1 | Wine | Willamette, 2009

"Fresh boysenberry and purple plum are garlanded with bitter-sweet flowers; tinged with brown spices; underlain with clean red meatiness; and suffused with saliva-liberating salinity in a Pinot of refined tannins and outstanding persistence."

"Luisa Ponzi decided not to make any vineyard designates in the 2009 vintage so the 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve was the beneficiary of that fruit. Dark ruby red in color, it exhibits an alluring perfume of cedar, Asian spices, incense, lilacs, black cherry, and black raspberry."

"This Oregon sparkling wine truly brings zest to life! The nose of lemon curd, raw honey, and almond biscotti harkens to the uplifting and refreshing palate to follow. With a fine mousse that buoys one up and flavors of Comice pear, custard, and marzipan that dance across your tongue, one cannot resist a grin as the effervescence slowly fades to a clean, minerally, citrus-toned finish. With the second sip, you’re guaranteed to be in an elevated state. Brut makes you better!"

"On the nose, one gets fresh cherries, rose, light citrus, earth, and anise, opening to dense spice of cocoa, essence of clove, coriander seed, and forest aromas. To the taste - an infusion of cherry, black cherry, plums, dense black fruit, complex spice, with balanced acidity and tannins, and an unparalleled texture in the mouth."

"My favorite of this collection is the 2009 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley. Aromas of cedar, cinnamon, clove, rose petal, and cherry compose the bouquet of this velvety-textured, easy-going, impeccably balanced Pinot. There is enough material here to ensure another 5-6 years of enjoyable drinking. It makes a good case for the art of blending."

"This savory pinot leads with beguiling scents of plum and anise, suggesting even in its bouquet that it's a high-toned wine. The fresh core of fruit is supported by a fine vinous texture and a white pepper spiciness that runs through many St. Innocent wines, a character winemaker Mark Vlossak attributes to his preference for warmer fermentations. With firm soil-inflected tannins, this is poised for a long life."
Reviewed by: Wine & Spirtits Magazine 94 pts

"Sexy black raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by sassafras, cola and dried rose. Deeply pitched cherry-vanilla and dark berry flavors are enlivened and nicely framed by a spicy quality. Fine-grained tannins add shape and grip to the long, sappy, appealingly spicy finish."

"Vivid red. Pungent, smoky aromas of blackberry, cherry-cola and licorice, with cracked pepper and anise notes adding complexity. Sappy, penetrating dark berry flavors show very good density, picking up bitter cherry and spicecake qualities with air. Gentle acidity gives the wine good spine. This ripe, lively pinot finishes with impressive punch and spicy persistence."

"Bright red. High-pitched aromas of strawberry and raspberry, with complicating notes of dried rose and Asian spices. Lively and precise on the palate, with gently sweet red fruit flavors and a touch of rose pastille. The floral and spice notes repeat on the gripping, persistent finish."