St. Innocent Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019

St. Innocent Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 pours a beautiful ruby color in the glass. The highly expressive bouquet opens with an enticing blend of black cherry, wild raspberry, and juicy strawberry scents, masterfully interwoven with fragrant accents of baking spices like Vietnamese cinnamon, allspice, and a touch of sandalwood or violet. On the palate, this medium-bodied Oregon red wine displays superb balance, showcasing a dense core of dark red forest fruits and savory pomegranate seeds framed by firm, tight, and structured tannins. A vibrant streak of natural acidity adds phenomenal tension and precision. Sourced from a cool, high-altitude site planted on thin weathered basalt in the Eola-Amity Hills, it reveals mineral-driven undertones of black tea, peat moss, and a hint of citrus peel that carry effortlessly into a remarkably focused, long-lasting finish.

Food Pairing: Pairs perfectly with blackened or grilled fish, roasted poultry, wild mushroom or turmeric-infused risotto, roasted cauliflower, or pan-seared duck breast.

95 Points - Wine Enthusiast

This wine is a testament to what happens when you match fruit from a great vineyard with a skilled winemaking hand. Raspberries, lilacs and blueberry honey form an aromatic Justice League, followed by similar flavors of raspberries, cacao nibs and lavender tea. The wine's acidity is still kicking, which is what you will be doing to yourself if you don't buy some.

93 Points - James Suckling

Cherries, dried strawberries, rose hips and oyster shells on the nose. Some lemon peel. It’s medium-bodied, tight and refined, with relatively firm tannins and a more mineral finish. Let it open. Drink from 2024.

92 Points - Wine Spectator

Precise and well-knit, with deep flavors of cherry and guava highlighted by earthy mineral and black tea notes as this builds tension toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2030.