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.