Rating 96 2023 Top 50  
Style Red
Variety
Vintage 2018
Appellation
Willamette Valley
Oregon
USA
ABV 13.5%
Price $63.00  Buy This Wine
Print Shelf Talker
Reviewed By
Review Updated 2023-11-17

Perfect For

Dinner Parties, Dinner With The Parents, Holiday Meals, Pleasing A Crowd

Drink If You Like

Gamay, Pinot Noir , Sangiovese

St. Innocent Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018 Review

This is a wine that you can get lost in when you first smell and sip it. What did I just experience? And then you realize you have a whole bottle of it and dive back in. This is a wine that I feel defines what we fell in love with when the wine region came into our lives on the American market. It has some age on it and it seems to just keep getting better. Not sure where it was before this, but it's amazing and I can't wait to see where it's going. Winemaker Mark Vlossak has done us a service. The nose is nothing but inviting with soft, deep fruit that will make you swoon. The palate is everything you want in an Oregon Pinot with fleshy fruit and a slight tannic grip that releases slowly on the finish. It's a kind of wine you just need to experience for yourself. Great American Pinot.

Related Reads

Learn About Pinot Noir

· Pinot Noir 101

· Our always updated list of the best Pinot Noir to buy right now!

Related Pinot Noir Reviews

Smith Story Wine Cellars Helluva Vineyard Pinot Noir

Smith Story Wine Cellars Helluva Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019:
Husband and wife team Eric Story & Alison Smith-Story's...story is so storied it won't fit in a review, so please go to their website ...

Bikicki Sfera Noir

Bikicki Sfera Noir 2021:
This Pinot Noir-dominant blend is made grapes organically farmed in Serbia. There are notes of dark cherries, black raspberries, and rose ...

Joseph Phelps Vineyards Freestone Pinot Noir

Joseph Phelps Vineyards Freestone Pinot Noir 2019:
This winery is in love with both Napa and Sonoma. They see the potential for magic on both sides of the mountain. In Sonoma they acquired ...

Weis Vineyards Pinot Noir

Weis Vineyards Pinot Noir 2020:
From the Mosel to California and at last in the Finger Lakes, winemaker Hans Peter Weis has found his home. He and his wife Ashlee began ...

Featured Pinot Noir Articles

8 Exceptions to the Wine Rules

8 Exceptions to the Wine Rules:
There are some really firm rules about wines and winemaking, but surprisingly there are just as many exceptions.

The 50 Best Wines of 2023

The 50 Best Wines of 2023:
Read VinePair's authoritative list of the best 50 wines of 2023 now! These are 50 of the best wines you can buy. See them all now!

The 30 Best Wines for Thanksgiving (2023)

The 30 Best Wines for Thanksgiving (2023):
These are the 30 absolute best Thanksgiving wines for 2023 to drink at price points for any budget, pairing, or situation.

The World’s Top 10 Wine Destinations for 2023

The World’s Top 10 Wine Destinations for 2023:
From here in America to around the world, these are the top 10 wine travel destinations for 2023. See the best of wine country now.

96
POINTS
St. Innocent Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
This is a wine that you can get lost in when you first smell and sip it. What did I just experience? And then you realize you have a whole bottle of it and dive back in. This is a wine that I feel defines what we fell in love with when the wine region came into our lives on the American market. It has some age on it and it seems to just keep getting better. Not sure where it was before this, but it's amazing and I can't wait to see where it's going. Winemaker Mark Vlossak has done us a service. The nose is nothing but inviting with soft, deep fruit that will make you swoon. The palate is everything you want in an Oregon Pinot with fleshy fruit and a slight tannic grip that releases slowly on the finish. It's a kind of wine you just need to experience for yourself. Great American Pinot.

Reviewed On: 03-16-2023
96
POINTS
St. Innocent Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
This is a wine that you can get lost in when you first smell and sip it. What did I just experience? And then you realize you have a whole bottle of it and dive back in. This is a wine that I feel defines what we fell in love with when the wine region came into our lives on the American market. It has some age on it and it seems to just keep getting better. Not sure where it was before this, but it's amazing and I can't wait to see where it's going. Winemaker Mark Vlossak has done us a service. The nose is nothing but inviting with soft, deep fruit that will make you swoon. The palate is everything you want in an Oregon Pinot with fleshy fruit and a slight tannic grip that releases slowly on the finish. It's a kind of wine you just need to experience for yourself. Great American Pinot.

Reviewed On: 03-16-2023