I just received a few mixed cases of Vincent, including some library wines, that I am excited to start drinking. I’ve learned a ton from the Goodfellow thread, and hope this thread can develop into a similar resource, as I know a lot of folks on this board also enjoy Vincent. So please share your experiences as you open Vincent bottles, and I plan to do the same shortly after giving the bottles a little rest period from shipping.
Received my BerserkerDay order and popped a 2018 Vincent Pinot Blanc Tardive. After an hour+ of slow ox, the nose was captivating. A captivating expression of an underappreciated grape by another excellent Oregon winemaker.
1 Like
Thanks for starting this thread. My case is coming in today and I haven’t tried any of his wines. Looking forward to seeing others opinions.
1 Like
I should grab one, but all my bottles are so young. Will look for something at least from a couple of years ago.
1 Like
2019 Tardive Chard is drinking well now but will develop over several years.
2019 Royer Chard is closed but showed huge potential over several days of tasting.
2019 Ribbon Ridge Pinot is open, delicious and very young. Lots of upside but good now.
2018 Ribbon Ridge Pinot is closing down; decant for an hour if you open.
2019 Temperance Hill Pinot is in need of aging; the complexity is there now but not the integration.
Although, I have several other bottlings, I have not tasted them in the last 3 months.
Aside: while many of Vince’s wines will develop well with age, I have not found any that completely shut down.
Best, Jim
4 Likes
First, this thread is going to result in price increases (nice going op poster). As for the wines being young, they drink fabulously young—full of energy, vibrancy, and verve.
Haha yes pricing are rising starting now!! 
Seriously, thanks John for starting this thread and all for posting about the wines. Everyone please know you won’t run afoul with me for posting negative things. I appreciate the love but it’s not a one way street. Happy to answer questions and otherwise get deep into things if y’all are interested too.
5 Likes
2019 Royer Chard is closed but showed huge potential over several days of tasting.
I got respect for that several day thing!
1 Like
Man this is great. Really excited that you are willing to join us Vincent! And I will for sure have some questions in the coming weeks/months as I begin to open some of your older wines.
Tonight I opened a 2019 Ribbon Ridge PN based on the notes upthread from Jim. At PnP, a dusty cherry nose, vibrant while still delicate red fruit, and moderate (or balanced in any case) acid. A couple of hours in there was bit more on the nose. Still a dusty cherry, but with a little bit of that menthol/licorice thing that PN do, and also some earthiness. Seems a little less giving and a little less delicate tasting than the first hour. 3+ hours in and I picked up some new leather on the nose. This is a very nice wine, and it continues to evolve with air and time. Although I’m afraid that I’m already working on the last glass so will not be able to report on day 2 or 3.
Checked my inventory, and it’s all 2018 and 2019.
How’s the 2018 Chardonnay Tardive showing? Anyone?
2020 Gamay firms up as it gets time open and never gets in front of the food, even light food. Sweet spot now . . .
Had tonight.
Best, Jim
1 Like
My first case arrives next week, while all are 2019’s and pinots, I can’t help myself from sampling. Will follow to see what others are opening and recommending.
1 Like
Don’t sleep on the Vincent Gamay Noir, especially the Bjornson Vineyard designate. They remind me of a modern-styled Morgon.
2 Likes
Not a ton of CT notes for Vincent’s wines from his earlier days, so I’ll post my notes on the evolution of 2016 Temperance Hill, which I last had in Jan.
-
2016 Vincent Pinot Noir Temperance Hill - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (11/19/2018)
Young. Very concentrated nose of black fruit, plum verging on prune, and fig. More masses of black fruit on the palate, but not sweet or overwhelming. Violets, a hint of marzipan. Notable for its excellent balance, silky texture, refined tannins and just a bit of alcohol poking out.
Day 2, a bit more mellow, with a persistence of black cherry on the long finish. (90 pts.)
-
2016 Vincent Pinot Noir Temperance Hill - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (1/16/2020)
A year of rest has been good to this cuvée, and it’s drinking well now - better than the ‘16 ribbon ridge. Really seductive plush sweet black fruit, but A baseline of rocky reserve, steely acid, and sous bois keep this from coming across as overdone. Drink or hold. (91 pts.)
-
2016 Vincent Pinot Noir Temperance Hill - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (1/14/2022)
2 years since last bottle, and this has continued to evolve in a nice direction. Nuanced black cherry and spice on the nose, leading to a very refined palate of medium bodied black fruit, sweetness falling back to show more black tea, sous bois, rose water, and a bit of stoniness. Fine boned structure, with a lick of tasteful oak. Just falls a bit short on the finish; the only thing keeping it from being an exceptional wine. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
'18 Ribbon Ridge was delicious but if I had seen this thread and Jim’s post, I would have given it an hour in a decanter.
Enjoyed the 2019 Pinot Blanc the other night…
-
2019 Vincent Pinot Blanc - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville (3/23/2022)
Popped and poured. Zesty acidity. Some apple and pear fruit. Interest mid palate lift. Just expands across the palate. Opening up after a few minutes of air. Tangy notes. Very nice finish. Excellent QPR. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Just opened a 2019 Chardonnay Tardive. Trying to find info on the bottling, and so far all I’ve gathered is that it remains in barrel longer than usual. Since it’s designated WV, I’m guessing the grape sources come from multiple AVAs. Does anybody know more about where the grapes come from in this bottling?
First glass on PnP is very nice so far. A little flint and lemon nose, with lemon cream in the mouth. Moderate to light body. Creamy mouthfeel while still giving a delicate impression. I’m going to try and follow this over at least 4 or 5 hours, but suspect it might disappear faster than that.
I opened a 2019 Ribbon Ridge and it was really nice. Drank over 3 hours and the wine continued to improve during the course of the evening. Had nice crunchy red fruit, however as the night went on the wine seemed to evolve to be more black fruited. Loved the acidity and even with my limited experience I could note the structure in the wine. To me, a lot going on and it was just a wonderful wine.
2 Likes
Yes, my Tardive wines are designated as such for their longer elevage in barrel on the lees. And the suggestion is that they’ll age better too.
The 2019 Chardonnay Tardive is a blend of most 108 clone from Dion vineyard in the Laurelwood district of the Chehalem mountains and Andreas vineyard in the Van Duzer. All own rooted 1980s plantings, natural fermentation in older French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered, as with everything I make. To me the wine demonstrates that the old Chardonnay plant material here was always good. You just need to like acidity and then it really rewards extra time on the lees in barrel. Not the same if you bottle it sooner.
2 Likes
Thanks for the info!
It was great right from the PnP but only improved with air and time. It put on a bit more weight and the fruit really came alive. By about 4 hours in I could swear it had distinct hints of pineapple. That was the last glass though.
Drank it from a Grassl Mineralite. PnP tracked over 4 hours. No decant.