Points and Press - 2006 Vintage
PinotFile, December 17, 2008
2006 Pinot noir Meredith Mitchell
"A plush palate of dark berries, earth, meat and game with a barely noticeable nerve of acidity. Admirable integration of oak and alcohol. Substantial tannins may require more time to meld."
2006 Pinot noir Raptor Ridge Estate Adalfo's Block
"The palate of dark fruits is vigorous with flavor and character. The sappy blackberry liquor is long and tasty. A gentle touch of herbs and spices adds interest. The alcohol is well-integrated and the whole package is quite satisfying."
Wine Spectator, December 15, 2008
90 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Raptor Ridge Estate Adalfo's Block
"Smooth, focused and rife with plum and currant flavors, finishing with firm tannins and impressive intensity. Aromas of pepper and smoke waft through on the finish. Best from 2009 through 2016." - Harvey Steiman
Wine Advocate, October 30, 2008
89 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Willamette Valley
"The 2006 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is medium ruby-colored, and offers up a toasty bouquet with cherry and raspberry aromas. Supple, easy-going, and ripe, the wine is made in a crowd-pleasing style for near-term drinking." - Jay Miller
90+ Points: 2006 Pinot noir Meredith Mitchell
"The 2006 Pinot Noir Meredith Mitchell Vineyard is dark ruby-colored with an alluring perfume of cedar, spice box, mineral, black cherry, and black raspberry. Plump and layered on the palate, the wine has a solid structure, several years of aging potential, and incipient complexity. Give it 3-4 years in the cellar and drink it from 2012 to 2021." - Jay Miller
90 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Reserve
"The 2006 Pinot Noir Reserve is a slightly darker color and a bit more restrained aromatically. The wine has good focus and delineation with black cherry and black raspberry fruit appearing on the mid-palate. Nicely balanced and concentrated, the wine has a persistent, fruit-filled finish. Drink it over the next four years." - Jay Miller
87 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Raptor Ridge Estate Adalfo's Block
"The 2006 Pinot Noir R.R. Estate Adalfo's Block is dark ruby-colored with a slight herbal quality in its aromatics. It has good flavors but narrows a bit on the palate. Drink it over the next four years." - Jay Miller
90 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Shea
"The 2006 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard is medium ruby-colored with an expressive perfume of pain grille, cherry, and raspberry. Elegantly styled with sweet racy red fruits and good acidity, this moderately lengthy effort can be enjoyed over the next five years." - Jay Miller
Wine Spectator, September 30, 2008
88 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Reserve
"Lithe and subtle, a silky-textured Pinot with pretty floral overtones to the cherry and dusky herb flavors, lingering on the ripe finish. Drink now through 2012." - Harvey Steiman
PinotFile, September 15, 2008
2006 Pinot noir Shea
"Pleasant and complex perfume of red Pinot fruits, herbs, vegetable garden, vitamins and pears. Earthy and brooding on the palate with flavors of dark cherries and currents and a hint of green tomato. With time in the glass, more red fruits emerge, including red cherries and cranberries. Admirable elegance and balance with the alcohol perfectly integrated."
