Ken Wright-What would you buy?

Daniel_Posner · November 18, 2009, 9:52pm

Which will be his top 3 wines in 2008? From those who have experience with his wines, and especially the 08s?

Thanks in advance…

Keith_Levenberg · November 18, 2009, 10:01pm

None, unless they seriously dial back on the oak.

Bob_Wood · November 18, 2009, 10:07pm

As a consumer, none. As a retailer, all of them.

John_Cabot · November 18, 2009, 10:10pm

What’s the list, Dan?

Gordon_Fitz · November 18, 2009, 11:26pm

One of those rare times I agree wholeheatedly with Bob Wood.

John_Osburn · November 18, 2009, 11:28pm

John_Cabot · November 19, 2009, 12:02am

I haven’t tasted the 08’s but the Abbott Claim, McCrone, and Shea vineyards would be the easiests sells- typically big and forward.

Veronica_Castro · November 19, 2009, 12:09am

Shea and Carter.

Mark_Y · November 19, 2009, 12:12am

Vincent_Fritzsche · November 19, 2009, 2:32am

I barrel tasted a number of '08s in the spring. Oak wasn’t an issue with the wines, though obviously they saw a fewl more months before bottling. Not that that should make a huge difference in the smell and taste of oak in the wine, that happens more on the earlier side. I was struck mostly by the distinct character in each wine. That’s not what some people say about Ken’s wines. The Carter and Canary Hill were pretty soft and fruit driven. Didn’t taste Shea, but that site is usually in that same mold. By contrast, the Freedom Hill was nicely structured and even a bit savory. I would love to try that wine again to see where it goes. I came away from the tasting feeling that the sharp division between KWC lovers and haters seems overblown. These are big pinot noir, but they do show their sites, imho.

Michael_Alberty · November 19, 2009, 2:38am

I think Vincent and I were at the same barrel tasting. Lots happens between the barrel tasting and the bottling. With that caveat I would vote for Canary Hill (pretty, silky cherry), Freedom Hill (structure and meat fat) and Nyssa (as close to funk as KW gets).

Daniel_Posner · November 19, 2009, 5:14am

Just about all of them

Andrew_Gold · November 19, 2009, 6:01am

Skip em, buy the good Oregon pinot.

Todd_Hamina · November 19, 2009, 6:41am

The 2008 vintage can eat new oak and shit out flowers. Non issue, Freedom Hill, Nysa and whatever else. Haven’t had the 08’s from him yet, but these sites should fair super well.

Daniel_Posner · November 19, 2009, 3:22pm

Ken Wright is not good?

Gordon_Fitz · November 19, 2009, 4:12pm

Daniel;

Ken Wright is a very talented wine maker, that has in the past turned out some excellent wines. He still makes some very good wines. Two things:

During recent vintages he has had a tendency to get a bit heavy handed,imo, with oak. Some people like that others don’t. So it’s not fair to bash him on that because it’s a personal taste thing.
Ken owns no vineyards, to my knowledge. Over the years he has jumped around quite abit with a lot of different fruit, from different areas, while trying to perfect a “house style”. Some of those attempts have proven successfull others not. So what we have seen is an added bit of non consistency in fruit to supplement normal vintage disparities.

I put him in the category of Peter Bergstrom. Peter, imo, makes far too many wines( he is trying to cut down on that number). Peter makes some excellent wines and some very mediocre wines. I put Ken Wright in that same boat. Having the Ken Wright name on the bottle does not mean high quality, but will probably mean, most typically but not always, heavy oak.

Is that a fair review?

Bob_Wood · November 19, 2009, 4:43pm

Nice, Gordon. How’s that foot taste?

Ken’s website lists the following vineyards. The ones in bold are vineyards that he’s worked with since at least 1997’s vintage and Savoya, contrary to your statement, is his own vineyard - though not owning any vineyards is a questionable reason to criticize a winery in my book. I know several excellent winemakers who don’t own any and many more who make excellent wine from purchased fruit as well as their own.

Nysa
Canary Hill
Carter
Elton
Abbot Claim
Guadalupe
McCrone
Savoya
Shea
Wahle
Freedom Hill
Meredith Mitchell

Are you talking about Peter Rosback from Sineann or Josh Bergstrom from Bergstrom?

You’re too easy.

S_L_Clayton · November 19, 2009, 4:54pm

getting ready to do a side by side of the Guadalupe and Freedom Hill.
(From 98’) i’ll let you know…

Bob_Wood · November 19, 2009, 4:58pm

My opinion only, Dan. They’re delicious, but they’re never more delicious than the days they’re tasted from barrel in November when Ken sells a goodly portion of his wine on futures. There are others who disagree with me, but I don’t think they improve with age and I think that’s a byproduct of the winemaking regimen he uses that allows them to be attractive so early (forced malolactic fermentation, for example).

Daniel_Posner · November 19, 2009, 6:13pm

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback…

Is there any ONE vineyard that is typically his best wine, year in and year out?