Wine Advocate 92
" The 2014 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard, from vines planted in 1989 (since affected by phylloxera), offers one of the best aromatics from Ken Wright. I appreciate the delineation here, precise and focused with lifted red fruit mixed with stony, woodland aromas. The palate is fresh and vibrant with crisp acidity, bright red fruit intermingle with fine mineralité, with a vivacious finish that is very satisfying. This should age with style."

Winemaker Ken Wright was on hand to guide me through his latest releases from the 2014 vintage. Like last year, he reiterated his approach in the vineyard in terms of adding nutrition into the soil (see last year's report for details). I am still not convinced about the idea of physically adding minerals deep into the soil after all, if it works then why isn't everyone else doing it. And since the roots penetrate so deep, I don't quite understand how you change the geological composition meters under your feet. But hey, I am not the winemaker and you should do whatever you feel is best. Ken's 2014s were fairly consistent across the board, though there is nothing here that caused me to reach deep into my bag of superlatives. You might call these Pinot Noirs steady. That is not a bad thing. There is plenty of Pinot Noir character and I feel the wines are reflective of their sites. Most should drink well over the next 8-10 years.

" Mainly Nekia soil, with a depth of 1.5-2.5 feet, formed from weathered basic rock. Grapes are hand-harvested, cold macerated for five days, fermented for two weeks and aged for 10 months in French oak barrels, 40% new. Fruit Focused. Moderate tannins and acidity. Blue & black fruit, black cherry, blueberry, blackberry and plum skin. Artwork shows typical profile of this basalt filled site."
Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is considered by many the finest red wine grape in the world. Pinot Noir is the grape for France’s famous Burgundies; Pinot has the ability to allow the “terroir” (the unique, site-specific combination of soil, climate and other factors) to show in the wines, and that is the mist important goal in Burgundy. Pinot Noir is also important in the USA, and it’s planted widely in California and Oregon. Pinots can be made into wines of delicacy, with expressive aromatics or full-bodied, richly-fruited examples. Though sometimes difficult to grow, Pinot Noir is truly a winemaker’s grape. " ~ Winery notes