Sometimes it pays to take the road less traveled. In the late 1980s, Dick Shea and his wife, Deirdre, did just that. Rather than planting in the well-established Dundee Hills, they searched for an exceptional site in the lesser-known hills east of Yamhill. At the time, only a handful of pioneers were willing to invest in what would later become the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. What the Sheas discovered would ultimately grow into one of the most celebrated Pinot Noir vineyards in the Willamette Valley.
Nearly 40 years later, Shea Vineyard is now surrounded by renowned sites planted by a who’s who of Willamette Valley producers, all drawn to the “dirt magic” first uncovered on this beautiful, south-facing slope along Highway 240. Recognizing the rarity of what they had found, the Shea family expanded their holdings by acquiring neighboring parcels, allowing more producers to share in the vineyard’s remarkable expression.
Beyond the site itself, Dick Shea is known as a meticulous farmer with deep pride in the fruit he grows. Shea Vineyard played a pivotal role in the rise of single-vineyard Pinot Noir in Oregon, as winemakers sought to highlight the site’s distinctive character. The Sheas wisely embraced this movement, allowing their vineyard name to appear on the labels of some of the region’s most talented producers. Today, the roster of Shea Vineyard wines reads like a list of the Willamette Valley’s elite.
When Pike Road Wines owner Adam Campbell first worked with Shea Vineyard fruit in the early 2000s, it sparked a lasting appreciation for the site, one that has resulted in more than 20 consecutive vintages of Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir. From the earliest releases through 2014, the wine was bottled under the Elk Cove label, and beginning in 2015, it has been released under Pike Road Wines.
Under the guidance of winemaker Heather Perkin, our sourcing has expanded to include additional blocks and clones from Shea vineyard. The 2018 vintage marks the final release sourced entirely from Dijon 777 Clone, Block 18. In the following vintages, we began incorporating fruit from the old Bergström Blocks and others, adding further complexity and depth to our expression of this iconic site.
2018 Scores:
93 Points – Vinous Media
93 Points – Tasting Panel Magazine
92 Points – James Suckling