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2001 Pinot Noir
Seven Springs Vineyard Release Date: 9/2003 Retail Price: $ 30/bottle Availability: 771 cases Production Notes Seven Springs Vineyard, overlooking the fertile Willamette Valley from its position in the hills west of Salem, produced the Pinot noir grapes for this wine. The grapes were grown on a steep southeast slope, protected from the maritime winds by a fold in the hills. The vineyard blocks were planted in 1988, and 1992. The grapes were fermented in a small tank after three days of cold maceration. The wine aged for 19 months in 60% new French oak barrels and was bottled without fining or filtration. A small amount of sediment may accumulate during the aging process and is normal for wine produced in this manner. Crop Level 2.0 tons/ acreHarvest 10/7&9, 2001 Bottled June 2003 This Pinot noir complements foods with wild berry, earth, and spice flavors - gamebirds, venison, wild mushrooms - and will benefit from aging up to 12 years.
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Winemaker Notes
With the 2001 vintage, our Seven Springs Vineyard Pinot noir has changed. Until 2001, St. Innocent was the only winery to produce a Seven Springs Vineyard Pinot noir from both the original lower block of grapes and the upper block planted in 1998. In 2001, the vineyard was legally divided into two separate properties. The upper block will be called Seven Springs and the lower, Anden Vineyard. From what was one wine, there are now two different vineyard designate wines.
Tasting notes
Its nose is dominated by sweet, wild, almost brambly fruits, and has significant hints of pumpkin pie spice, white pepper, and wild mushrooms. Initially the layered dark red flavors dominate, then spices and complex focused flavors follow into its long finish. This is wine for game and wild mushrooms - those wild and earthy flavors in the food bring out all the layers in this wine.
I suggest that you either drink Seven Springs when it is young (up to four years from vintage) or wait until it is at least eight years old. My rational is to either enjoy the freshness of the fruit or wait long enough for the aged flavors to develop. It will be worth the wait.This is the benchmark wine for St. Innocent. Multiple layers of wild black and red fruit, complex pie spice, white and black pepper and, with some age, truffles and farm aromas. Either drink in the first five years, or wait for the second peak after 8 years. Seven Springs Pinot noirs will continue developing for at least 12 years.