WTN: 99 St. Innocent Seven Springs

[Jenise]

So Jenise you are saying I should beat Bruce down there and load up the minivan on the '01s?

How fast can you drive?

The only '97 on sale is the Freedom Hill Pinot Noir for $17. They've also got the 2001 White Rose PN for $26 and the 2000 Brickhouse PN for $27. Once you get into the 2003s, prices go up above $30.

Bruce, I'm not a fan of the Freedom Hill vineyard, so purchase at your own risk. They're tannic and cab-like. Which could be interesting in a year like 97--I wouldn't turn down a glass--but I don't buy Freedom Hills personally. The White Rose is an interesting thought--I thought it rather confected when young, but now that I'm in love with the 04's I'd love to give the 01 a second chance. Killer price--the release price on it was around $40. Maybe Jason Hagen can shed some light on that one?

Anyone tried a '98 recently?

Notes on another board have been tempting me to pull one despite cautions from the St. Innocent website.

Unless you have multiple bottles I would hold. Mark V recomends waiting at least 3 more years. Here is his quote, "Best wine I ever made. Now closed up, hold".

Jason

Bruce, I'm not a fan of the Freedom Hill vineyard, so purchase at your own risk. They're tannic and cab-like. Which could be interesting in a year like 97--I wouldn't turn down a glass--but I don't buy Freedom Hills personally.

Nice description. Although the 04 is supposed to be atypical.

The White Rose is an interesting thought--I thought it rather confected when young, but now that I'm in love with the 04's I'd love to give the 01 a second chance. Killer price--the release price on it was around $40. Maybe Jason Hagen can shed some light on that one?

I have not tried the 01...at least that I recall. I must have missed because there wasn't much IIRC. If it is a trustworthy vender and the wine has been stored properly, I would certainly pick some up but I would hold onto it for a few years. But I can't say what the wine is like.

I don't remember having the 00 Brickhouse either but I love the vineyard and what Mark was able to due with it. Again, I would buy and it should be drinking well right now.

Let us know if you try any.

Cheers,

Jason

[Jenise]

I don't remember having the 00 Brickhouse either but I love the vineyard and what Mark was able to due with it.

Ditto. Fell in love with a case of the 95 which drank well through most of their life and so I drank all mine too young. Never had another vintage until I ordered a case of the 2000 one night after one of our cats died and buying wine brought solace. Anyway, we have nine bottles left of that case: we opened two early on and a third by mistake about a year ago, it wasn't showing much yet. I've hesitated to sacrifice another, but perhaps its about time.

Anyone tried a '98 recently?

Notes on another board have been tempting me to pull one despite cautions from the St. Innocent website.

Unless you have multiple bottles I would hold. Mark V recomends waiting at least 3 more years. Here is his quote, "Best wine I ever made. Now closed up, hold".

Jason

IIRC I have 4 of the '98 7Springs and 3 of the Freedom Hill which I'm not inclined to touch yet. So experimenting on one is not out of the question...

I have just joined up and, at the risk of cutting my own throat, thought I would add a comment or two.

First, 1997 was my most difficult vintage. The challenges were less that 1995 (who's wines I love), but I was in a personal upheaval and it reflected in my wines. Time heals many wounds, and those wines may age out of their difficulties. I just hope will not judge me entirely on the '97 wines.

1999 produced very structured wines with great aging potential; they will need time. The '99 Brickhouse is great now and still very young.

The 2001's were quite tannic and are difficult now, although they should open after 9 or 10 years. The exception is the 2001 Brickhouse, which is one of the best wines I have ever made. The Freedom Hill is also damn good.

The Pinot gris, Shea is very Alsacian styled and a great value at $17.99.

Thanks for all of the great comments; it is very heartening to read that someone enjoys my efforts.

Sincerely,
mark Vlossak
winemaker
St. Innocent Winery

1999 produced very structured wines with great aging potential; they will need time. The '99 Brickhouse is great now and still very young.

Mark,
Welcome; please come often and stay late.
And since you are here, any thoughts on how long the 99 Seven Springs should gather dust before opening.
Best, Jim

Wow, great to have the winemaker here!! Hope you stick around with us. Will have to look around up here for some of these wines.

[Jenise]

Mark, what a pleasure to have you comment directly on your wines. Lots of fans here, not the least of whom is myself.

We've met in the past. You meet a lot of people though, and are not likely to remember the curly haired lady on the seat next to James Halliday in the front of a bus arranged by INPC to take us all up to some former fruit winery in the hills some ten years ago. She, or rather I, would only be memorable for trying desperately hard not to throw up all over a horrified James Halliday whose only crime was thinking he could keep that coveted front row seat all to himelf on such twisty roads. I was surprised to meet you years later and discover that your head was not green and protuberant, as it looked to me that day.

But you might remember an early morning a year or so ago calling a number on your Caller ID from whence a woman the night before had been so uncontrollably enamored with a 94 O'Connor that she ran to the nearest phone and called the number on the cork. Well, that was my dinner guest, and it was an embarrassed me that you spoke to the next morning.

