Ken Wright Cellars 2023 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

The 2023 Ken Wright Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is a fragrant, nuanced, and beautifully balanced wine. It’s bursting with fresh red and blue fruit, layered with savory highlights of leather, cola, and clove, and finishes with a plush, energetic texture—making it an approachable yet serious expression of Oregon terroir.

🌿 Quick Details

• Variety & Region: 100% Pinot Noir sourced from multiple vineyards in the Northern Willamette Valley AVA. Organic and sustainably farmed. 

• Vinification: Blended and aged in stainless steel and neutral French oak barrels (no heavy new oak) to preserve fruit purity and maintain elegant structure. 

• Alcohol: 13.2% ABV—moderate, ensuring freshness and finesse. 

👃 Aroma & Palate

• Nose: Teeming with vibrant red cherry, cranberry, and bramble fruit, intertwined with savory leather, cola, and a whisper of clove. 

• Palate: Juicy core of fresh berries, cedar-toned spice, rose petal, and earthiness, framed by velvety tannins and lively acidity.

✨ Style & Performance

• Balance & Texture: Plush, well-balanced with energetic structure and finish, offering both immediate appeal and enough vibrancy for further cellaring. 

• Critical Note: Wine Spectator awarded 92 points, citing it as "vibrant and snappy" with layered cherry and cranberry flavors, dusky spice, forest floor, and rose petal. Best enjoyed through 2033. 

🍷 Serving & Pairing

• Serving: Best at ~55 °F in a Burgundy glass to highlight aromatics and texture.

• Food-friendly: Pairs beautifully with roast chicken, mushroom risotto, pork tenderloin, salmon, and lightly herb-rubbed game.

✅ Final Take

Ken Wright’s 2023 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is a delightful and polished expression of regional terroir—vivid fruit, savory nuance, and inviting texture—all at an attractive price. It’s equally suited for relaxed dinners or special occasions.