TN: 2002 St. Innocent Seven Springs PN

[Claret]

My three favorite US producers of Pinot Noir are Dehlinger, Rhys and St. Innocent. I had my St. Innocent epiphany in 2004 when I worked with winemaker Mark Vlossak for one day as we sampled his wines with some of my top wine accounts. It was an amazing “work with” and we sold lots of cases. I got to savor the bottle remnants that night from the 2002’s we were tasting and the extended airing of the wine allowed them to develop and open even further that night. My favorite was the 2002 Seven Springs.

To date my favorite mature domestic PN’s are 1994 Cronin SCM and 2000 St. I Seven springs, which was the last St. I vintage to blend the upper half of Seven Springs and the older vines on the lower slope of the vineyard now known as Anden. It was complex, silky and light on its feet when I finished the last bottle in 2010.

This is my second go around with 2002 Seven Springs. The wine is now maturing nicely and a pleasure to drink. The nose offers mature scent of red fruit, sweet dried spices, cardamom and forest floor with a short lived note of merde to bring some nasal seasoning to the mix.

Medium bodied and silky, the red fruits and forest floor flavors echo on the finish along with buoyant acidity. A wine that a Burgundly lover can get his arms around. Still showing enough structure to go another 5 years I would rate the 2002 ever so slightly over the 2000 due to just a bit more density. Wow this is good!

[Jay Winton]

Per Stefan and the general kudos for the 2008 vintage in Oregon, I bought a variety of St. Innocent releases from that year. I tried a couple and found them closed for business so they will rest for a while-great potential, IMO.

[Ramon_NYC]

I've had had quite a bit of fun with numerous 2002 Oregon PN, including a St Innocen't Seven Springs. Sadly, and regrettably, I've only 2 bottles left of any 2002 Oregon and those are the somewhat big ones from Patricia Green. I'll take this as my cue to line-up for drinking.

[Claret]

Jay, I have not opened any 2008's as the word is they are really tight.

Ramon, a recent 2002 Hamacher PN was stunning.

[stefan]

Yeah, '02 SI 7 Springs is really good.

The '08s were excellent on release but are closed down now.

[Blanquito]

Any love for Belle Pente 'round here?

I just tried a few recent vintages of the Murto pinot noir. Pretty nice.

[Claret]

I have had a few from Belle Pente and recall liking them.