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

WINE TALK
1
  • 2002 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (11/16/2014)
    Popped and poured. Medium ruby color. Nose of red raspberry, pine forest, sea air, musky floral notes, anise, earth. Sharply and satisfyingly acidic on the palate with potent red raspberry and mulberry fruit coming to full throttle about 60 minutes in, accompanied by complicating layers of briar, iron, and earth. Serious tannins submerged beneath still-vibrant fruit. Long, ringing finish of red fruit, iron flecks and grip. Not necessarily subtle, this pinot impresses for its youthful power and beginning complexity at the ripe old age of 12. Really enjoyed this. (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Classy wine. By coincidence, that was my favorite Pinot last night at a wine dinner in San Francisco, tasted along with the 2002 Saint Innocent Shea, four California Pinots and a 2005 Volnay Champans.

-Al

3

Al,

Glad it showed well at your dinner also. I don’t usually drink Oregon pinots this late (don’t have that much patience) but found this bottle in the cellar and thought it was terrific. Could definitely age longer. Mark V did wonders with Seven Springs fruit.

Cheers,
Doug

4

Great OR PN and so far my favorite from St. I.

When I went to the locker last week I pulled bottles of 02 Freedom Hill, Anden and Seven Springs. It is time to start pulling corks.

5

Thanks for the note Doug, I think this wine still has many years to go. I do wonder if the fruit can outlast the tannins, yet I remain cautiously optimistic.

6

Glenn and Dale,

I agree, the wine is open and ready to go. Dale, the fruit was definitely in abundance on this occasion so I think your optimism will be rewarded going forward.

Cheers,
Doug

7

Thanks for the note. Sounds like it has developed well. I can’t been nearly 7 years since I had this wine. Time to dig one out!

Jason

8

Thanks Doug, I have one each of this and the Freedom I’ve been holding. I’ll try to wait till their 15th in 2017 but I too have a problem with patience.

9

Jason and Craig,

Every time I think a certain wine can’t age, I get pleasantly surprised if I wait (usually involves forgetting all about it though). Can’t imagine you will regret drinking this baby now (or the Freedom Hill) but it should last for a few more years without problems.

Cheers,
Doug

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Agreed, no harm in opening now.

I was briefly wondering today what my red WOTY is and the Seven Springs is a frontrunner.

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We opened a bottle this week and it did not disappoint. Excellent balance of fruit, acidity and grip. Crunchy cranberry goodness at peak. Along with 1998 Seven Springs and Shea, my favorite St. Innocent to date. Actually, showed better than our last '98. I have one more bottle of each and may pop together.

For whatever reason, I don’t buy much anymore from this producer. Any advice on recent vintages and vineyards would be appreciated!
Regards,
Peter

12

I liked all of the 11’s.

13

I had the 2002 St. Innocent White Rose Vineyard Pinot Noir is also singing beautifully now as well. It will probably go another 3-5 easily. Sublime…

14

Has anybody had the 2004 recently?

15

The '09 Momtazi (drunk last summer) was three stars gorgeous!

16

Had the '99 Shea recently that was underwhelming. All drying tannins with little if any fruit left.

17

04 is showing great now

18

Thanks. I really need to dig through the locker and find one of these.

Jason

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Doug,
Thanks for the note. I always liked this wine. I have one lonely bottle of this wine. I was really thinking of waiting until age 20. The previous releases from lesser vintages aged so well, like the 96 and 95, I cannot imagine how good this might be in the future. Was this less than $30 on release?

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Year and a half ago it was still pretty structured. Recent CT notes seem to agree. No harm in waiting.