The 2006 Pinot Noir Wadenswil Clone offers an alluring perfume of smoke, clove, cinnamon, and black cherry. Layered on the palate, it has gobs of spicy, succulent fruit, excellent grip and concentration, and a lengthy finish. It , too, will evolve for several years. The Shea Vineyard is probably the most famous terroir in Oregon and the list of clients who purchase fruit composes a Who’s Who of Willamette Valley wineries and a couple from California as well. It is a large vineyard with numerous micro-terroirs. Furthermore, Dick Shea farms each plot according to the desires of the client so that it’s probably not fair to make direct comparisons among the various Pinot Noirs made from Shea fruit. That is probably a good thing because Dick Shea has raised the bar significantly with the wines he has been making from his own vineyard. Tel. (503) 241-6527; www.sheawinecellars.com

The 2005 Pinot Noir “Wadenswil Clone” is the most muscular of the Shea Pinots. It exhibits the elevated acidity and structure of the vintage but offers a fragrant perfume and layered sweet fruit for balance. It too will evolve for several years and have a lengthy drinking window. The 2006 Shea Pinot Noirs tasted from barrel reflect a totally different style of vintage. They are riper, more fragrant, more alcoholic, softer, and user-friendly. They lack the muscle, acidity, and tannin of 2005 but seem to be significantly better balanced. Dick and Dierdre Shea began planting their 200 acre site in 1989 (140 acres are now planted) and started the winery in 1996. Over the years, some of the most renowned wineries in Oregon and even Manfred Krankl at Sine Qua Non have made Shea Vineyard-designated Pinot Noirs, a testament to the quality of the fruit. As one might expect, with a vineyard of this size, there are numerous exposures and microclimates and the vineyard is planted to a wide variety of clones. Tel. (503) 241-6527; www.sheawinecellars.com