Pinot Noir
Ken Wright Cellars is devoted to showcasing the inherent quality of selected vineyard sites. With a clarity and breadth that is unequaled by other varieties, we believe Pinot noir best expresses the character of these sites. Rather than stamping wine with a varietal trademark, Pinot noir is the ultimate vehicle for conveying the aroma, flavor and texture of the location in which it is grown. Ken Wright Cellars produces a single vineyard Pinot Noir from 13 different vineyard sites in the Northern Willamette Valley.
Wine Making Approach
It is the nature of human beings to tinker with things. While this is generally a good trait, certain things in the world are better left alone. Minimal handling of wine is essential to preserve what it is: a gift of nature. At Ken Wright Cellars we believe in small batch fermentation. Each vineyard, further separated by clones, is hand sorted, fermented in small 1 1/4 ton open vat fermenters until dryness, then pressed and aged separately. The wine is aged in 100% French oak barrels for about 1 year. Each single vineyard designated Pinot noir is made with the same approach so the consumer can truly taste the place in which it was grown.
Label History
Each of Ken Wright Cellars single vineyard Pinot noir, has its own label artwork designed by local artist, David Berkvam. Ken and Karen fell in love with David’s work while touring one of his shows in Portland. At the time, Ken and Karen were looking to upgrade from the current white and gold signature Pinot noir label to something that left a lasting impression on wine lovers. David certainly had the talent for creating a lasting impression on people with his unique beeswax based art. Ken and Karen wanted something that conveyed the hard work and perseverance it takes to create high quality Pinot noir in Oregon, focusing on the long and cold, wet days of winter pruning. From that thought, and relationship struck with David, the original Pinot Noir label was created. This original artwork now resides with Savoya vineyard. In 2009 Ken commissioned David to create new artwork for each single vineyard site. The original artwork, is done in 100% beeswax, and then painted. David worked closely with the Wright’s and vineyard owners to create a label that was unique for each site. To learn more about David and his work visit his website at www.DavidBerkvam.com
