Full Review

Shaw

Shaw
2018 Pinot Noir, California

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta Pork

Category: Pinot Noir

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 12.5% RS: .75%
Certified Organic
87 Points
Silver Medal
Highly Recommended
$10
Best Buy

Shaw
2018 Pinot Noir, California

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta Pork

Category: Pinot Noir

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 12.5% RS: .75%
Garnet color. Inviting, spicy aromas and flavors of spicy chocolate cherry bar, floral strawberry plum tart, sweet beet relish, and chocolate tangerine peels with a satiny, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a smooth, interesting, medium-length finish with notes of cocoa-dusted berries and oranges and toffee with a suggestion of oak flavor. A lovely spicy pinot noir with nice flavor and an easy-drinking style.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Fruity, Juicy & Smooth & New World
Aroma Aroma: spicy chocolate cherry bar, floral strawberry plum tart, sweet beet relish, and chocolate tangerine peels
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with notes of cocoa-dusted berries and oranges and toffee
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry-yet-Fruity
Enjoy Enjoy: Now on its own and with food
Recipes Pairing: Baked Ham, Meat Loaf, Lasagna
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A lovely spicy pinot noir with nice flavor and an easy-drinking style.

The Producer

Bronco Wine Company

The Producer
33 Harlow Court
Napa, CA 94558
USA
1 707-346-6025

Their Portfolio

BR 6 Degrees Cellars 2018 Rose, Pinot Noir, California 12.5% (USA) $13.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Allure Infusions NV Apple & Pear Moscato, California 5.5% (USA) $17.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Allure Infusions NV Mango Moscato, California 5.5% (USA) $17.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Allure Infusions NV Peach Moscato, California 5.5% (USA) $15.00. - Bronze Medal
85 Allure Infusions NV Strawberry Moscato, California 5.5% (USA) $15.00.
85 Amusant NV Bubbly Pink, Moscato, California 10% (USA) $14.00.
90 Bivio Italia NV Extra Dry Sparkling Rose, Prosecco di Treviso DOC 11.5% (Italy) $20.00.
BR Blanc De Bleu NV Cuvee Moussex Sec, California 11% (USA) $21.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Camp Crush NV Red Wine, California 12.5% (USA) $15.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Camp Crush NV Pink Wine, California 12.5% (USA) $15.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Camp Crush NV White Wine, California 12.5% (USA) $15.00. - Bronze Medal
85 Carmenet 2017 Pinot Noir, California 12.5% (USA) $13.00.
BR Carmenet 2020 Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $13.00. - Bronze Medal
88 Carmenet 2017 Red Blend, California 13.5% (USA) $13.00.
89 Carmenet 2020 Merlot, California 12.5% (USA) $16.00.
87 Carmenet 2021 Reserve Buttery, Chardonnay, Lodi 13.5% (USA) $13.00.
93 Carmenet 2021 Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $13.00.
BR Coastal Vines NV Brut Cuvee, California 12% (USA) $6.00. - Bronze Medal
87 De La Costa NV Red Sangria, Red Blend Zinfandel and Merlot, California 11.5% (USA) $6.00.
BR De La Costa NV White Sangria, California 11% (USA) $6.00. - Bronze Medal
BR De La Costa NV Rose Sangria, California 11% (USA) $6.00. - Bronze Medal
86 Gravel Bar Winery 2019 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley 13.5% (USA) $17.00.
BR JFJ NV Extra Dry Sparkling Wine, California 12% (USA) $9.00. - Bronze Medal
89 JFJ NV Brut Champagne, California 12% (USA) $10.00.
BR JFJ NV Almond Flavored Sparkling Wine, California 11% (USA) $10.00. - Bronze Medal
BR L+i NV Chardonnay, California 13% (USA) $19.00. - Bronze Medal
BR L+i NV Pinot Grigio, California 13% (USA) $19.00. - Bronze Medal
BR L+i NV The Bloc Red Blend, California 13% (USA) $19.00. - Bronze Medal
BR L+i NV Rose Of Pinot Noir, California 13% (USA) $19.00. - Bronze Medal
BR La Catrina Classic Margarita Ready-To-Drink Cocktail 13.9% (USA) $17.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Longevity 2019 Chardonnay, California 13.5% (USA) $16.00. - Bronze Medal
86 Longevity 2021 Debra’s Cuvee Rose, Pinot Noir, California 12% (USA) $16.00.
89 Longevity 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, California 13.5% (USA) $16.00.
86 Longevity 2019 Chardonnay, Livermore Valley 13.5% (USA) $16.00.
87 Longevity 2021 Debra’s Cuvée Rosé, Pinot Noir, California 12% (USA) $16.00.
87 Montpellier 2021 Chardonnay, Napa Valley 12.5% (USA) $7.00.
88 Picket Fence 2018 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley 13.5% (USA) $21.00.
90 PINO Cellars 2019 Pinot Noir, Oregon 13.5% (USA) $19.00.
88 PINO Cellars 2022 Rosé, Pinot Noir, California 13.5% (USA) $15.00.
85 Rare Earth 2021 Pinot Grigio, California 12.5% (USA) $14.00.
87 Rosenblum NV Vinter’s Cuvee XXXX, Zinfandel, Lodi 13.9% (USA) $13.00.
85 RSVP NV Brut Sparkling, California 12% (USA) $12.00.
BR Sables D’Azur 2020 Rosé, Côtes De Provence 13% (France) $26.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Salmon Creek NV Brut Sparkling, California 12% (USA) $6.00. - Bronze Medal
87 Shaw 2018 Pinot Noir, California 12.5% (USA) $10.00.
85 Shaw Organic 2021 Rosé, California 11.5% (USA) $8.00.
BR Shaw Organic 2020 Red Blend, California 13% (USA) $8.00. - Bronze Medal
86 Shaw Organic 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, California 12% (USA) $8.00.
86 Shaw Organic 2021 Chardonnay, California 12.5% (USA) $10.00.
85 Shaw Organic 2022 Pinot Grigio, California 12.5% (USA) $10.00.
88 Shaw Organic 2021 Rosé, California 11.5% (USA) $10.00.
BR Tropic Mist NV Mango Strawberry Moscato, California 5.5% (USA) $11.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Tropic Mist NV Blackberry Merlot, California 5.5% (USA) $11.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Tropic Mist NV Exotic Fruits White Zinfandel, California 5.5% (USA) $11.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Tropic Mist NV Raspberry Pink Moscato, California 5.5% (USA) $11.00. - Bronze Medal
93 Villa Roya 2018 Generación De Pasión, Grenache, Calatayud 14.5% (Spain) $16.00.

