Full Review

Stephen Vincent

Stephen Vincent
2020 Pinot Noir, North Coast

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta Pork

Category: Pinot Noir

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 13.5%
89 Points
Silver Medal
Highly Recommended
$15
Best Buy

Stephen Vincent
2020 Pinot Noir, North Coast

Pair this wine with:
Beef Cheese Pasta Pork

Category: Pinot Noir

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 13.5%
Dusty garnet color. Aromas and flavors of caramelized smoked bacon, toasty berry pie crust, cranberry-mint chutney, and root beer sorbet with a supple, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a smooth, engaging, medium-long finish with notes of fruit leather, bacon wrapped dates with almonds, and buttery nut brittle and waffles with soft, silky tannins. A fun, meaty Pinot that will be an enjoyable sipper or pairing partner.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Fruity, Juicy & Smooth, New World, Savory & Spicy & Complex
Aroma Aroma: caramelized smoked bacon, toasty berry pie crust, cranberry-mint chutney, and root beer sorbet
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with notes of fruit leather, bacon wrapped dates with almonds, and buttery nut brittle and waffles
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry-yet-Fruity
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years on its own and with food
Recipes Pairing: Baked Ham, Meat Loaf, Lasagna
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A fun, meaty Pinot that will be an enjoyable sipper or pairing partner.

The Producer

Wine Hooligans LLC

The Producer
980 Airway Court
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
USA
1 707-527-7355

Their Portfolio

86 1797 2019 Bourbon Barrel Aged, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 14.5% (USA) $22.00.
93 Broadside 2019 Single Vineyard Margarita Vineyard, Merlot, Paso Robles 14.5% (USA) $17.00.
94 Broadside 2019 Paso Robles Margarita Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 14.5% (USA) $24.00.
91 Broadside 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 14.5% (USA) $17.00.
BR Broadside 2020 Chardonnay, Central Coast 14.5% (USA) $17.00. - Bronze Medal
89 Broadside 2020 Sip Certified, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 13.5% (USA) $17.00.
90 Broadside 2020 Santa Margarita Ranch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 13.5% (USA) $22.00.
92 Broadside 2021 Santa Margarita Ranch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 14.5% (USA) $29.00.
87 Broadside 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 13.5% (USA) $17.00.
88 Broadside 2021 Santa Margarita Ranch, Merlot, Paso Robles 14.5% (USA) $17.00.
87 Broadside 2021 Chardonnay, Central Coast 13.5% (USA) $17.00.
88 Broadside 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 13.5% (USA) $14.00.
85 Broadside 2021 Chardonnay, Central Coast 13.5% (USA) $14.00.
87 Broadside 2021 Santa Margarita Ranch, Merlot, Paso Robles 14.5% (USA) $14.00.
88 Cycles Gladiator 2019 Pinot Noir, California 14.5% (USA) $12.00.
88 Cycles Gladiator 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, California 13.5% (USA) $12.00.
BR Cycles Gladiator 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, California 13.5% (USA) $13.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Cycles Gladiator 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, California 14.5% (USA) $13.00. - Bronze Medal
87 Cycles Gladiator 2020 Pinot Noir, California 14.5% (USA) $13.00.
88 Cycles Gladiator 2020 Merlot, California 14.5% (USA) $13.00.
BR Cycles Gladiator 2020 Red Blend, California 15% (USA) $13.00. - Bronze Medal
BR Cycles Gladiator 2020 Chardonnay, California 14.5% (USA) $13.00. - Bronze Medal
86 Cycles Gladiator 2021 Chardonnay, California 13% (USA) $13.00.
88 Cycles Gladiator 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, California 13.5% (USA) $12.00.
BR Cycles Gladiator 2021 Pinot Noir, California 13.5% (USA) $12.00. - Bronze Medal
86 Cycles Gladiator 2021 Merlot, California 13.5% (USA) $12.00.
85 Cycles Gladiator 2021 Chardonnay, California 13% (USA) $12.00.
87 Cycles Gladiator 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, California 13.5% (USA) $9.00.
86 Cycles Gladiator 2021 Pinot Noir, California 13.5% (USA) $9.00.
87 Cycles Gladiator 2021 Chardonnay, California 13% (USA) $9.00.
86 Portlandia 2019 Red Blend, Columbia Valley 14.5% (USA) $21.00.
86 Portlandia 2019 Red Blend, Columbia Valley 14.5% (USA) $21.00.
92 Portlandia 2019 Big Believer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 13.5% (USA) $21.00.
92 Portlandia 2019 Big Believer Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 13.5% (USA) $21.00.
85 Portlandia 2020 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 13.5% (USA) $21.00.
85 Portlandia 2020 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 13.5% (USA) $21.00.
93 Portlandia 2021 Rosé, Columbia Valley 12.5% (USA) $17.00.
90 Portlandia 2021 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley/Willamette Valley 13.5% (USA) $17.00.
87 Portlandia NV Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine, Columbia Valley 12% (USA) $21.00.
88 Portlandia NV Brut Sparkling Wine, Columbia Valley 12% (USA) $21.00.
89 Portlandia 2020 Big Believer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 14.5% (USA) $22.00.
92 Portlandia 2020 Red Blend, Columbia Valley 14.5% (USA) $22.00.
85 Portlandia 2021 Pinot Gris, American 13.5% (USA) $12.00.
88 Portlandia 2021 Pinot Noir, Oregon 13.5% (USA) $17.00.
88 Portlandia 2020 Big Believer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 14.5% (USA) $17.00.
88 Shortbread 2019 Chardonnay, California 14.5% (USA) $14.00.
86 Shortbread 2020 Chardonnay, California 14.5% (USA) $17.00.
86 Shortbread 2021 Buttery, Chardonnay, California 14.5% (USA) $14.00.
86 Shortbread 2021 Buttery, Chardonnay, California 14.5% (USA) $14.00.
89 Stephen Vincent 2020 Pinot Noir, North Coast 13.5% (USA) $15.00.
BR Stephen Vincent 2021 Chardonnay, North Coast 13.5% (USA) $17.00. - Bronze Medal
88 Stephen Vincent 2021 Pinot Noir, North Coast 14.5% (USA) $17.00.

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.