Vintage2008
TypeRed
ProducerShea Wine Cellars (web)
VarietyPinot Noir
DesignationHomer
VineyardShea Vineyard
CountryUSA
RegionOregon
SubRegionWillamette Valley
AppellationWillamette Valley

Drinking Windows and Values
Drinking window: Drink between 2013 and 2019 (based on 15 user opinions)
Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard Homer on the Wine Market Journal.

Community Tasting History

Community Tasting Notes (average 91.7 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 53 notes)

 Tasted by AMG4RPM on 11/22/2021 & rated 86 points: Odd notes of petrol, not much fruit. Disappointing for a “Homer” (1302 views)
 Tasted by The Bugle on 9/26/2021: Just drank our last bottle as well…. :-( (1401 views)
 Tasted by sanjuanlewis on 8/28/2021 & rated 96 points: One word, amazing! Silky smooth, extremely well balanced, medium bodied, medium finish. The fruit is bright and wonderful on the palate. The best bottle of wine I’ve had in a long time. Sorry this is my last. (1457 views)
 Tasted by rocknroller on 2/4/2021 & rated 90 points: Virtual Pinots with a Little More (Home): Dark red color. PNP, transferred into jars for transport at 4:30pm; drank a glass single blind over 2 hours plus at 8:00pm. I agree with galewskj note from a couple years ago, and I look forward to his note from tonight. This is big, and I like the description of it being a cocktail wine. It comes off rather syrupy with ripe liqueurish black fruits in a not so subtle style of pinot noir. The nose has some nice dried forest floor notes to accent things, but there is a lot of vanilla still as well to go with a mix of ripe black and red fruits. The palate is fairly full bodied, ripe blackberry, ripe black cherry, cassis, earth, leather, vanilla and lots of wood and underbrush on the finish. There's still some tannic grip on the finish too. It is a particular style that will please many. 90+pts. (2161 views)
 Tasted by galewskj on 2/4/2021 & rated 92 points: Virtual Oregon Pinot thanks to Jason (Zoom): Poured into 4 jars for transport at 5pm, drank at 8pm and over 1 hour. SIlky, gorgeous, some light vanilla. My notes show I found this crazy modern just a year ago, it seems to have calmed down significantly or there's bottle variation, or maybe this one got more air. This was still modern but not in a crazy way. (1981 views)
 Tasted by Vinnut on 1/25/2021 & rated 92 points: Subsequent notes on this wine from over 5 years ago. Dark, deep violet in color with slight clearing at the edges. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blueberries & raspberries with floral notes, spice notes, earthy/dusty, some sandalwood, herbs, minerals, mocha & a hint of vanilla in the background. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of sweet dark cherries, blackberries & plums with spices, herbs, cocoa, some cherry cola notes, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present although at more than 12 years of age, it is at or close to its peak of development. (1302 views)
 Tasted by sooper65 on 11/8/2020 & rated 89 points: Bit gloopy. Wanted more vibrancy. Did taste very Burgundian but lacking complexity and loveliness (1236 views)
 Tasted by galewskj on 1/15/2020 & rated 91 points: The Vikings sucked, but the wines were good!; 1/15/2020-1/16/2020 (John's house): If you are looking for an elegant mineral/earthy Shea like St. Innocent's version, I suggest you drink St. Innocent Shea because this isn't it. This is the Paso Robles or Wagner family version of Shea pinot. Not that it sucks, but I have to discount it a little bit for being spoofy/too big/doesn't fit my expectation of any pinot noir.

