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Carter Vineyard
 Made by Ken Wright for Carter Vineyards,
the 2004 is Carter's third vintage, and is receiving high ratings. There's
lots of buzz among winemakers about this new producer. Jack and Kathleen
Carter's vineyard has provided fruit for Ken Wright Cellars and Domaine
Serene for almost 20 years, providing the fruit for many highly
regarded wines. Now they are offering a wine of their own, choosing master
winemaker
Ken Wright to craft it. Highly recommended.
Wine Spectator
Insider November 17, 2004:
92 Points."The second vintage (2003) from this longtime supplier to Ken
Wright and Domaine Serene is a winner - supple and elegant, rich enough
in texture to give the cherry, white pepper, mineral and rose petal aromas
and flavors some scope, yet balanced and harmonious through the long,
refined finish. Wright made the wine. Drink now through 2012. --H.S."
From the Vineyard:
The Vineyard
Vineyard Particulars
Carter Vineyard lies in the Willamette Valley's Eola Hills, on the 45th
parallel directly west of Salem, Oregon. To the west across the coastal
mountains lies the Pacific Ocean, and to the east the Cascade Mountains.
A small arm of the Eola Hills ridge reaches southwest into Polk County,
terminating in a knoll that commands a sweeping view southward of the
valley. The vineyard is a 30 acre plot of land that fully occupies
the knoll.
History
We purchased the 30 acre cherry orchard that was to become Carter Vineyard
in 1979, the same year our second child, Lauren, was born. So it's always
been easy to remember how old the vineyard is. In 1980 we planted an
experimental acre of everything we could get our hands on, and quickly
came to realize that Pinot Noir does well at the site. In 1983 we planted
2.5 acres of the Wadensvil clone and a like amount of the Pommard clone,
both on their own roots. The Pommard is planted across the crest of the
knoll, and is the section of the vineyard from which our Hillblock Pommard
comes. Subsequent plantings in 1987 and 2000 brought us up to 22 acres
of grapes. They are all Pinot Noir, and include, in addition to the Pommard
and Wadensvil, clones 115, 667, and 777, and are all planted on rootstock.
In 1990 we began selling grapes to Ken Wright who was making wine for
his own Panther Creek Winery and for Domaine Serene Winery. We have had
a long and "fruitful" relationship with Ken, and still sell
the bulk of our grapes to him at Ken Wright Cellars. Our Hillblock Pommard
went to Domaine Serene, and they made lovely wine with it, in their Evenstad
Reserve, and from 1999 to 2001, as a separate vineyard designation available
only at the winery. With the 2002 vintage we elected to use these grapes
for our own wine.
Soil
The soil is a shallow silty clay loam known as Nekia. It's a well drained
soil frequently found in foothills and rolling uplands. Under the top
30 inches of soil is fractured decaying basalt, a relic of Oregon's violent
volcanic past. The shallowness of the soil forces the grapes to struggle
a little for survival by digging their roots down in the crumbling basalt.
As the basalt deteriorates, it releases minerals that are taken up by
the plants and reflected in the flavors of the grapes.
Climate
The Willamette Valley's climate is dramatically influenced by the nearby
Pacific Ocean. Winter storms bring about 35 to 40 inches of rain each
year, but also keep temperatures above freezing most of the time. In
summer there is little rain. Cool breezes flow through the Van Duzer
Corridor, a pass through the coast range, moderating valley temperatures
so that they seldom exceed 85 degrees. The combination of cool temperatures
and plentiful sunshine produces fruit that is brilliantly colored, deeply
flavored, and with enough acidity and tannin to preserve these qualities.
Growing Practices
We are in this for the long term. Our effort is to grow excellent grapes
in a manner that preserves and nourishes the soil. We use only cover
crops and composted manure as fertilizers, and our spray programs use
minimal amounts of the mildest products we can find while still preventing
mildew and botrytis. We have planted several flower beds and allow a
healthy growth of weeds to encourage beneficial insects. Judging by the
bug and frog life we find in the vineyard, we have been successful. We
also collect winter rain from the roof of the barn and store it in underground
tanks to use in summer vineyard operations. Carter Vineyard is managed
by Mark Gould.
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