The nose shows off all there is to like in Shea Pinots: ripe fruit, shades of violets, and seductive toasty oak. Rich, delicious layers of blueberry, boysenberry, currant and raspberry coast powerfully on the palate, carrying white pepper and thyme through the finish. The fine tannins, in harmony with the panoply of fruit, suggest a long life in the cellar.
Detailed Info, Previous Vintage Notes, Reviews:
Previous Vintage Tasting Notes
2004 vintage Wine Spectator
94 points.
Shea East Hill Pinot
noir 05 is blended from Blocks 7, 5, and the
Oak Block on the east side of Shea Vineyard. This
is Marcus's favorite of all the Shea 2005's.
Avalon tasting notes:
An appealing,
meaty and toasty nose shows scents of red cherry
and candied red raspberry. Flavors of juicy
red raspberry dominate, with undercurrents
of red cherry and red currant. In the midpalate,
luscious blueberry syrup and fresh grape jelly
show through the continued flavors of red raspberry,
red cherry, and blackberry. There's a soft
melange of pie spices throughout the flavors
that shows up most in the finish, with hints
of white pepper, nutmeg, cardamon, and cinnamon;
also sweet vanilla and a hint of the toast
on the nose. The wine shows
fine grained tannins and a luscious juicy acidity.
The backbone of the wine
is the 777 Dijon clone fruit from Block 5 of
the East Hill. Fermentation in neutral wooden
fermenters (hard to do) has enhanced the texture
of the wine, adding a smooth, lush texture
in the mouth. A small percentage of whole clusters
left in the grapes at fermentation brought
out the spicy clove and cinnamon notes in this
Pinot.
Compared to the highly rated 2004, the
2005 East Block shows a bit more spice,
and its fruit flavors, at this point, are
more berry than cherry driven. The weight,
silky texture, and right on target balance
of fruit, acidity, and tannins scream "cellar
me and I'll be a star". It's a bit early,
but we'd predict ratings, and more importantly,
your personal enjoyment, to be as great or
greater than the 2004 wine. This is a relatively
young vineyard (replanted after a phyloxera
outbreak in the mid-1990's), and the additional
year of age shows in the increased complexity
and weight of the wine. The best of Oregon's
2005 Pinots are shaping up to be as good as
anything we've seen from the state. We'd predict
scores as good or better for this vintage as
for the 2004.
The backbone of the wine is the 777 Dijon clone fruit from Block 5 of the East Hill. Fermentation in neutral wooden fermenters (hard to do) has enhanced the texture of the wine, adding a smooth, lush texture in the mouth. A small percentage of whole clusters left in the grapes at fermentation brought out the spicy clove and cinnamon notes in this Pinot.
