Ken Wright Cellars 2023 Chardonnay, Willamette Valley

In 1986, with family, Ken Wright moved to McMinnville and started Panther Creek Cellars.  His concept of focusing on vineyard-designate bottling began during those years at Panther Creek and was cemented as a core philosophy in 1994 when Ken Wright Cellars was founded in historic downtown Carlton. Ken now makes a single vineyard bottling from 13 vineyard sites in the Northern Willamette Valley.

Given his appreciation of sense of place, it was a given that Ken would contribute to the locations and industry near and dear to his heart. Instrumental in organizing the six new American Viticultural Area (AVA)’s in the Northern Willamette Valley that define in detail the distinct growing areas within the region, he wrote the proposition for the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and served as the association’s first President.

Winemaker's Notes

All of the vineyards for this Chardonnay are located in the sub-AVA's of the Northern Willamette Valley AVA. Certified Organic farming practices is the baseline for the team at Kenwright Cellars. The aging process for this wine consists of 8 months in neutral French oak barrels.

Juicy white peach, green apple and fresh Asian pear are surrounded by complex notes of honey, vanilla bean and hints of butterscotch. A mouth filling palate, backed with vibrant acidity that carries through to a long finish.

Jeb Dunnuck scored this 94 points saying, "Displaying a bright, youthful yellow hue in the glass, the 2023 Chardonnay Willamette Valley was aged in a mix of two-thirds stainless and the rest French oak. It has a lovely nose of flinty wet stone, lemon oils, poached apple, delicate sweet spice, and brothy, salty earth. It has a lovely, juicy feel on the palate, with a refined and elegant, supple, silky texture, as well as a beautifully long finish. Offering real depth and complexity without being heavy, it’s going to drink well over the next 10 years. Avery impressive Chardonnay from Ken, it’s showing a lot of promise. 94+ "