Ken Wright Cellars McCrone Vineyard Pinot Nor
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, McCrone Vineyard was planted in 1991.
- Almost 8 acres in size, this site sits at 400 FT of elevation with a southwest inclination.
- Here the soils are Wellsdale and Willakenzie.
- The label’s artwork depicts the public barrel tastings at Ken Wright Cellars.
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Elaboration: Five day cold soak took place in small, one ton fermentation batches of this premium Pinot Noir. Selected yeasts were used and extended aging took place in French oak barrels for 10 months. Fined and filtered at the winery prior to bottling.
Tasting Notes: Floral & Spice Focused. Raspberry and black plum are kissed with floral notes of dried rose petal. Cedar and cinnamon stick add rich warming spice notes.
PRESS
2015 – 90 Wine Spectator | 94 Wine Enthusiast
2016 – 91 Wine Enthusiast
2017 – 93 Wine Spectator
2021 – 96 Jeb Dunnuck
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
The seed for a career in wine was planted squarely in Bourbon country of Lexington, Kentucky. While waiting tables to put himself through school, Ken was exposed to fine wines from regions around the world. The passion became avocation when Ken left the Bluegrass State to attend enology and viticulture classes at UC-Davis. Eight years were spent winemaking for Ventana Vineyards, Chalone and Talbott Vineyards in Monterey County of California’s central coast.
Friends from the Willamette Valley piqued Ken’s interest in the region when they would visit, and a trip to the Dundee Hills in 1976 convinced him that this was where the finest Pinot noir in North America was being grown. In 1986, with family, belongings and 10 barrels in tow, Ken moved to McMinnville and started Panther Creek Cellars.
His concept of focusing on vineyard-designate bottling began during those years at Panther Creek and was cemented as a core philosophy in 1994 when Ken Wright Cellars was founded in historic downtown Carlton. Ken now makes a single vineyard bottling from 13 vineyard sites in the Northern Willamette Valley. Given his appreciation of sense of place, it was a given that Ken would contribute to the locations and industry near and dear to his heart. Instrumental in organizing the six new American Viticultural Area (AVA)’s in the Northern Willamette Valley that define in detail the distinct growing areas within the region, he wrote the proposition for the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and served as the association’s first President.