Ken Wright Cellars 2009 Nysa Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills

Ken Wright is a master of Pinot Noir. While we are completely delighted with Oregon Pinot, wines from Ken Wright Cellars take it to the next level – sourcing the grapes from the very best Pinot vineyards in the AVAs of Willamette Valley.

On New Year’s Eve we opened this bottle of KWC 2009 Nysa Vineyard Pinot Noir. The winery’s current lineup includes Pinot from seven different vineyards. The wines also have a surprising capability to age. The KWC website lists an aging chart and some 2002 vintages list a drinking window lasting until 2015. That’s a solid Pinot Noir.
KWC’s wine philosophy is to minimize tinkering in order to allow the grapes an opportunity to express the inherent properties they possess. They also describe their approach to farming as nutritionally based. Each year they analyze the nutritional status of soils and plants and tailor their farming approach to shore up deficiencies. I’ve always been focused on good nutrition!
Clearly, they put a lot of thought into each bottle. The wine that pours forth reflects their focus on quality.
Rich purple in color, this Pinot was less tannic than the previous KWC Pinot I had. It ripples with elegance and light swirls of strawberry and raspberry. There is a slight spice nuance as well. It offers a lingering finish to cap off a near perfect glass of Pinot.
Ken Wright Cellars is a premier Pinot producer. I look forward to exploring each of his vineyards – with my glass, of course!
Rating: 4.5 of 5  Value: 4 of 5 (Based on $52 price.)