2002 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley)

This is great stuff. It isn't as good as the Bize I had the night before, but this performed extremely well with a piece of Copper River Sockeye Salmon and accoutrements. Cherries, bark, mushroom, and Asian spices. Good finish. This is not even at the drinking plateau yet. Has years left in reserve. Some of the most impressive domestic Pinot Noir I've ever tasted.

2003 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley)

Although I will never like the 2003s from St. I as much as their 2002s, I thought this bottle was beginning to show what I have liked about their wines in the past. The burly fruit of its youth has exited center stage, and a more restrained version has come on. It's soft, velvety, and shows earth, cherry, and strawberry fruit. Very good wine now, and it still can age for many more years. Matter of fact, I would leave this wine alone for another 2-3 years before revisiting. I think the patience will be rewarded.

2002 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley)

The 2002 Shea has been very good, but this wine is in a different league altogether. Comes across like a young Volnay 1er Cru. Tannic, rustic, yet elegant, fresh, and with very nice silky fruit. It is beginning to show secondary characteristics of leafy forest floor, but it's still dominated by youthful fruit and tannins. If pressed for a guess, I'd say this is 3-5 years from peak, but it should be able to hold well past that point in time. Stunner of a wine.

2002 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley)

• 2002 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (6/2/2009)
  Made fresh copper river salmon last night and wanted to drink some good domestic Pinot with it. Decided on this bottle and it was an absolute winner. Right out of the bottle, there is no way I would have guessed this as a US Pinot. Had all the class, acid, and finesse that I would expect from a Burgundy at this age. I'm sure that if served blind, many would be fooled into thinking this is a Burg. Dark deep crushed berry fruit with some very pronounced earth, mushroom and mossy flavors. Amazing acid structure and impressive density of flavor. This wine is huge without a hint of huge extraction. A brilliant wine. It's not until the wine comes up to room temp that the fruit fleshes out a bit and gets just a touch more forward. Highly recommended and I should try to backfill some older and recent vintages of St. Innocent Pinot. Can go for many, many years without sliding into decline. One of the very best US Pinots I have ever tasted.

Posted from CellarTracker

2002 St. Innocent Pinot Noir White Rose Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley)

Much better than my last bottle. In a blind tasting, this could easily be mistaken for a young Burgundy. Great earthy and leafy tobacco with some very nice red fruit berry and plum. Finishes well and has great acidity. Shows its classiness and elegance and one of my favorite OR Pinots I've ever tried. Highly recommended.

2003 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley)

Not my favorite experience from St. Innocent. Very dark fruited and California-like when I first opened it. The acidity is there, and with air, the wine turns into a more focused style. It still reminds me of Bordeaux, though, which turns me off in Pinot. A product from a hot vintage. It may get better and more nuanced, but this will never be as good as any of the 2002s from St. Innocent. Would not buy again.

2003 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley)

Good wine. Opened late in the evening and I'm sure it was a victim of palate fatigue. Has great structure, ample fruit and acidity. I much prefer this to most CA Pinots (with a handful of exceptions). I don't know if I would buy this though with retail price hovering around $90.

2002 St. Innocent Pinot Noir White Rose Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley)

Deep ruby to light garnet red color. Great nose of rose petals, mulch, earth, peet moss, dried herbs and black and raspberries. Lots of stuff going on aromatically. Flavors are plum, berries, leather, and tar. Finishes well, but still a lot of tannins to resolve. I would leave this alone for at least another year or two before trying again. Very promising wine, while still entirely enjoyable right now.