JMD Crew with Ken Wright in the

JMD Crew with Ken Wright in the McCrone Vineyard (September 2007)

KEN WRIGHT CELLARS 2006
We have been representing Ken Wright’s wines in Hawaii since 1990, first under the Panther Creek label, evolving into the current “Ken Wright Cellars” in 1994. Ken is “The Master” of sight specific wines. All his wines are “vineyard designated.” He doesn’t get excited unless he “tastes the vineyard in the wine.” Ken Wright has spearheaded the AVA movement in Oregon: tirelessly defining the soil types and creating AVA’s that are true and can be used as a source of information, meant to help the consumer.
Our relationship together has matured over time, and we feel very confident in our selections for this 2006 vintage. We centered our buying in the vineyards of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA (known as “Ken Wright-ville”, a region he believes in --- very strongly). Last year, we added a new site (Abbott Claim) to our traditional lineup of Savoya, McCrone and Shea.  We always like the wines from Carter down in the Eola Hills, and brought back neighboring Canary Hill after giving it the year off in 2005.
We also brought in half bottles (375 mls.) from our three favorite sites: Savoya, Shea and Carter Vineyards.

2006 Vintage: Northern Willamette Valley, Oregon
The 2006 vintage has been widely anticipated, since 2005 was probably the worst vintage for Oregon Pinot Noir since 1997. For those who were patient --- and waited for optimum ripeness (Ken Wright, Josh Bergstrom, Mike Etzel, Lynn Penner Ash, and all) --- 2005 wasn't that bad. But for people who panicked about Fall 2005's early rains and picked --- well, it was pretty obvious who picked, when... Anyway, we're glad to be done with it and we're liking what we've seen so far from the first 2006's to hit Hawaii.
The 2006 vintage is one of those "perfect vintages" --- long, even ripening, everyone achieved physiological ripeness. As Josh Bergstrom said: "you've got to be an idiot, if you couldn't make a decent wine in 2006!" The wines are going to rock --- right out of the gates. Plus, it wasn't one of those great years with no wine (like 1998) --- the crop was large and the quality was outstanding --- another "first" in Oregon.

Vineyards of the Yamhill-Carlton District:
The vineyards of the Yamhill-Carlton District were planted mostly in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The primary soil of this area is called Willakenzie, named after the Willamette and McKenzie rivers. It is a sedimentary soil with a sandstone base rock. The sand content is quite high and the soil therefore very well drained. The sites are generally on the lower slopes of a volcanic ridge. Wines of the area possess aromas of red and black fruits, with added elements of cocoa, leather and fresh-turned earth. Acidity levels are generally lower than other regions, prompting these wines to be lush and agreeable in their youth.

#4804 Pinot Noir “Abbott Claim Vineyard” 2006    6/750 $222/Case $37/Bottle
Ken’s 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.

#4809 Pinot Noir “Shea Vineyard” 2006    6/750 $222/Case $37/Bottle
#4802 Pinot Noir “Shea Vineyard” 2006    12/375    $222/Case $18.50/Bottle
Arguably Oregon's most famous vineyard. A who’s-who of pinot producers have made a Shea Vineyard over the years --- but it was Ken that put Shea on the radar screen. Because of this, “Ken’s Block” is the “filet mignon”--- the prime spot in the Shea Vineyard. This site is in the Yamhill-Carlton District just west of the Chehalem Valley. Ken’s 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.

#4805 Pinot Noir “Savoya Vineyard” 2006 6/750 $222/Case $37/Bottle
#4817 Pinot Noir “Savoya Vineyard” 2006 12/375 $222/Case $18.50/Bottle
Any visitors to Ken's home have seen the Savoya Vineyard --- it's essentially his backyard. Part of the new AVA: Yamhill-Carlton District. The sites in the area were planted mostly in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The primary soil of this area is called Willakenzie, named after the Willamette and McKenzie rivers. It is a sedimentary soil with a sandstone base rock. The sand content is quite high and the soil therefore very well drained. The sites are generally on the lower slopes of a volcanic ridge. Wines of the area possess aromas of red and black fruits, with added elements of cocoa, leather and fresh-turned earth. Acidity levels are generally lower than other regions, prompting these wines to be lush and agreeable in their youth. 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. Ken's first commercial crop was the 2002. Savoya in it's short history has produced muscular wines that have aromas of dense black fruit, seared meat, cedar and anise. Approximately 240 cases are produced. Ken and Karen Wright are owners. The vineyard is managed by Mark Gould.