Northwest Palate, July/August 2008
One Out of Three Clusters: 2006 Pinot noir Shea
"Earthy and spicy notes on the nose include graham and cinnamon as well as a touch of the forest floor. Big, ripe, and plush cherry fruit is soft and succulent on the palate. Notes of caramel and vanilla, and perhaps a light stem quality provide contrast to the fruit sweetness. Serve with pork and chorizo sausages." - Cole Danehower
Two Out of Three Clusters: 2006 Pinot noir Willamette Valley
"The savory aromas of dark cherry and blackberry fruit are complemented by notes of dried earth and herbs. In the mouth cherry and raspberry fruit cascade across the tongue with a yielding texture and a concentrated force. Yet there is restraint here. The sweet fruit is backed by notes of dried sage and cola. The acidity is fresh, yet not too bold, and the tannins are present, yet yielding. The classic Pinot restraint combined with a focus of flavors is delightful. Serve with a pork tenderloin stuffed with dried fruit." - Cole Danehower
One Out of Three Clusters: 2006 Pinot noir Yamhill Springs
"Aromas of black cherry fruit, graham and cocoa promise a big-style wine, which is fully delivered on the palate. Weighty plum and black cherry flavors are accented with notes of chocolate and vanilla, plus a hint of spice. Thick in texture, but with polished tannins and enough acidity to add a freshening note, this lushly styled Pinot would pair well with a grilled flank steak." - Cole Danehower
Northwest Palate, May/June 2008
Two Out of Three Clusters: 2006 Pinot noir Meredith Mitchell
"Deep and brooding purple color leads to rich aromas of plum and barrel toast, violet blossoms, and smoke. Equally dense on the palate, lush and ripe plum and blackberry flavors are concentrated, yet well-crafted acids and tannins provide a boundary to contain the fruits' power, thereby lending elegance and grace. Additional notes of smoke, mocha, tea leaf, and tobacco add interest. Mouthfilling and juicy, complex and compelling, serve with a haunch of roasted venison - but save a few bottles for the cellar." - Cole Danehower
Wine Spectator Insider, May 28, 2008
91 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Willamette Valley
"Soft, ripe and appealing for its cherry and red berry flavors as they roll unimpeded over fine tannins and hang around on the finish, where they suggest prosciutto and spice. Drink now through 2014." - Harvey Steiman
Wine Spectator Insider, April 23, 2008
91 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Meredith Mitchell
"Bright and beautifully focused, showing off its raspberry and blackberry fruit to the hilt as the soft tannins slide serenely underneath. There's acidity here as well, but it doesn't take over." - Harvey Steiman
91 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Shea
"Light and airy. A silky-textured style that plays its sandalwood-scented cherry and raspberry flavors gently, letting them linger on the clear-headed finish." - Harvey Steiman
90 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Stony Mountain
"Crisp in texture, with a dark cast to the smoky black cherry flavors, which linger against hints of hot stone minerality as the savory finish rolls on." - Harvey Steiman
Wine & Spirits, April 2008
92 Points, Year's Best 2008: 2006 Pinot noir Yamhill Springs
"This wine's exotic scents of woodland berries have hints of meat and salinity. The palate offers a bright, youthful fruit imprint, its black plum flavors marked by a mild, tarragon-like herb flavor. Its complexity suggests pairing with braised rabbit." - Patrick Comiskey
88 Points, Year's Best 2008, Best Buy 2008:
2006 Pinot noir Willamette Valley
"Oak dominates this youthful wine for the moment, with aromas of vanilla and caramel cloaking the bright red cherry fruit. Some time in the cellar should bring it into balance, then serve it with lamb chops." - Patrick Comiskey
Vinfolio, March 4, 2008
94 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Reserve
"Scott Shull's 2006 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Reserve (VF 94) sources nearly half of its fruit from Shea, and the rest from Meredith Mitchell Vineyards, which is built on a backbone of Dijon 115, 777 and Pommard. A jaw-dropping stellar example of Oregon's top vintage in a decade." - Doug Wilder
Vinfolio, February 22, 2008
96 Points: 2006 Pinot noir Shea
"The Shea Vineyard is one of the most sought after sites for Pinot noir in North America. Wines produced from this site repeatedly garner the highest accolades. Stylistically, Scott Shull's interpretation is classic Shea to me. Using the flawless 2006 Auteur Shea Vineyard as a benchmark, I believe Raptor Ridge comes very close. Sourced from a pair of blocks: 11 and 33, both Dijon clones 114 and 777, respectively. A ginger and black cherry nose with soft undertones of mocha and vanilla dust. The palate shows well defined weight and deeply structured flavors: blackberry, plum, hints of smoky licorice and kirsch that coat the palate with velvet-like tannins. Another Shea masterpiece." - Doug Wilder