. Loved the balance of deep black cherry, plum, and raspberry notes on a taut frame. This bottle was an exception to the rule: DON'T AGE KW's! 3-5 is good, 7 ok, but younger is FINE! 92 on day 2. (1599 views) | | | Tasted by chitowncdpguy on 7/1/2018: This is a fantastic wine. Seems to be picking up weight. Very fruity but nicely balanced by a vibrant acidity. A bit tart on the attack but smooths out into a nice long rich finish. Red berry fruit, maybe trending towards cranberry, forest floor, black pepper, tangy, really nice. (1827 views) | | | Tasted by Oregonnative on 3/30/2018 & rated 89 points: Big. Still young and tannins shortened the finish. Needed a decant but wasn’t that excited enough to do it. Too rich for my taste, but still has good energy and primary notes. (2131 views) | | | Tasted by TL on 3/24/2018: This is about the 10th bottle of older vintage KW that just didn't last. Too bad. (1569 views) | | | Tasted by mhudes on 3/19/2018 & rated 92 points: Brought for a very nice dinner with the Leons. PnP. Dark ruby in color. Cherry blossoms on the nose. Dark cherries and black raspberries on the palate. Tannin is mostly gone and there is some acidity. Velvety texture . However some Oregon PN structure still remains. Likely to maintain this level for a few more years, but I'm not certain it will actually improve much with further aging. Certainly enjoyable now. (1360 views) | | | Tasted by JM_MadTown on 12/4/2017 & rated 90 points: Nice bing cherry fruit, supple tannins and a silky texture. (1607 views) | | | Tasted by gripNsip on 11/15/2017: Doesn't smell very good. Cranberries, pie cherries. Smells ripe. On the palate, dried cherries and cranberry, red tea. Structurally still holding well, however the acid is a bit strong. Blind I'd probably call this a 2009 which is weird because it's 13.2% on the label, but still tastes ripe and somewhat alcoholic, or perhaps the acid is making me think it's more alcoholic than it is. Overall, it's ok. Maybe I'm being too critical. This wine was quite good on release and each bottle I've opened has been really underwhelming as I've been aging it. (1661 views) | | | Tasted by jkwoodward on 9/16/2017 & rated 92 points: In a nice place, smooth and resolved. Nice cherry notes. (1593 views) | | | Tasted by garambler on 9/8/2017 & rated 91 points: Friends shared this with us when we stopped by on 9/8/17. It had a deep, expressive bouquet of black cherry, baking spice, toast, tea and cola aromas. The palate was rich, layered and dry with flavors of black cherry, baking spice, tea and cola. (1439 views) | | | Tasted by rmalloy on 9/7/2017: A big-bodied bruiser of a pinot. Dense, ripe black cherry with strong aromas of cinnamon, cola, black tea, and game. Big tannins. Not what I look for in a pinot, but it's a high-quality wine. (1664 views) | | | Tasted by TL on 8/19/2017: Lasted better than most Ken Wrights this old, but most of the flavor is gone. Once again, too bad. (1706 views) | | | Tasted by JM_MadTown on 3/25/2017 & rated 90 points: The wine has silky red fruit, including raspberry and plum, some green tea, and a medium finish. Good complexity. The wine is in a very nice place right now. (2067 views) | | | Tasted by Who Knew? on 2/5/2017: Seems like it's past its best drinking window. (2026 views) | | | Tasted by Ralphie1 on 1/11/2017 & rated 91 points: Nice earth tones. Great structure. (2053 views) | | | Tasted by Ellenkf on 11/12/2016 & rated 88 points: Tasted against the2013 vintage. Somewhat uninspiring- not a whole lot of evolution here. I enjoyed the '08 Shea more. Same red cherry fruits and dusty earth, a big warmer around the edges(acids have softened), but the result is not exciting enough. (2341 views) | | | Tasted by Ewhite30 on 11/9/2016: Echoing the last few reviews, we were disappointed in this bottle - simple, one-sided red fruits, but not much more. Pretty meh. (2288 views) | | | Tasted by VTCellarDweller on 5/2/2016 & rated 86 points: Very disappointing. I would not have picked this as Willamette PN blind. It came off as ponderous, coarse, disjointed, and lacking in complexity. I’m not sure if it was slightly flawed or just in a bad mood. Decanted for an hour, it did not pair well at all with the salmon but did show a little better with the cheeses and additional airtime.
This was the first of three purchased on release and I will try it again a year to see if comes around. (3523 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, July/August 2010, IWC Issue #151
(Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Ken Wright Producer WebsitePinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.Carter VineyardLocated 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.
The main development of the Eola Hills area took place from the mid 1970’s through the early 1980’s. The most common soil type of the area is described as Nekia. These volcanic soils are shallower, generally 1 to 3 feet in depth, and have less clay than the Dundee Hills. As a result, these soils will dry sooner, encouraging earlier ripening of the fruit. The wines of this area typically possess aromas of black fruits, black cherry, plum and cassis, with acidity levels that are naturally higher than in other growing areas, contributing to a sense of structure in the mouth.
USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.Oregon Oregon Wine, Oregon Wineries (Oregon Wine Board)Willamette Valley Willamette Valley Wineries Association | Willamette Valley (Oregon Wine Board)
On weinlagen-info including some single vineyards
Willamette Valley Vintage Reviews
Eola - Amity Hills Eola - Amity Hills (Oregon Wine Board) |
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