Chocolatey, dense fruit, lots of black cherries. I didn't get much, if any alcohol/heat, so overall this wine is on the happy side. My note from years ago suggests that a 1 hour decant kills this wine which is believable. But as I drank it today as a pop and pour, it's a cocktail pinot, and if you're in the mood for that, this wine will deliver. That is as nice as I can be. (1624 views)
 Tasted by 3daywinereview.com on 1/11/2020 & rated 91 points: Vikings were Bad but the Wines were Good!: If you are looking for Oregon classic Pinot character you are in the wrong place. This is a big style Pinot and was more concentrated than the two Cayuse wines. Cranberry, smoked meats, pepper and dark fruits. Almost Syrah like and not talking about the elegant versions you would find from Cayuse or Northern Rhone. I would avoid this if you are looking for balance and acidity. Looks like almost all the notes same the same thing which is big wine. (1542 views)
 Tasted by sooper65 on 11/10/2019 & rated 94 points: Really lovely pure and generous Pinot. Very well made, and over delivers. I could drink a lot of this. (1326 views)
 Tasted by sooper65 on 9/19/2019 & rated 93 points: Crowd pleaser and pleased me
Rich and wonderful bright colour
Sweet fruits, well balanced with discreet oak element
Buxom in the loveliest most gratifying sense (1355 views)
 Tasted by slywka7 on 8/23/2019 & rated 95 points: Pop and pour. Aromas of sweet cherry, strawberry, mushroom, touch of cranberry and a touch of spice. Flavors of cherry, strawberry, mushroom, touch of brown sugar and a touch of mineral. Ends with big finish of 40 second with cherry and nutmeg flavors. Hard to believe this was an 11 year old Pinot Noir. Tasted just as fresh as a current release. Reminded me why I have loved Shea Wine Cellars for so many years. I need to get some more of these wines because I'm running low. (1350 views)
 Tasted by sooper65 on 7/26/2019 & rated 95 points: First bottle. This is gorgeous; sweet Pinot fruit with weight. The alcohol gives away this as being non-Burgundian; lovely balance to this. Spot on. (1131 views)
 Tasted by brian przyzycki on 8/31/2018 & rated 88 points: disappointed in these. I love Shea's wines but this great year didn't pan out. (1533 views)
 Tasted by wine4ever on 8/19/2018 & rated 91 points: Decanted. (Not much sediment). Best after open for about 2 hours. Medium-Heavy body. Alcohol is unfortunately noticeable once it reaches optimum room temperature. Lovely flavor profile....Dark berries, mushroom, forest floor, baking spices. Silky Smooth. A little low on acidity and the finish is quick. While it is a very nice wine....for the price, we were not overly impressed. (1269 views)
 Tasted by Cellar notes by DB on 3/27/2018 & rated 92 points: Bright ruby red. Ripe black raspberries, sweet dark cherries, spice and violet floral notes on the nose. Medium bodied, well balanced, smooth, rich, ripe dark cherry, dark raspberries and spices on the palate. Long smooth finish. A dramatic difference from the 2009 Homer tasted at the Knightsbridge Oregon wine tasting from the same cellar 3/25/18 (1668 views)
 Tasted by kr522 on 5/13/2017 & rated 89 points: Massive wine for a pinot....big, ripe tannic and almost 15% alcohol. Evolving at a snail's pace too. Stylistically not for me, of the Shea offerings I prefer the Block 5 & 31 to this (2356 views)
 Tasted by spalt on 1/8/2017 & rated 91 points: Deep, dark, extremely balanced wine that lingers. Decanted for one hour. Opened up a bit at the end. Enjoyed on a winter evening by the fire. (2544 views)
 Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 6/11/2016: Rich big fruit, still has its oak on it, relatively just opened, might grow in or flesh out. ANd that is super big. (2781 views)
 Tasted by Naso on 3/19/2016 & rated 87 points: You need to let this sit for a while after you open it - big fruit bomb PN when first open it mellows out a little after sits but still too fruity for my liking- black cherry and blueberry but unbalanced wine (2730 views)
 Tasted by Vinnut on 12/19/2015 & rated 93 points: Dark, deep violet in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of dark cherries, blueberries & raspberries with floral notes of violets, spice notes of allspice, nutmeg & cloves, earthy/dusty, sandalwood, herbs, minerals, dark cocoa, mocha & a hint of vanilla. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of balanced, silky smooth textured, plush, lush & rich, ripe fruit flavors of sweet dark cherries, jammy blackberries & plums with spices, herbs, earthy, cocoa, some cherry cola notes, minerals & a hint of vanilla. Lingering smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present and has the ripe fruit & firm structure to continue development with additional (& needed) aging. (2710 views)
 Tasted by cubswinws on 3/5/2015 & rated 93 points: Dark color and big nose and fruit. Long finish with spice on the finish. Not sure I would have pegged this as a pinot blind. (2751 views)
 Tasted by V8 BUGS on 12/21/2014 & rated 90 points: Big wine, not characteristic of a Pinot, except on the nose. Lovely fruit & berrys. Dark in colour, and big taste. Decanted for 2 or more hours based on previous feedback, but think this will keep longer. Lovely. (2505 views)
 Tasted by pablopilot on 11/7/2014 & rated 93 points: Has to be about at its flavor peak. (2352 views)
 Tasted by t_moderne on 4/20/2014 & rated 86 points: Pop and pour and served with food. Followed over two hours. Will re-cork and check in again. Initial impressions:
Dark color. Nose is of black fruits with an almost gamy quality, like proscuitto. Rich fruit profile; a bit like an amarone. Some dried fruit character.
Tasted the following day with food (some roast lamb and pizza rustica, an egg, cheese and cured pork dish).
This is a big wine that still shows some dried fruit. The gamy notes are not as present. The ripe, sweet dark fruits show through but leave the wine a little flat. (2894 views)
 Tasted by kr522 on 11/30/2013 & rated 91 points: I agree fully with the previous reviewer who identified this as a surprisingly big wine that needs decanting....and this is not my ideal for pinot noir

