2008 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Momtazi Vineyard

The 2008 Pinot Noir Momtazi Vineyard comes from a cool site in McMinnville that is often difficult to ripen but not in this stellar vintage. It gives up dark fruit aromas along with earth and mineral notes (but no green character). Savory, dense, and full of flavor, this is a rare Willamette Pinot with a “sauvage” character more often seen in Burgundy. It will be at its best from 2012 to 2020. Mark Vlossak continues to turn out some of Willamette Valley’s finest wines in his new digs in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. He has seemingly always had a way with white wines and the three new releases are no exception. Tel. (503) 378-1526; www.stinnocentwine.com