Carlton Cellars Roads End Pinot noir 05: Ken Wright, of Ken Wright Cellars, makes his only blended Pinot noir (all of his other wines are single vineyard selections) for Carlton Cellars Winery with fruit from Canary Hill, Nysa, and McCrone vineyards.
Color: Gorgeous deep, lush, glowing garnet- unusually
worth mentioning Scent: At first whiff, a lovely scent of sweet
fat blackberries in my backyard on a hot summer
day -very lush blackberry scent, with hints
of raspberry and a spicy perfume. There's also
a fondly nostalgic hint of the scent of Ken
Wright's winery- a particularly appealing melange
of oak and fruit. Flavors: The silkiness of the mouth feel is
the first thing noticed, then the flavors of
juicy blackberry, juicy black raspberry, and
hints of dark violets emerge, with totally
integrated tannins anchoring the fruit flavors
and adding weight to the wine. Finish: Long, reflecting the flavors of berries,
sweet pie spices, violets, and lifting the
palate with vibrant, refreshing acidity that
in no way diminishes the lushness of the texture
and flavors. Aging: Drinking beautifully now, but ageable
for 4-5 years or longer. Highly recommended for quality and value.
Like picking blackberries on a summer day after it has rained. So lush and full of summer goodness with silky mouthfeel and well integrated tannins. I found this to be truly lovely and my favorite of the wines I have tasted (which is pretty extensive) this year. Mellow and slightly sweet shallots sauteed in fresh butter and deglazed with a little marionberry jam or port reduction over a rich
piece of tenderloin with baked fingerling potatoes would be my pick. - Amy
Lush and dark from the start. Loads of rich blackberry and hints of raspberry entwine with a floral medley of violet and subtle rose petal. The texture is so soft and round with the silkiest tannins. Then, a bright and juicy streak explodes before hints of toasty spice and gobs more luscious blackberry sail on the finish. A yummy, yummy Pinot. - Marcus
2004 Vintage Tasting Notes
The 2004 vintage is rich and lush, a really enormous wine, even larger than the 2003 Pinot. The wine is just a bit more structured than the 2003, with a tad more acidity and tannins in the smooth finish. The tannins are quite well integrated and quite smooth. Ages in 65% new Cadus French Oak, this wine should age for 5-7 years. -jy
Not currently available to order.
May be out of stock or sold out. Inquire at 541-752-7418 or store@avalonwine.com
Detailed Info, Previous Vintage Notes, Reviews:
This is Ken Wright's only blended Pinot noir. It was made by Ken for Carlton Cellars with grapes from three of the vineyards he uses for his single vineyard wines. The wine is plush, fruit forward, deeply flavored, with a richness and complete range of flavors and textures that say "Ken Wright" with a distinct voice. The Carlton Cellars "Roads End" Pinot noir is made with fruit from three vineyards:
Canary Hills Vineyard is located at the southern end of the Eola Hills and faces southeast. The vines were planted in 1982 and 1983. They are vertically trellised and are of the Pommard clone. Elevation is 450' to 550'. The soil is a mix of Jory and Nekia. Both are formed from igneous rock and have a reddish-brown tint. This site, however, has less depth than similar soils in the Dundee Hills. Wine from this vineyard is typically very forward, with aromas of black cherry and cola.
McCrone Vineyard is located in the Yamhill-Carlton District, this is a densely planted vineyard (1 meter x 2 meters). The sedimentary soil, know as Wellsdale, is extremely well drained and promotes early ripening. Elevation is 400' with a south-southwest inclination. Slopes are 5 to 15 degrees. Half of the vineyard was planted in 1992 to the Dijon 115 clone grafted on 3309. The second half was originally planted to Dijon Chardonnay clones but was grafted in 2000 to the Dijon 777 clone of Pinot noir. The wine from this site is powerful, dense and deeply colored focusing mainly on black fruits.
Nysa Vineyard was planted in 1990 to own-rooted Pommard and Wadenswil. It is located in the heart of the Dundee Hills between Domaine Drouhin and Archery Summit with a southeast to northeast inclination. Jory soil. The scent of wines made from this vineyard exhibits a mix of red and black fruits. The wines are forward, textural and elegant. The vineyard is owned and managed by Michael Mega.
Wine Spectator says of the 2002 vintage (rating 92 points): "Ken Wright is the single-vineyard Pinot Noir king of Oregon, but for Carlton Cellars he blends Nysa, McCrone and Canary Hill. Generous and brilliantly focused, presenting its blueberry, plum and subtle spice flavors with digital clarity. Tannins are very fine and it all lasts impressively. Best from 2005 through 2010.-H.S.