Stylistically i prefer their Block 31 most in this vintage (3185 views)
 Tasted by Weston3220 on 7/17/2013: 4th Annual Pinot Extravaganza with Salmon Dinner (Eugene, Oregon): This was a interesting wine, was put in a decanter, now I know why they did that, was so massive, it really did scream out for a steak, dark, savory, sturctured.

Conc: was a good wine, but wasnt my style (3440 views)
 Tasted by peterk on 4/21/2013 & rated 93 points: Consistent with last tasting - rich and opulent, yet earthy; beautifully integrated. I tried this alongside a 2006 Meyer-Nakel Spatburgunder Gros Gewachs. Oregon wins. (3152 views)
 Tasted by StephenDavis on 2/10/2013 & rated 94 points: Lovely wine. Let it open for a couple of hours. Had it with ribs. Tannins integrated. Rich, meaty with fruit (but not overwhelming). Beautiful. (3282 views)
 Tasted by peterk on 11/17/2012 & rated 92 points: Rich, opulent, big, fruity, spicy Pinot Noir - tannins completely integrated. this is so good. My first Willlamette Valley Pinot - a great start. (3057 views)
 Tasted by xtian on 2/14/2011 & rated 91 points: Big willamette meaty, fruity pinot. (4230 views)
 Tasted by cubswinws on 11/26/2010 & rated 93 points: This is a great wine. Big and fruity. awesome pinot. (4126 views)
 Tasted by sethmorgenlong on 9/20/2010: Deep red blue ruby. Clean, laser-point nose with tight black and red berry fruit, allspice, pepper, clove and an earthy spice. Palate is quiet; rich, balanced, moderate + intensity and long finish. Flavors of black cherry, sandalwood,
brandied blackberry, mocha, sasparilla cola and fresh earth. Way too young, hold for 12-18 months... (5052 views)
 Tasted by Rubz1 on 2/23/2010 & rated 95 points: drunk with Michael and Amy and brined pork chops (4598 views)
 Tasted by ekirby on 11/27/2009 & rated 90 points: seemed much too young, a lot of pent-up energy, i.e intense but tight fruit. Had a green seed flavor which I hope will resolve itself with time. Will wait at least 18 months before trying again. (4247 views)
 Tasted by David Paris (dbp) on 5/23/2009 & rated 92 points: Memorial Day weekend tasting, 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir barrel samples (Northern Willamette Valley): Barrel sample, to be bottled in a few months. Cinnamon, clove, pretty raspberry, and fruit reduction on the nose. Less destinctive on the palate than the nose would have suggested, and quite drying. This is a big wine on the finish... fantastic size with grace and showing a beautiful finish. This has a big potential upside. (91-94 points) (5586 views)
 Tasted by RPerro on 5/23/2009 & rated 86 points: Memorial Weekend Wine Tasting (Chehalem Mountains & Carlton, OR): Lots of structure with this one. Spices, some cherry fruit, but everything is really hiding behind the tannins. Hard to drink, it is so drying, and I finally gave up and dumped it. Could be a blockbuster 5-6 years down the road, but currently way to tiring to consume. (5649 views)

Professional 'Channels'
By Gregory Walter
PinotReport, Issue #65 (5/31/2010)
(Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard Homer Willamette Valley) Login and sign up and see review text.
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of PinotReport.

