2024 Ken Wright Cellars - Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard (750ml)

Ken Wright founded his namesake winery in 1994 in the historic town of Carlton, Oregon, after years spent making wine in California and later at Panther Creek Cellars in McMinnville. A trip to the Dundee Hills in the 1970s convinced him the Willamette Valley held some of the finest Pinot Noir terroir in North America. Today the winery bottles single-vineyard Pinot Noir from thirteen distinct sites across the northern valley.

Freedom Hill Vineyard sits in the Coast Range south of Dallas, Oregon, within the Willamette Valley appellation, and was originally planted in 1982 before a portion was replanted between 2000 and 2004. Fruit for this bottling comes largely from clone 667. Grapes are hand sorted and fermented in small open-top vats until dry, then pressed and aged separately for roughly a year in French oak barrels before final blending and bottling.

This Pinot Noir opens with black raspberry, bing cherry, and fresh turned earth, layered with delicate floral and spice notes. Bright acidity and a mineral edge keep the wine lively and precise on the palate, finishing with a juicy, energetic texture. It suits roasted duck breast, grilled salmon, or a soft, washed-rind cheese.