Pinot Noir

Wine Glass Burgundy.jpg
Serve in a Burgundy Wine Glass
Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most fascinating red varieties. While many red grapes produces wines of power and youthful intensity, a wine made from Pinot Noir is often more refined with higher acidity and lower levels of tannins. The spiritual home for Pinot Noir is Burgundy, where it is produced in many styles, from very light to examples that can age for two to three decades.

Pinot Noirs tend to have aromas and flavors red cherry fruit, while some offer notes of wild strawberry, plum or even floral notes such as carnation and red roses. As tannins in Pinot Noir are not as pronounced as in a grape such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Nebbiolo, most Pinot Noirs can be enjoyed upon release, which is usually two to three years after the vintage.

Burgundy works extremely well for Pinot Noir, as it is a cool climate; a warm or hot climate would not bring out the perfumes of the variety. Thus growers in several countries have planted Pinot Noir in their coolest regions, looking to emulate Burgundy. These include the Willamette Valley in Oregon; Russian River Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills in California (among others); Central Otago in New Zealand; Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys in Chile and the Rheinhessen, Pfalz and Baden in Germany (where the grape is known as Spatburgunder). The concept of terroir – a wine is the producet of its specific environment – is most often associated with Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noirs tend to pair well with poultry (duck a l’orange is a classic match), game birds and even certain types of seafoods (as tannins are low), such as salmon, tuna and halibut.