2012 Ken Wright, Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley.
While preparing to taste all the 2013 Ken Wright Pinot Noirs, I ran across this Pinot Blanc from Ken Wright and found it absolutely stunning and vibrant, it comes from two sites in the cooler western sector of the Willamette with more coastal influences where the vines store more acidity. This beautiful 2012 Pinot Blanc, from blocks at Meredith Mitchell and Freedom Hill, it was fermented and raised in old neutral French cask on it’s lees, with some stirring (batonage) giving the wine texture along with that zesty acidity. The nose is mineral laced and has hints of apple butter and honey, but the palate is vibrant with dynamic citrus, green apple, white peach and hints of tropical fruits with whiff of smoke and flinty rocks. This is impressive stuff and lovely refreshing wine, Ken thinks Pinot Blanc is the most interesting and best grape for Oregon whites, ahead of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, and he may find an argument on that over the coming years, but if this wine is anything to go by, well, he might be right, it is certainly vivid, crisp and delicious with lemon/lime, wet stones and touches of salty elements lingering on the attractively long finish, drink from 2014 to 2018.
($27 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
