2024 Ken Wright Cellars - Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton Shea Vineyard (750ml)

Ken Wright Cellars was founded in 1994 in downtown Carlton, Oregon, after Ken Wright had already spent nearly a decade developing his single-vineyard philosophy at Panther Creek Cellars. Wright went on to become one of the most influential figures in Oregon wine, authoring the petition that established the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and serving as its first president as part of a broader effort to map the Willamette Valley's distinct growing regions. Today the winery produces vineyard-designated Pinot Noir from thirteen sites across the northern valley, working out of a beautifully restored 1920s train depot that Ken and his wife Karen purchased and renovated for their tasting room.

This bottling comes from Shea Vineyard, one of Oregon's most celebrated sites, planted by Dick Shea in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. The 2024 wine is built from a blend of nine distinct blocks within the vineyard, a more intricate approach than most producers take with fruit from this acclaimed property. The grapes were farmed and vinified with Wright's characteristic light touch, aiming to let the site's geology speak clearly through minimal intervention in the cellar.

The wine shows a richly colored, seamless texture layered with bright red fruit, tobacco, and blood orange zest, accented by red rose water and a mineral edge reminiscent of wet stone. It finishes long, with abundant fresh fruit and a persistent saline quality that reflects the vineyard's marine sedimentary soils. This structure and depth make it a strong companion for grilled venison, duck breast, or a rustic mushroom and lentil ragout.