About WillaKenzie Estate
WillaKenzie Estate takes its name from the Willakenzie series of marine sedimentary soils that underlie much of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, a different geological foundation from the volcanic Jory soils of the Dundee Hills, producing wines of contrasting character: more aromatic, lighter in body, and often showing more floral and red-fruit qualities than the darker-fruited Jory-based Pinot Noirs.
The estate was established in 1992 and has focused from the beginning on an unusual breadth of Burgundian varieties, not just Pinot Noir but also Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gamay Noir, and Pinot Meunier (the grape most commonly known as a minor blending component in Champagne). This commitment to the full range of cool-climate Burgundian varieties gives WillaKenzie a portfolio of genuine diversity.
The single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, named after the French word for specific vineyard blocks ("clos"), showcase the different expressions possible from a single estate. Pierre Léon and Gisèle are the flagship single-vineyard bottlings, each offering a distinctive perspective on Yamhill-Carlton marine sediment terroir.
