It's not really a unique story—a guy gets into wine while pursuing a career on Wall Street. He's got disposable income, likes to try new wines. In the mid '80s, he's visiting his brother in Seattle and hears about a 200-acre parcel for sale in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. After he does his due diligence on the property, he buys it, leaves Wall Street and becomes a winegrower. The Shea Vineyard was born and it doesn't take long for top winemakers to get in line for the grapes.

In 1996, Dick Shea took his dream one step further and with his wife Deirdre began quietly making his own Pinot Noir and Chardonnay under the Shea Wine Cellars label. I, for one, am truly glad he did.

His wines are among the most beautiful expressions of perhaps the best Pinot country in Oregon. They're big, full of complex fruit, with great structure and most importantly they are incredibly balanced. And on top if it all, Dick's a nice guy. These are wines you really have to try.

2004 Vintage Highlights

Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Shea Vineyard Block 23 2004
Pinot Report: 96
Medium-deep ruby purple color; rich, ripe black cherry and spice aromas; full and rich with intense, deep black cherry, lavender and complex spice notes with sweet oak; great structure and balance; long finish. This is another home run Pinot from Dick Shea—the amazing depth and lush richness just gets better and better in the glass the longer it's open. Pick a special meal to serve this with.

Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Shea Vineyard Homer Cuvee 2004
Pinot Report: 95
Medium-deep ruby purple color; deep black cherry and complex earthy aromas, some notes of violet and lavender; very deep and rich, lots of black cherry and complex forest floor and spicy, sweet toasty oak flavors, great structure and balance; long finish. This Pinot is very complex—it’s deep and developed and really benefits from a couple of hours of air before you drink it.

Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Shea Vineyard Wadenswil Clone 2004
Pinot Report: 94
Medium-deep ruby color; rich aromas of black cherry, earth and violets; deep and rich black cherry flavors with spicy, floral notes, complex earthy and sweet oak flavors; great structure and balance; long finish. A delicious Pinot with great depth of flavors. It’s made from the Wadenswil clonal selection, widely planted in Oregon, that was named for the research station in Switzerland where it was developed.

Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Shea Vineyard East Hill 2004
Pinot Report: 95
Deep ruby purple color; complex aromas of black cherry, earth and sweet oak; deep, rich, complex black cherry, earth and forest floor flavors with some tannin and sweet oak notes; good structure and balance; long finish. Deep and complex, this Shea bottling needs a time in the glass to open up its complex flavors.

Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Shea Vineyard Estate 2004
Pinot Report: 94
Deep ruby purple color; complex and interesting earth and black cherry aromas, rich and deep with complex earthy, black cherry flavors; lots of spice, some tannin and toasty oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Lots of concentrated fruit and earth complexity mark this Pinot—great for grilled meats.

2003 Vintage Highlights

Pinot Report 95

Make room in the cellar! Medium-deep ruby purple color; deep, rich, black cherry, spice and lavender aromas; big, full, rich with deep black cherry fruit, complex spice notes and sweet oak; great structure and balance; long finish. This Pinot has such depth and concentrated complexity and yet such deft balance that the impression left is one of seamless flavors from start to finish. Another terrific Pinot from Dick Shea.

Wine Spectator 92
Supple, subtle, beautifully proportioned and polished. Not a big wine, but marvelously focused to display its black cherry, cherry, mineral and spice flavors, all lasting on the long, open-textured finish. Drink now through 2015. -H.S.

Pinot Report 95

Deep ruby purple color; incredibly rich and deep black cherry, spice and vanilla aromas; big, full and rich in the mouth with great deep black cherry, spice, earth and sweet oak flavors; great structure and balance; long finish. Amazing depth and complexity, amazing presence in the mouth -- there's considerable tannin but it's all in balance.

Pinot Report 94

Medium-deep ruby purple color; slightly closed but there's definitely evidence of complex black cherry, spice and earthy aromas; very deep and rich, lots of black cherry flavors, complex spicy/earthy notes, sweet oak; great structure and balance; long finish. Incredibly deep and rich, this Pinot has a ways to go to continue to develop fully.

Wine Spectator 91

Firm in texture, generous in flavor, this lush mouthful of currant and spice lingers enticingly, picking up a violet note as it stays on the palate. Needs time to soften. Best from 2007 through 2013. -H.S.