3 | Wine | Willamette, $20 to $50, 91 to 95

"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."

"Adding Johan Vineyard to the roster of four sites that informed this cuvee’s previous edition, the Ransom 2010 Pinot Noir Selection – tasted in a close approximation to its final assemblage – delivers downright refreshingly as well as invigoratingly tangy red currant and fraises des bois, tinged with coriander seed, nutmeg, and rose hip. Buoyant to the point of delicacy, this finishes with mouthwatering persistence and is sure on release to represent an outstanding value that can be enjoyed over at least the next half dozen years."

"Bright red. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes candied red fruits, rhubarb and allspice, with musky herb and vanilla nuances building in the glass. Offers an array of red fruit flavors that put on weight and gain spiciness with air. A floral note comes up on the finish, which clings with impressive tenacity and focus. I suspect that this wine will age nicely on its balance. But the way, the 2003 version of this wine is drinking extremely well right now."

"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."

"A taut, vibrant style, packing plenty of raspberry, tobacco, tea and spice flavors into a lean, focused beam, persisting into the extended finish. This should be lovely once it settles down."