Northwest Wine Events -Holiday Season '01

[barnesy]

The trip to St. Innocent was fun.

They were pouring a Tocai Fruilano, 99 pinot blanc, 99 pinot gris, 97 Seven Hills Pinot Noir, 99 Seven Hills Pinot Noir and a 99 late harvest Pinot gris. All were of the great quality that I am seeing with St. Innocent.

The highlight was not at the table but with the winemaker. He was toting around a bottle of 99 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir that was exceptionally Elegant. This was only beat by the Magnum of '92 Seven Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir he was also pouring from. WOW. Full, rich fruit, wonderful earth with silky tannins that just made the mouth water. The maker even said the bottle still had a few more years before it even peaked.

On an interesting side note. I spotted a carboy of fermenting wine labeled riesling. I asked the maker and he says they are experimenting with a row in one of their vineyards. If they like the results, they may plant a few acres. So if all goes well, we may be seeing a St. Innocent Riesling in a few years. If its to their exacting standards, it should outpace the rest of its Oregon bretheren in short order.

Barnesy