WTN: 2002 St. Innocent Pinot Noir, Shea VY

[Jenise]

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

I keep trying to understand what winemaker Mark Vlassick is doing with his pinots, but the 2000's in general are not keepng the same schedule that the 90's St. Innocents in that they're not falling asleep on cue by age 4 and slumbering to age 8, which they used to. I'm not sure the 02's ever even went to sleep. Nor may the 04's and 05's. Which is actually kinda nice. And all the 02's, if the Seven Springs and Shea are any judge, and I've had both in the last two months, are in a good place right now. 02 was the first year I bought Shea. It may also have been the first year he made Shea, but I don't actually know that. This is the first Shea I opened since tasting it upon release.

What I found is a wine very different from the other St. Innocent pinots. It lacks the seductive exotic/Asian and fungal scents that the 02 Seven Springs had in spades, and offers instead a minerally red fruit profile of red plum and cherry grounded with a bit of iron-rich red earth. Interesting and excellent. In particular, and not to give a shout-out to my cooking, but the pairing of this wine with our dinner was one of the best wine-food pairings of recent memory. The main course was red steelhead, pan sauteed on very low heat in just melted butter with fresh thyme, topped with a 'sauce' of creamed leeks and supported by white asparagus finished with black truffle oil and lemon juice. The wine and food were all tuned to exactly the same channel at exactly the same volumn, so that the transition of one food to another or to the wine was seamless, and all were perfect in themselves.

[David M. Bueker]

Sounds delicious. I have my bottle of 2002 Shea standing up now, though I doubt I will make Steelhead. It also sounds like you have your kitchen back.

[Jenise]

David, I'll look forward to your notes. Will be interesting to see, since your glacial cellar will deliver you a more youthful version than my 60 degree cellar allows. As to the kitchen, yes/no. It's not fully operational yet, but one small stretch of granite countertop went in which allowed the main sink (another sink's coming) and dishwasher to be installed. And after Wednesday, where I had a carpenter working here all day, I can now actually start moving into some of the cabinets such that all pan and dishware does not have to be drug downstairs to be used and upstairs to be cleaned--there could be no greater disincentive to culinary creativity. I'm still keeping it simple, but at least I can make real food again.

Jenise, when your kitchen is finally finished, everything is in place, and it's exactly the way you want it...why don't you cuddle up to Bob that night and say, "Honey, I'm tired of this cooking stuff all the time. I want to live as much as possible on take-out and CostCo from now on."

And remember to smile winningly when you say it.

Oh, and you might have a portable defribillator handy too.

[Jenise]

You're trying to ruin my marriage, Hoke, aren't you.

[David M. Bueker]

From the glacial cellar iwth steak last night:

Fantastic Pinot. This is still quite young, but it is beginning to show a lot of earthy character to accompany the still vibrant fruit. The balance is very good, and there's notable length to the flavors. This can be drunk with great pleasure now, and I suspect it has several years (perhaps even 10+ to stretch it a little) of life in it.

[Jenise]

Good note, David. I think all the 02's are drinking fantastically right now.

But I have to tell you, that after tasting a splendiferous '97 Fiddlehead Willamette on Sunday, I'm now ready to leave these alone myself for a few years more. I crave what happens to good pinots when they're built for that kind of haul and are left alone to get there.

[David M. Bueker]

If only the St. Inocents came in friendlier bottles. I drink most of them up just to get them out of the way.

....that after tasting a splendiferous '97 Fiddlehead Willamette on Sunday....

I'd never run across Fiddlehead at all until having a sauvignon blanc (2005 Happy Canyon Santa Ynez) last weekend. It was quite lovely.

[Jenise]

Bill, her SB's are indeed lovely. If nothing's changed, this is all she makes: pinot noir and sauvignon blanc, and I'm not sure if she continues to make Willamette pinots in addition to California. You're probably aware that several winemakers make pinots from both states, but I believe she was the first. Never pass up an opp to get into her pinot.

Thanks for the tip! Will be on the lookout.