Oregon wine tasting provides the opportunity to experience a wide variety of wines and we believe that St Innocent is providing some of the highest quality wines at a great price point in the Willamette Valley. This is one of those wineries that while it seems to be just a bit off the beaten path, it screams for recognition because Mark and Vickianne Vlossak have created a world class winery that we believe has a very bright future. The wines are focused and complex.
St Innocent Winery Barrel Room |
The day we visited the tasting room, St Innocent was tasting 10 wines which provided a good representation of the winery. We found something special and interesting in each of the wines.
We were very impressed with the 2012 Pinot Gris, Vitae Springs Vineyard. At $26, this was a very nice wine that we felt was in the upper tier of the Willamette Valley Pinot Gris offerings. Done in an Alsatian style in stainless, the wine was spicy with complex fruit notes.
The 2012 Pinot Noir, Temperance Hill, $36, had just been released and had a great nose. The cherry and spices in the nose and on the palate hold up well with grilled dishes. It competed well with offerings we sampled at other vineyards in the $45-65 range.
Poster in the Barrel Room Note the Reflection in the Corner |
One of the highlights of the winery is the tasting room. It is decorated with intriguing poster art. The art adorning the facility must be experienced and, as we discovered, it is all through the tasting room and into the barrel room. Mark provided us with an impromptu tour and we were not disappointed. It was clear that in every area they are committed to creating and offering high quality wines.
RECOMMENDATION: St Innocent is a must stop on an Oregon Willamette Valley wine tasting excursion.
-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD