LORING WINE COMPANY
Yesterday marked the first of the winery visits, and what a heck of a visit. It was my first time back here in 6 years and actually my first time tasting with Brian—Kimberly showed me around last time. He gifted me with over 2 hours of his time as we slammed through about 35 barrel tastes and 4 bottled, and I was able to ask all sorts of questions and get all sorts of talk in. Brian’s making about 10,000 cases and it’s still just him, Kimberly, Rachel Silkowsky, “young Brian” (not his son) and his mom doing everything. We chatted about everything from barrel preferences to erstwhile joint venture winemaking opportunities, fruit sourcing, use of water (and the water situation today), distributors and business modeling nowadays. I am deeply, deeply grateful.
The core concepts that were of the most interest to me—I asked Brian what he feels has changed in the 6 years since I was here. His answer was simple yet kind of profound too. He says the change has been the vines, that they’ve gotten older. He also was candid enough to say that it’s hard to make other varieties, and even Chard, because so much of his customer base so strongly associates LWC with pinot (That said, I pressed him not so gently to get back to making mourvedre! 
) and that economics and the marketplace have dictated that he move away from SVD only to have AVA-designate wines as well. The other thing at the core is that he continually looks for the balance between expressing what the vineyard should express and making a wine he himself likes.
Barrel tastings being what they are, those notes will be a trifle sparser.
This was an exceptional opportunity to taste across the spectrum of the 2014 vintage. The chards, I think they’ll need some further time to come into focus but have some interest for sure. The pinots, I suppose what I can say in these early days is that there appears to be quite a wide spectrum of taste sensations which should allow for play by the customer into their style of wine. These are, of course, still very early days.
2014 Loring Wine Company Durell Chard in twice-used Seguin-Moreau American barrel
So fragrant, orange, melon, mango, flowers. Oak still there, but it’s a good match. Saltwater toffee and melon notes in mouth.
2014 Loring Wine Company Parmelee Hill Chard in 2nd use Seguin-Moreau American barrel
In sharper focus, brighter—Brian says the vineyards are kitty corner to each other and the difference is that Durell is Wente clone and this is Robert Young. It’s about the tangerine and orange. This adds baked butter and wood on tongue
2014 Loring Wine Company 3D Vineyard Chard blend, new Atelier and twice used Seguin-Moreau American barrels
More softness here in nose and mouth, honeydew and caramel. Perhaps a component of an AVA blend.
2014 Loring Wine Company Rosellas Chard in once-used Seguin-Moreau American barrel
Quieter nose, even a touch of minerality. This does have some snap on the palate with lemon zest and herbs
2014 Loring Wine Company Sierra Mar Chard in once-used Seguin-Moreau American barrel
Brian rightly notes minerality and I also get lime cordial bouquet with a small ginger hit. I really like this–has a wonderful smores aspect when it gets on the tongue. Very enjoyable
From here, it was into the Pinots!
2014 Loring Wine Company Graham Pinot Noir in thrice-use Meyrieux barrel
aromas tomato leaf, earthy, rosemary and cherry. This is very savoury, not much fruit outside currant and some rhubarb
2014 Loring Wine Company Keefer 114 clone Pinot Noir in twice-used Seguin-Moreau American barrel
raspberry-cranberry nuzzie. Spicy–the spiciest thing I’ve tried from Keefer. Good length.
2014 Loring Wine Company Keefer Pommard 5 clone Pinot Noir in twice-used Ermitage barrel
More perfume and lilting fruit to this bouquet, cinnamon and meatiness even. Spicy too, but much more pure raspberry with a sweet curl, more of what I’ve been used to from Keefer fruit.
2014 Loring Wine Company Keefer 777 clone Pinot Noir in once-used Meyrieux barrel
This is se-xy. Lovely baking spices and raspberry/strawberry coulee for the sniffing. Delicious and plush already, perhaps missing full length, but still deep enough for my liking. Me likey
2014 Loring Wine Company Durell Pinot Noir in thrice-used Meyrieux barrel
More roasted green herbs and animale here. Pretty rugged and sour cherry right now. It will need time. Interesting gamey breathe-back.
2014 Loring Wine Company Rosellas 667 clone Pinot Noir in twice-used Meyrieux barrel
Very engaging, herbs, floral and red cherry. Rounded savouriness, fine pure red berry fruit. Should make a fine base for a good Rosellas
2014 Loring Wine Company Rosellas 667 clone Pinot Noir in thrice-used Francois Freres Bertrange barrel
Oooh—elevates, enhances the whole aromatic profile, delicious light cocoa/smoke gets added. Winner! Velvet already, pretty as a picture, cherry, strawberry, cranberry, rhubarb, baking spices. Had to swallow some of this.
2014 Loring Wine Company Rosellas 828 clone Pinot Noir in neutral Meyrieux barrel
Runs somewhat burly, toast and dark cocoa and black cherry. Profiles almost like a mourvedre to me–brambly and gangly. Interesting, but careful how much you use.
2014 Loring Wine Company Rosellas Pisoni clone Pinot Noir in twice-used Seguin-Moreau American barrel
Cherry-dark–and currant, riper profile than the 828. Much brighter, sweeter too. Rounded, balanced and good.
2014 Loring Wine Company Garys Pisoni clone Pinot Noir in thrice-used Seguin-Moreau American barrel
Still lots of fruit, but elements of earth and mocha. A mix of savoury and red fruit, apple skin here.
2014 Loring Wine Company Garys (upper and lower block) in once-used Seguin-Moreau American barrel
More of a “randy” wine, a come-out-and-play-with-me strawberry and cherry-infused bouquet. Tasty, though not deep, but with plenty of fruit and sweet herbs. Brian said most of the wine has checked in around the 15.1% mark for alcohol. I rarely picked up any distracting notes on this day.
2014 Loring Wine Company Aubaine 777 clone in twice-used Remond barrel
Chocolate ahoy with some zippy spice and black forest. Juicy, raspberry, bilberry some light citrus
2014 Loring Wine Company Aubaine 667 clone Pinot Noir in once-used Atelier barrel
Wow–jumps up and grabs you with red fruit and nutmeg. So much character already, “yummy” says Brian. I say so too–taste the precision of the berries, lovely lines as well. Perhaps my 2nd fave of the barrel tastes.
2014 Loring Wine Company Rancho Lavinia 777 clone Pinot Noir in neutral Seguin-Moreau barrel
Sweet, lilting and some greens with bing cherry. Simpler—nice sweet add, but not the bones to be on its own
2014 Loring Wine Company Rancho Lavinia 667 clone Pinot Noir in twice-used Seguin-Moreau American barrel
Brian explains that this vineyard’s fruit has had an up-and-down history but he stuck with it because he believes in the ultimate quality of what can come out of there, and he’s happy with this year’s crop. A little more pepper scents, and still sweet red fruit. Replays on palate, perhaps some plum jam.
2014 Loring Wine Company Rancho Lavinia 115 clone Pinot Noir in twice-used Meyrieux barrel
“darker” and more deep/meditative fruit nose. That savoury herb character again with cherry–high toned now, but I think will settle down
2014 Loring Wine Company Rancho Lavinia 115 clone Pinot Noir (picked 1.5 weeks later) in neutral Rousseau barrel
“smoother”, more rounded with fresher red berry sorbet. And mmmmm, another one I had to swallow a bit of. nummy.
2014 Loring Wine Company Rancho Lavinia 2 clone Pinot Noir in twice-used Merieux barrel
last grapes picked, in October. We both laugh, it tastes now like a very light port. But it will be a good add, I think, when done judiciously, to the blend, there’s character there.
2014 Loring Wine Company Clos Pepe 667 clone Pinot Noir in twice-used Atelier barrel
I like the smoky black cherry and slight sweetness I get here. Lovely texture, spices, nuttiness. Brian doesn’t fancy this as much at the moment, but I do for myself like how structured and masculine (though not at all heavy) this is, with more earth/smoke and not as much fruit.
2014 Loring Wine Company Clos Pepe 115 clone Pinot Noir in once-used Ermitage barrel
Cinnamon and sweet strawberry scents. Quite different, throws a sweeter and more come-hither approach at your palate. Blending this one will be interesting!
2014 Loring Wine Company Clos Pepe 777 clone Pinot Noir in new Ermitage barrel
Rugged and growly with raspberry and rhubarb. Super bright, will need to be bridled. Strong though.
2014 Loring Wine Company Clos Pepe 777 clone Pinot Noir in new Francois Freres Bertrange barrel
Similar to above, but more raspberry and a bit more baking spice emphasis.
2014 Loring Wine Company Huber Pinot Noir in neutral Rousseau barrel
Has an interesting chestnut side. Longer lines. Mmm, quite nice, bright black chocolate raspberry. I do like it.
2014 Loring Wine Company Kessler-Haak 667 clone Pinot Noir in once used Francois Freres barrel
This is Brian’s newest vineyard and, certainly this year, the one he’s most excited about. Some tart cherry blends with candied nut aromatics. This has harmony already, with red and black fruit. Nice.
2014 Loring Wine Company Kessler-Haak 667 clone Pinot Noir in new Atelier barrel
A little short, but that nut-almond paste threading through. And the tongue finds green walnut/walnut skin and berry. Different, certainly.
2014 Loring Wine Company Kessler-Haak 667 clone Pinot Noir in new Francois Freres barrel
Different again, the bouquet more reticent with more herbs. Tends to red berry fruit but has a definite salty tang on the bottom of the tongue. Different.
2014 Loring Wine Company Kessler-Haak 667 clone Pinot Noir in new Rousseau barrel
Oh my! Really exemplary. Both on the nose and in the mouth, already so balanced and beautiful as a wine, strawberry, raspberry, cherry melded with touches of cinnamon and backside of mocha. It is hard to put down or spill out. I ha-ha-only seriously said to Brian he should make a single cask bottling out of this. 89 already, and I’m a tough, tough grader. This is his favourite barrel at the moment and it’s mine too.
2014 Loring Wine Company Russell Pinot Noir in twice-used Meyrieux barrel
Here w move to candied cherry and plum with spices. Wow. Hard to guess a pinot. It’s good, but so much tannic structure. You’re almost—almost–in Petite Syrah land.
2013 Loring Wine Company Rosellas Pinot Noir
I asked to try a couple of bottled products. This comes at you with light cloves and mocha accenting soft berry and plum. Front-loaded with fruit and grapey side, but stops dead in the middle.
2013 Loring Wine Company Clos Pepe Pinot Noir
Mincemeat, I think, plummy and a li’l black licorice in the schnozz. Should end up being fine, good feel and flow, black strawberry, cranberry and light spices mix. A nice wine.
2012 Loring Wine Company Russell Grenache
Well, I’ll give Brian points for trying, big plum–grapey, nut side. It’s Grenache, though, sweet plums and blackberries. I just don’t like the grape, we have to leave it at that.
2012 Loring Wine Company Mourvedre
Ahhhh…the coffee and the chocolate-covered plum and blackberry waft up the glass. Gosh, I love it so. Very cocoa, meat, Indian spice—cumin especially–and the underlying coffee. Brian gets that at the end, a mocha coffee at the back of the mouth. It’s really, really enjoyable.
So was this visit. A wonderful couple of hours…
DINNER WITH JIM SALVITO, PERRY NORTON, MIKE AND DANA STONEKING AND LARRY SCHAFFER
…which morphed into a fantastic evening. My raison d’etre is really to forge stronger links with the friends I’ve met out here. I was thrilled that Mike, Dana and Larry could all come and join us for dinner. Jim and Perry have been above-and-beyond in opening their home to me for a couple days. We all pitched in with the cooking and the wines and there was no lack of scintillating conversation. We also got a fine look into Jim and Perry’s pet project, the recording studio they’re building in the basement of their house.
