2010 Shea Wine Cellars, Pinot Noir “Block 7” Shea Vineyard, Willamette Valley.
From one of the most celebrated vineyard sites in Oregon, the Shea Vineyard continues to impress for terroir and complexity and this special cuvee from a select block of vines impresses for class, elegance and subtle detail that reminds of the best Burgundy qualities with mineral, delicate perfume and sublime balance and lengthy finish. This is why we love Pinot Noir, it is a fine wine of emotion, silky texture and intriguing flavors. This is a vintage that challenged vintners and was thought to have been a light boring years, but how things have changed since that harvest, there are some amazing wines and some winemakers are now crowing about the quality found in these wines. It was remarkably similar to what happened in Burgundy, except that there is maybe less great wines from the Willamette, though the winners like Beaux Freres, Bergstom, Brittan, Owen Roe, and Ken Wright, plus others have certainly crafted fantastic wines, especial Shea and this single block wine. The 2010 Shea Block 7 is made entirely of the Swiss clone, the Wadenswil and it marvelously persistent and gives lots of energy, live and makes for a very pleasurable experience. The nose shows red spice, mineral and floral intensity with hints of smoke and red fruits leading to a palate of cherry, raspberry, dried currants, cranberry and brambly mountain strawberry fruits, flinty and chalky mineral tones, rose petal essences with flashes of pepper, vanilla, fennel and savory truffle and earth notes.
($57 Est.) 94+ Points, grapelive
