Stevenson Barrie Shea Vineyard Pinot noir 07

SALE! was $35.95

Raspberry and sweet cherry fruit join a hint of blueberry, oak and espresso in scent and flavor. Michael's earthy, meaty trademark adds body and structure to the wine. As with the previous vintages, this wine is an excellent value.

2006 Vintage Tasting Notes

The Stevenson Barrie Shea Vineyard Pinot noir 06 is the most red fruited and integrated of the three 2006 vintage Pinot noirs made by the winery. The characteristic Shea Vineyard juicy red cherry and red berry flavors explode on the nose and palate followed by a hint of asian spice, clove and cardamom. This Pinot is very reminiscent of the Shea Wine Cellars "Pommard". Youthful, the wine has good body and ageing characteristics. Stunningly well priced -- A bargain!

Michael's Pinot noirs have a subtle, clean, and fresh style. He ages in used oak barrels, and his winemaking style emphasizes restraint. The wines are pure fruit and balanced structure, with a finish that tends towards subtle mineral notes. Retasting the wine over several hours after decanting, all three 2006 wines evolve to lushness, with intensifying scents and rich fresh fruit flavors. An undercurrent of structure and earth anchors the wines and suggests cellaring.

2005 Vintage Tasting Notes

The most structured and weighty of the 2005 Stevenson Barrie Pinots, with aromas of dark violets and leather, with savory dark berry. The fruit is more refined, a complex blend of dark cherry, berry, and plum flavors. Cellar the Shea for 1-2 years or decant for near-term drinking. From the famed Shea Vineyard.

2004 Vintage Tasting Notes

Best Value Big black cherry, vanilla, roses, violets and graham in the nose are reiterated in the flavors, adding hints of blackberry, pie spice, and layers of subtle fresh earth and herbs. The finish is long, echoing luscious fruit and spice, with an uplifting acidity and fine tannins, a tiny bit gripping, but settling down immediately after decanting. A steal.

2003 Vintage Tasting Notes

The 2003 release is just as good as the 2002, in fact, a tad richer. Just a beautiful wine, an overlooked gem. Highly recommended. Michael makes his wines to age, so this one is still a bit closed, quite dense. Try decanting for several hours to get the full glory of the flavors. Michael makes his wines to be drunk many years after bottling, so give this wine time.

2002 Vintage Tasting Notes

In the nose, rippling layers of black cherry essence, with hints of barrel toast and spice. Marcus says the nose reminds him of "warm blackberry/raspberry crisp". There's a lovely silky texture in the mouth, and flavors of intense black cherry, black raspberry, touched with soft nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and clove. A long finish shows definite but very fine tannins, suggesting even more cellaring is possible before this wine hits its peak. The long, long finish reiterates black fruit, red fruit, and hints of sweet cedar, carrying on in the mouth seemingly forever. Really lovely wine. 92 points from Wine Advocate.

Michael Stevenson is best known as winemaker at Panther Creek, and for his own Stevenson-Barrie Pinot noir.