2010 Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs Sonoma County
I had to play catch-up to the others so quickly tasted this. Nice crystal feel with lemon in the main, a pretty opener for us.
2012 Pacher Hof Gruner Veltliner
I am glad my new soul mate, Perry, is a fellow lover of Gruner. I told her I almost brought a Prager, promised it for next visit. This one is from Alto Adige. Think white pepper and gingerbread. Quite something. For me, something to adjust to, a kinder gentler version of Gruvee–lemon water, tinges of apple and water chestnut and good rounded acidity, if that makes sense. Just not quite the nervosite that I often want in my Gruners.
2009 Zepaltas Hanzell vineyard Chardonnay
Cool peach and apple and pear. Somewhat retiring nose. Fairly cool too—some tactile wood, with more apple, citrus and light peach. Interesting but not super.
2008 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc
Kind of a spiced/mulled impression, apple crumble. Larry asked if I thought maybe an oxidative note. I don’t think so, just think it’s the Roussanne coming through—this one has 65%. But dans la bouche, it’s just OK, nondescript with pear and some lanolin.
1994 E and J Gallo Frei Ranch Cabernet
Larry’s father gave this to him as a gift bottle and we wanted to check on it. Soy and “older” nose, has some life left, but hard to see Cab. Sort of sour cherry and raspberry. We decide it is indeed a little cooked. Glad to try it, though, and generous of his dad to give.
2014 Tercero C5 Vineyard Albarino
This is coming along just nicely from my last taste in February. Fragrant is the descriptor I’d use, yet shy too. On the palate, really good verve and energy, attractive lemon-lime and slash of white pepper. Would like to check it again in 6-8 months, but for a first effort, nothing to be ashamed of at all.
2005 Produttori di Barbaresco Barbaresco Asili
I Audouzed this in the morning and put the cork back in. Gorgeous bouquet–roses and cream and meat and dark juicy fruit. Excellent—tannins brace the cherry, blackcurrant, plum and leather. Finish goes on for a long time. It’s damned good, we’ll just leave it at that. #2
2007 Continuum
This was decanted for a couple hours. Some meats and menthol/camphor thing maybe in the nose. It is big stuff, still lots of baby fat to the full plum and black cherry. I thought it was about 15.7%, listed at 15.3%.
1987 Dunn Napa Cabernet
Gorgeous too. Cocoa dusted earth with beautifully-judged cedar. Elegant, cool, long and stays on your cheeks. Still fresh as a daisy, with blueberry sorbet and blackberry core fruit. A joy to consume, how I wish more producers still made this style of refined cab. 91 and WOTN.
2001 Lagier-Meredith Syrah
Also decanted for about 3 hours when I got to it. Almost chewy aromatic notes of smoke, sandalwood, meats and plums. Such a total child still–kinetic to taste, with currant, plum and meat replays. Tremendous promise to this which can easily go another 10 years. I’ll make sure to open my 2004 a full day in advance this summer.
2013 Donkey and a Goat Prospector Mourvedre
Larry brought this, very glad to have the chance to try. Rather fruity actually, with some chocolate sniffs. Only just beginning its life. Acidity, spices and tart berry, but not much else yet.
2011 Chateau La Tour Blanche Sauternes
What’s life without dessert–and Sauternes! Popped and poured, it has the light feel that LTB so often achieves, right now throwing marmalade, light honey and gingered peach scents and flavours. Needs some more depth, which may come with a day’s air.
Sigh. Life is gooooood.
Mike
![[grin.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/5/53ba06e9b6e4b370ae7e3d7b3702ad1bda0a2d8e.gif "grin"){kind=small}
![[wow.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/7/7d450e9830889c8943b674446a21b7254cad657e.gif "wow"){kind=small}
…and you were still standing after that massive tasting at Loring, Mike?![[winner.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/07ec25c9fd71159fe15d7f1ba5fad64e91238d0e.gif "winner"){kind=small}
![[bye.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/9/984858d1d14f8b2f351499080ee63857219b69ad.gif "bye"){kind=small}