2006 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Anden
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Anden & Seven Springs Vineyards were recently leased for 99 years to a restaurant group. 2006 Vintage is your last chance to get a classic St. Innocent Anden or Seven Springs. There will be no more...
Production Notes
Anden Vineyard (formerly part of Seven Springs Vineyard) overlooks the fertile Willamette Valley from its position in the hills west of Salem. Growing on a steep southeast slope, the vines are protected from maritime winds by a fold in the hills. The vineyard was planted in 1982 on Jory soil, a shallow clay over fractured rock, at an elevation of 400'.
The grapes were fermented in a small tank after two days of cold maceration. The wine aged for 18 months in 36% new French oak barrels and was bottled without fining or filtration.
This Pinot noir complements foods with rich and layered flavors - prime rib, stews, and cassoult. When served young, this wine is best decanted or allowed to breathe for several hours. It will benefit from aging up to 12 years.
In 1988, I produced St. Innocent's first Pinot noir from grapes planted at Seven Springs Vineyard. All of the crops from 1988 - 1990 were limited by poor fruit set. In 1988 and 1989, the fruit from Seven Springs (now called Anden) was blended with Pinot noir from other sites to produce the 1988 Willamette Valley and the 1989 Reserve Pinot noirs. 1990 produced St. Innocent's first Seven Springs Vineyard designated Pinot noir (from what is now the Anden block).
St. Innocent commissioned a new block of Pinot noir, planted above the original block, which came into production in 1991. Those young vines were blended with the original block to produce the 1991 Pinot noir, Seven Springs Vineyard and all of Seven Springs Vineyard designated wines through the 2000 vintage. St. Innocent was the ONLY winery with Pinot noir made from a blend of both blocks.
The owners of Seven Springs divided the vineyard in 2001. The older, original block, sited lower on the hill, became Anden Vineyard. The upper block, which came into production in 1991, continued to be called Seven Springs. The 2001 and later Pinot noirs, Seven Springs Vineyard, closely resemble the previous Seven Springs vineyard wines. The Anden Vineyard Pinot noirs reflects a variation on that terroir.
--Mark Vlossak, winemaker