CellarTracker Wiki Articles

Shea Wine Cellars

Producer website

2008 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Homer Shea Vineyard

Per Shea:

2008 HOMER Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir Clones: 57% Wädenswil; 29% Pommard; 14% Dijon 777

Harvest Dates: October 1, 12, 14, 17, 2008

Quantity Produced: 688 six packs

Date Bottled: August 17, 2009

Fermentation Notes: 45% wood tank, 55% stainless

Alcohol: 14.8%

Elevage (Aging): 93% New French Oak, 9 different coopers

Vineyard Source: Shea Vineyard

Pinot Noir

Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.


Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.

Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.

The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.

Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.

In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.

With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.

Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.

Shea Vineyard

Shea Vineyard was first planted to wine grapes in the late 1980s. Today Shea Vineyard is a 200-acre property with 140 planted acres. 135 of these acres are planted to Pinot noir vines and the balance is planted to Chardonnay.
http://www.sheawinecellars.com/vineyard/

The Shea vineyard is in the Yamhill-Carlton District just west of the Chehalem Valley. The fruit is sourced from three small blocks, one of which is planted to the Pommard clone, one to the Dijon 114 clone and the last to Dijon 777 clone. Soils are primarily of the Goodin and Melbourne type which are sedimentary in origin. The three blocks range in elevation from 450 to 600 feet and were planted in 1989. The wine from this vineyard has a complex array of aromas and flavors including black and red fruits, particularly blueberry, spice and earth. Approximately 725 cases are produced. The vineyard is owned by Dick and Deirdre Shea and managed by Javier Marin.

Shea Vineyard is a 200 acre vineyard in Yamhill County, Oregon, owned by Dick and Deidre Shea. It is, by almost universal account, the most highly regarded vineyard in Oregon.
Shea sells grapes to some of Oregon's best wineries, and the vineyard has a reputation for producing some of the best Pinot noirs in the world, from such winemakers as Ken Wright and Mike Etzel of Beaux Freres. Shea planted the original 100-acre vineyard in 1988 and 1989 on its own roots, but has been systematically replanting with grafted vines over the past few years in response to phylloxera.

Read more:http://www.northwest-wine.com/Shea-Wine-Cellars-Block-5-Pinot-noir.html#ixzz16KKRMLJH

USA

American wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.

Oregon

Oregon Wine, Oregon Wineries (Oregon Wine Board)

Willamette Valley

Willamette Valley Wineries Association | Willamette Valley (Oregon Wine Board)
On weinlagen-info including some single vineyards

Willamette Valley Vintage Reviews

Willamette Valley

Willamette Valley Wineries Association | Willamette Valley AVA Wikipedia article

#2012 vintage:
"Broadly speaking, the Willamette Valley's 2012 pinots are fleshy and fruit-dominated, with round tannins and forward personalities. The fruit tends to the darker side of the pinot spectrum--think cherry and blackberry rather than strawberry and raspberry, much less cranberry and redcurrant--and this gives the wines massive crowd appeal. The best wines also have the depth to age, so don't be fooled by their accessible nature in the early going." - Josh Raynolds

#2013 vintage:
"The key to a successful foray into the ‘13s is first to understand that in most instances the wines lean to the red fruit side of Pinot Noir; they tend to be tangy and tightly wound but often lack concentration. While some wines may put on weight and gain sweetness with bottle age, that’s a gamble I’ll personally leave to others. The 2013s also tend to lack the tannic structure for more than mid-term aging although they will likely endure on their acidity, which I suspect will usually outlast the fruit in this vintage" - Josh Raynolds

#2014 vintage:
"The 2014 vintage in Oregon may be remembered as the vintage of a lifetime [for growers] . . . these wines as they will be similar to the 2009 vintage . . . lovely, ripe, rich, deeply concentrated and aromatic" - winebusiness.com
"The conditions made it relatively easy to make good wines, with no worries about achieving ripeness, and the lack of frost risk allowed us to keep grapes on the vine as long as we wished." - Casey McClellan
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