2016 Panther Creek Cellars Pinot Noir Kalita Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton 750 ml

No Willamette Valley winery can top the pedigree of Panther Creek Cellars. Founded by legend Ken Wright—the man Robert Parker has long hailed as “one of Oregon’s benchmark producers”—and led by the winemaker who made Domaine Serene a household name, the winery is built on unmatched Pinot Noir expertise.  

But Panther Creek’s small production and rabid following in the Northwest had long kept them under our radar—until our last visit to Oregon’s International Pinot Noir Celebration, where the wines stood out among some of the greatest Pinots in the world. That weekend, we vowed to chase down one of winemaker Tony Rynders’ single-vineyard masterpieces.

That was nearly two years ago. Today, we’re thrilled to announce we’ve got access to the 2016 Panther Creek Cellars Kalita Vineyard, a single-vineyard Pinot that usually ends up in local restaurants and the cellars of Panther Creek’s loyal mailing list members. 

Grown in the prestigious Yamhill-Carlton AVA in one of the Willamette Valley’s top vintages ever, the 2016 Kalita showcases Rynders’ incomparable touch in its flawless fruit and in the kind of elegance that marks the greatest Pinots of Willamette Valley. 

Wine Access members snapped up our last allocation of the 2016 Kalita Vineyard without hesitation. This time around, we’ve got it at an even better price, so don’t expect our cases to last. 

Perfectly seasoned in the cellar after the beautiful and warm 2016 vintage, this is the best of Willamette Valley—the kind of silky, savory Pinot that tends to command $70 and more these days. Ruby-colored with ripe black fruit complemented by a wealth of aromas—blackberry, plums, lilac, violets, and allspice—it’s generous and deep on the palate, showing a pleasant Burgundian character in a plush, generous package. 

Panther Creek was founded in 1986 by Ken Wright, the Oregon legend who pioneered single-vineyard bottlings and is now one of the most famous figures in the Willamette Valley. When new owners took the reins in 2013, they knew where Wright had set the bar. That’s why their first call was to Tony Rynders, the man who had guided Domaine Serene—perhaps Oregon’s best-known winery—to the top. 

Rynders, as the head of winemaking at Domaine Serene for ten years, was responsible for the winery’s smashing success. During his tenure, he racked up more 90+ point scores from Wine Spectator than any other winemaker—not just in Oregon, not just in the US, but in the world.

That deft touch shows in the Kalita Pinot, which hails from a 22-acre plot in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. The site is bowl-shaped, which gives vintners the opportunity to select grapes from ideal south, southeast, and southwest exposures. Grown mainly in marine sedimentary soils (known as Willakenzie), Yamhill-Carlton Pinots are known for showing darker color and fruit characteristics than their counterparts grown in the nearby Dundee Hills. 

Now, after four years in the cellar, this one is absolutely singing. Panther Creek was one of our top finds from a special trip to the Northwest, and this single-vineyard Pinot was well worth the work—and the wait!