2002 Ken Wright Carter Vineyard Pinot Noir

[dananne]

We popped this to celebrate our 13th anni last night, and it was the first wine I've had since being hit by that stupid car.

The Carter Vineyard is 22-acres of former cherry orchard that occupies a knoll in the Eola Hills just W of Salem, and the vines were planted between 1980 and 2000. Most of the grapes go to Ken Wright, first to his Panther Creek outfit, and now they go to his eponymous label. The remainder that used to go to Domaine Serene for their Evenstad Reserve now go into the vineyard's own bottling. Ken Wright has made wine from Carter grapes since 1990.

We decanted at first pour and left it there as we drank it during the evening. Dark ruby in color, with a nose that suggests strawberry/rhubarb and cherry. Silky entry, with tart red fruits, nice acidic balance, and a tiny touch of heat from the moderate 13.5% alc. Long finish. Very nice wine, but not our favorite from this, our favorite producer. Still, it proved a nice way to pass the evening. We paid $50 locally, which is steep, but we'll continue paying it to enjoy Wright wines. Not so steep, though, when compared to the local price tags on the most recent Beaux Freres -- $90! Ugh!