2005 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Justice Vineyard

The 2005 Pinot Noir “Justice Vineyard” comes from a young site, this being its 4th leaf. It is more darkly colored than the two previous wines and has an expressive nose of pain grille, spice box, floral elements, red cherry and raspberry. Medium-bodied, it has a solid core of intense, spicy fruit that balances the lively acidity and firm tannin. The long, pure finish suggests that this stylish Pinot Noir will have a generous window of peak drinking. Owner/winemaker Mark Vlossak operates his winery out of an industrial park in Salem. He sources from some of the finest sites in the Willamette Valley, turning out flavorful Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, selling them at remarkably fair prices. Check out St.-Innocent’s website for Vlossak’s harvest reports to get the lowdown on recent vintages and to see how a skilled winemaker adapts to the varied conditions presented by the region’s fickle weather. Tel. (503) 378-1526; www.stinnocentwine.com. Also tasted: 2005 Pinot Gris “Vitae Springs Vineyard (91), 2005 Pinot Gris “Shea Vineyard” (92), 2005 Pinot Blanc “Freedom Hill Vineyard (90), 2005 Chardonnay “Freedom Hill Vineyard (92), 2005 Chardonnay “Anden Vineyard” (91)