#4808 Pinot Noir “McCrone Vineyard” 2006    6/750 $222/Case $37/Bottle
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. Elevation is 400' with a south-southwest inclination. Slopes are 5 to 15 degrees. Half of the vineyard was planted in 1992 to the Dijon 115 clone grafted on 3309. The second half was originally planted to Dijon Chardonnay clones but was grafted in 2000 to the Dijon 777 clone of Pinot noir. The wine from this site is powerful, dense and deeply colored focusing mainly on black fruits. Approximately 700 cases are produced. Don and Carole McCrone are the vineyard owners. Mark Gould is the vineyard manager.

Vineyards of the Eola Hills:
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.

#4800 Pinot Noir “Carter Vineyard” 2006 6/750 $222/Case $37/Bottle
#4803 Pinot Noir “Carter Vineyard” 2006 12/375 $222/Case $18.50/Bottle
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.

#4807 Pinot Noir “Canary Vineyard” 2006 6/750 $222/Case $37/Bottle
Located at the southern end of the Eola Hills and faces southeast. The vines were planted in 1982 and 1983. They are vertically trellised and are of the Pommard clone. Elevation is 450' to 550'. The soil is a mix of Jory and Nekia. Both are formed from igneous rock and have a reddish-brown tint. This site, however, has less depth than similar soils in the Dundee Hills. Wine from this vineyard is typically very forward, with aromas of black cherry and cola. Approximately 625 cases are produced. The vineyard is owned by Dick and Nancy Daniel, and managed by Mark Gould.

Oregon's AVA's (Soil Types)
Understanding Oregon pinot noir, means understanding the three basic soil types: Jory, Willakenzie and Nekia --- and the diversity they offer. The new AVA’s help us towards this end:
Chehalem Mountains: Unfortunately, this one is flawed with it’s different soils. Politics played a part here with lines being drawn between the young guys and the old (Ponzi).
Ribbon Ridge: Actually a subdivision of Chehalem Mountains, but this can (arguably) be called the “sweet spot”. Willakenzie Soil (sedimentary). Home to: Beaux Freres, Ridgecrest, etc.
Yamhill-Carlton: The boundaries were drawn “Perfectly” as Ken Wright would call it. Many of the “Old Guard” jealously refer to this as Ken Wright-ville. The vineyards of the Yamhill-Carlton District were planted mostly in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The primary soil of this area is called Willakenzie, named after the Willamette and McKenzie rivers. It is a sedimentary soil with a sandstone base rock. The sand content is quite high and the soil therefore very well drained. The sites are generally on the lower slopes of a volcanic ridge. Wines of the area possess aromas of red and black fruits, with added elements of cocoa, leather and fresh-turned earth. Acidity levels are generally lower than other regions, prompting these wines to be lush and agreeable in their youth.
Dundee Hills: The place where it all began: the Red Hills of Dundee. First planted with pinot noir by David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards in 1966. The most common soil type of the area is described as Jory. These soils are volcanic in origin with basalt as the mother rock. They are unusually deep for hillsides, often 6 to 8 feet to bedrock. There is also a high percentage of clay in the soil which, combined with the soil depth, tends to hold moisture later into the season than other soils we work with. The wine from this region typically displays aromas of red fruits, strawberry, cherry and raspberry. The mouth feel is often rich and emollient. components. Home to: Erath, Archery Summit and Domaine Serene.
Eola Hills: Unfortunately, never set foot in this southernmost area. Ken Wright’s Canary Hill, Elton and Carter Vineyards give us representation (also Domaine Serene’s Jerusalem Hill, Penner-Ash’s Bethel Heights and Seven Springs). 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.