2016 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard

Last year Mark Vlossak sold his interest in the Zenith Vineyard and moved his winery to Jefferson, in the hills to the south of Salem, where he now also owns a 47 acre property, which he has begun slowly planting to Pinot Noir as well as Chardonnay. His former winery facility is now wholly owned by Zenith Vineyard owners Kari and Tim Raney, with whom Vlossak had been partners since 2006. He will also be scaling production back, from roughly 10,000 cases per vintage to closer to 6,500. In 2016 Vlossak produced a stellar range of Pinots that are true to his long-established style (he founded St. Innocent back in 1998), wines that emphasize balance and fruit intensity, without excess weight or intrusive oak. The St. Innocent Pinots always show well early on but they have developed an enviable track record for rewarding patience over the years – these ‘16s are definitely build to age, should one so desire.