In the glass, the 2008 St. Innocent Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir (13.5%) was a clear, light garnet red offering red berry fruit, spice, and earth to the nose. On the palate, this Eola-Amity Hills pinot delivered well-balanced, rich fruit with bright acidity. A mineral thread was present from its intriguing start to its delicious finish.

I am smitten with St. Innocent Pinot noir as well as their Chardonnay. And I commend these folks for the efforts they take to connect consumers to their wines. The back label of this and other St. Innocent bottles explain in detail where the fruit was sourced (describing the vineyard site) and how the wine was made (sharing each step). Again, hats off to St. Innocent for going beyond the bottle.

We enjoyed this Oregon pinot noir with beef yakisoba, stir fried with carrots, red peppers, ginger, scallions, cilantro, and a sauce Kari crafts differently each time. The St. Innocent 2008 Temperance Hill offered just the right amount of fruit and acidity to make this a perfect pairing to our Japanese cuisine. Like the vintage before it, I am going to pick up several more bottles of this delicious wine.

Related Links
The Wine Commentator's Review
St. Innocent 2007 Temperance Hill Pinot Noir