2012 St. Innocent Winery Freedom Hill Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., pH 3.71, 948 cases, $42. This vineyard is planted in ancient marine sediment. Located very far west at the base of the Coast Range of mountains, it is warmer in the day and more quickly cooled in the evening than most Oregon sites. The resulting wine is said to have dense minerality, well-developed tannins and good acidity. The original vines died of phylloxera in 2003 and were replanted. The new plantings produce more balanced fruit that is less prone to disease. Aged 16 months in French oak barrels, 28% new. · Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. Welcoming aromas of black cherry and sousbois. A discreetly concentrated core of fresh black cherry fruit is embellished with notes of iron, earth and blackberry. The entry demands attention, as does the finish that exhibits uncommon length. Plush and dreamy on the palate, this young wine has a rigorous backbone of fine-grain tannin that should be matched with a good steak if you drink it now. Score: 90. Reviewed September 29, 2015

Winery: St. Innocent Winery
From article: Willamette Valley’s 50th Anniversary: A New Look at the Old Guard