After a successful career in high tech, Bernard Lacroute yearned to return to his Burgundian roots and grow Pinot Noir. In 1991 Bernard and his wife, Ronni, purchased a 430-acre cattle ranch just outside Yamhill, Oregon. And the rolling hills of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA (American Viticultural Area) proved ideal for growing world-class Pinot Noir.
The couple named the property WillaKenzie Estate after the ancient Willakenzie sedimentary soil on which the vineyards are planted (Willakenzie soils are, in turn, named after two of Oregon’s major rivers: the Willamette and the McKenzie). One of the oldest soil types in the Willamette Valley, Willakenzie is a marine sedimentary soil left by ancient, uplifted seabeds. It consists of moderately deep, well-drained silty clay loam over siltstone and sandstone. Characteristics of wines grown on Willakenzie Willamette Valley soils include a predominance of black fruit (blackberry, black currant, and black cherry).
104.5 acres are now planted on hilltops to the Pinot family of grapes; and in the mid-2000s, the Estate vineyard was supplemented by the 25-acre Jory Vineyard in the Dundee Hills. At a combined 130 acres, WillaKenzie is now the largest family vineyard holding in northwestern Oregon. Two-thirds of the vineyards are Pinot Noir; the remaining vineyards are planted to Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, Gamay Noir, and Chardonnay.
Under the direction of winemaker Thibaud Mandet, who was educated at the University of Bordeaux, Oregon’s WillaKenzie Estate combines the best French methods with American innovation to craft wines that are complex, refined, and unique – wines that express the terroirs of both WillaKenzie and the Willamette Valley.
2011 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Gris
As I’ve noted in a previous article, though Pinot Gris & Pinot Grigio are the exact same grape, they can be, depending upon the climate and soil in which they are grown, vastly different in style. Italian Pinot Grigio tends to be crisp, light, and vibrant. A Pinot Gris from the Alsatian region of France, on the other hand, is usually fuller-bodied than its Italian cousin, rich, spicy, and more viscous of texture. Representatives of Oregon Pinot Gris tend to blend the two styles into their own unique synthesis: medium-bodied wines that combine a creamy texture & earthy minerality with refreshing acidity.
The 2011 WillaKenzie Pinot Gris does all that and more. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate describes it as exhibiting “a refreshing yet subtly creamy palate… possessed of enticement, textural allure, and refreshment; and modestly priced.” Yes, this is a superb, perfectly balanced wine with a tangy, lingering finish. And it is an exceedingly food-friendly wine that is also perfect for solo summertime quaffing… and, given its overall quality, at approximately $20.00, it is most assuredly modestly priced.
2010 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Noir Pierre Léon
The 2010 Estate Pinot Noir is a spectacular vintage made from a single block of the Winery’s Pierre Léon vineyard. This particular vineyard is named after WillaKenzie Owner Bernard Lacroute’s father to reflect what the Estate terms “a more masculine style of wine.”
It is masculine in the sense that while its silky tannins and velvety texture are incredibly light upon the palate, the wine also exhibits a remarkably firm underlying structure. This is a wine, not only of great elegance & finesse – you sense that from the very first sip – but of great body as well. And it is this overwhelmingly generous foundation that holds the wine together in perfect balance. Bottom Line: This is a totally beguiling wine that is meant to cellar and to savor.
Such opulence, of course, comes at a price. This wine retails in the $37.00 – $48.00 range ($41.99 at Pennsylvania State Stores)… but if you enjoy fine wines, or are searching for an outstanding vintage for that special occasion, the 2010 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Noir Pierre Léon is the perfect choice.
Cheers!
TAD
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