Anyway, thank you for putting in an appearance here. It's always a pleasure to hear directly from winemakers whose products we love.

1999 Pinot noir, Seven Springs...
A monster: intense without excess tannin, but very tight and layered. Probably 10 years to begin sampling, even then will probably need 4 hours to open.

As an aside, I have consistently said that the 1994 Pinot noir, Seven Springs was over made, over extracted, and undrinkable in its youth... or even young adulthood, but that someday it would reveal itself. Well for you who have waited, start cracking open the bottles. Its still needs lots of air, but all of the pie spice, pepper and wild berries are there... and without showing any real signs of age. Probably drinkable over the next 6 years.

When 1998 came, a similar vintage to 1994, I said that I would get it right that time and not make the mistakes of 1994. I still believe that I did, although I would wait a year or two to open the 1998's.

Thanks,
Mark Vlossak
winemaker
St. Innocent Winery

Time heals many wounds, and those wines may age out of their difficulties. I just hope will not judge me entirely on the '97 wines.

MArk,
welcome to the forum. One could do worse than be judged on the 1997s. A recent bottle of the Seven Springs was as good as any '97 Oregon PN I've had.

Time heals many wounds, and those wines may age out of their difficulties. I just hope will not judge me entirely on the '97 wines.

MArk,
welcome to the forum. One could do worse than be judged on the 1997s. A recent bottle of the Seven Springs was as good as any '97 Oregon PN I've had.

Agreed. I personally found this wine a bit simple and ugly young but I am glad I just stashed them instead of giving up on them. The last time I had the 7 Springs (about 1 year ago) I thought it was really great and kept my interest the entire evening. My last bottle will wait 2 or 3 more years.

Jason

I'm another one who was surprised to read Mark's negative comments on the '97s. I had a bunch of half bottles (all gone alas) and enjoyed all of them. As I recall it even managed to impress Luca who was skeptical of all US wines before that point.

[Jenise]

I too loved the 97's. Bought a case after Mark put them on sale, tipped off by I don't remember who, about how good they were. Definitely a lighter style than usual, but delicacy is sometimes a welcome change. And they were great food wines.

Jenise,

It's funny you mention the 94 O'Connor. I own that vineyard now and We (Mark V and I) opened a magnum of it and a magnum of the 94 Seven Springs four weeks ago at a dinner with Jason Hagen. His notes on eBob are below,

http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/sho ... p?t=107572

It was gorgious. I'm glad it was a hit with your friend and we look forward to more great wines from what is now Belle Provenance Vineyard by St. I.

Hi Tim!

I also posted it here http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?t=4067

FYI.

Cheers,

J

Great to see you on the Chat last night Tim. Big fanclub there eh.

Mark, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and, especially, your candor. I think it's great when winemakers are willing to contribute to this forum in a spirit of openness and civility -- it's a great resource for those of us on the other end of the biz (i.e., consumers).

I just bought my first batch of St. Innocent wines and it sounds like it will probably be a few years or more before I try any of them -- but that's OK by me, I kind of like delayed gratification, at least in my wines.

[Jenise]

Jenise,

It's funny you mention the 94 O'Connor. I own that vineyard now and We (Mark V and I) opened a magnum of it and a magnum of the 94 Seven Springs four weeks ago at a dinner with Jason Hagen. His notes on eBob are below,

http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/sho ... p?t=107572

It was gorgious. I'm glad it was a hit with your friend and we look forward to more great wines from what is now Belle Provenance Vineyard by St. I.

Tim, I didn't buy the 94 vintage early on but picked up bottles much much later, some from a friend who sold off his cellar and some at auction. I was surprised at how well the O'Connor held up--I hadn't seen the maturity potential in it when the wines when they were younger (I believe they were pretty young vines)--they were so pleasing early on compared to the more structured Seven Springs. Lovely wines, and it will be a pleasure to visit those wines again. You're going to have your own label, too, from what you said last night. That's something to look forward to.

All this talk of SI wines makes me eager to open the Shea. Does it mature a bit ahead of the Seven Springs? or about the same pace?

All this talk of SI wines makes me eager to open the Shea. Does it mature a bit ahead of the Seven Springs? or about the same pace?

For my tastes I find the Shea more enjoyable than the 7 Springs when young. I really loved the 04 Shea young but I have heard it may be closing up. Maybe Mark V. could chime in on the aging pace. IMHO it does come alive at faster pace when it comes to SI. Remember that the Shea vineyard is huge so they can be lots of difference between producers.

Jason

[Jenise]

Jason, I believe JC's Shea is the 99. Have you had that recently?

Jason, I believe JC's Shea is the 99. Have you had that recently?

Ahh. My bad. I have not had the 99 since 03. I loved it then but noted that the tannins were really coming on. I am not touching mine for a few more years. The 99 is such a great wine that I think it is worth holding off for a while.

Jason

Okay, thanks for sharing. I will put it back in the "let rest" a couple more years category.