Yesterday I drank a 2019 Vincent Gamay Noir Bjornson Vineyard, and it was really good. The nose wasn’t too complex, started off with kind of a chalky red fruit, but did develop a bit of earthy spice after a few hours of air. But man the intense fruit flavors in this wine were incredible, particularly after a couple of hours of air. And this was intense fruit without any sense of being jammy or heavy or synthetic. It was almost citrusy orange on the front and then finished with an intense raspberry finish. Not sure I’ve ever had a bottle I would compare to this.
PnP drank over several hours from Grassl Cru. Paired well with a simple grilled burger and potato salad.
2019 Vincent Gamay Noir Bjornson Vineyard- USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (4/10/2022)
Really fantastic wine. All I can think of while I was drinking it is it is definitely going to be served at Thanksgiving.
The attack is driven by a very prevalent crushed black pepper note. Amazing. Light Raspberry and Cherry flavors in a light body framework. Excellent
Having the red table wine tonight - pretty much exactly what I want in a table wine. Beautiful fruit, acid and enough spice to provide an interesting counterpoint - balance. Nice finish.
I had a chevillon passetoutgrain a few weeks ago that was pretty unapproachable, I thought. This is anything but. Very enjoyable.
Indeed there is no other Vincent Wine Company apart from my winery in Oregon. The name Vincent is common in the world of wine, Vincent is the patron saint of the vigneron. I am sure you are confusing us with someone else in that area.
Had a bottle of 2019 Vincent Chardonnay Tardive with some lovely cheese tasting featuring Perrystead Dairy located in Philadelphia. The wine was superb and I am a Vincent convert! Will definitely be buying more.
This wine went excellently with the cheeses. Nice soft cheeses that you may want to open the windows when you pull them out to warm up. But once ready, the Tardive was delicate and complemented the cheeses enhancing the overall flavors and acidity levels. Really enjoyable tasting. So thanks Berserker Day for introducing me to another great wine and winemaker.
I read about the cheesemaker here in Culture magazine, so I ordered some:
The cheese star of the show to me was the top right - Treehug. Warning: it’s more than just a weee bit of cheese odor, but the taste is strong but not overpowering at all. Pure enjoyment of a nutty well structured soft cheese.
I love pairing my whites with cheese. And others’ white wines. Contrary opinions can be so tedious…but red wine and cheese is a mistake. White wines are such a good medium for cheese pairings.
VINCENT RIBBON RIDGE ARMSTRONG VINEYARD 2012
The color is med (-) garnet with strawberry orange on rim. On the nose, marmalade orange, cherry, macerated strawberries, cranberries, “red hot” candy flavors (sweet/hot cinnamon), and some white mushrooms. On the palate (med +? acid it is juicy), tannins are silky sandy, tart cranberry, tart cherry flavors, and savory. The finish is very long and lingering with a just a bit of coke, ripe strawberries, and herbs (green but subtle and structural). There is no cloying in this wine, it is clean and refreshing. There is a lot going on! I am surprised at the length of the finish (very long and tasty). I have zero regrets about opening this bottle. I could make a case that there is plenty of life left in the bottle (I thought I might find more tertiary aspects). My one criticism would be the mid palate is a bit light. Decanted ½ hour. Drank over 2 +. Riedel burgundy glass. Just Delightful! Vincent Pinots and Chards are and will remain an ongoing “buy” for my cellar.
Thanks for checking on this one John! 2012 was a tricky vintage, some late season hot east winds really pushed ripeness further than I’d like. But wines and vintages are their own things and I think you’ve captured the wine well. People ask - how long to age the single vineyard Pinots. I am conservative - usually I say 7-10 years from vintage. Really I expect them largely to last a good bit longer than that, particularly if you like tertiary aspects in wine. This wine is a good example. Still lots in the tank I think. Cheers!
Vincent, I have one bottle of the Bjornson 2012 (from your library #thanks). How does the Bjornson behave vs. the Armstrong vineyard? From what I can tell on CT, the Bjornson is a little richer (not sure what that really means – just reading some old CT notes).
I haven’t had it in a while now tbh but the younger vines then at Bjornson gave deeper color and more power than they have in recent years. Even the ‘11, picked at 21 brix, was the color and density leader in that vintage. By 2015 on, the vines (then 10th leaf) took a more delicate turn. I think the volcanic soils began to assert themselves more, with more floral prettiness and more acid driven profiles compared to more muscular marine soils elsewhere. Very generally speaking. Back to the 2012, it shows the most power of my line up that vintage but (no bullshit!) still a lovely wine. See what you think and don’t hold back if you feel differently.
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