Feb

5

Loring Wine Company

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Today I had the fun experience of meeting Pinot “rockstar” Brian Loring.

Brian’s name is well known around the office, as his wines have been responsible for impressing plenty of our clients lately. I’ve recommended many of the beautiful Pinot Noir gems he has produced for the Pali label and today we had the treat of tasting through six of his 2007 single vineyard Pinots from his personal label, Loring Wine Company.

Brian’s story is an interesting one. He reports that he first discovered his love for the Pinot grape while working in a Hollywood wine shop where he was introduced to the great Burgundies from Domaine Dujac, Henri Jayer and DRC. It was only after he literally tripped over a case of Josh Jenson’s Calera Pinots in the wine shop that he discovered a Pinot he could love that wasn’t made in Burgundy.

Without any formal winemaking training or experience, he was fueled purely by his passion for the varietal and was ultimately taken under the wing of Norm Beko from Cottonwood Canyon where he learned the “hard way” how to make truly great Pinot from California fruit.

Ten years later, Brian Loring is a considered a bit of a super-star with his new school style of Pinots from some of the finest, coveted vineyards from California to the Willamette Valley. It’s important to note that Brian’s intent is not to make Pinots that will age for the long term, rather to produce a wine that shows very well, right now. Very fruit forward, extracted – new school – is his artistic bent. “We’re not your father’s Pinot producer..” he said while cracking opening one of his highly rated screw-capped Pinots.

Here’s what we tasted from the 2007 vintage..

2007 Keefer Ranch Vineyard ~ Russian River Valley ~ WS 92

This wine showed a bright nose of fresh strawberry jam that just about jumped out of the glass. Good legs point to a fair amount of glycerin. On the palate it was intense, young, with good fruit and acid. A very fruit forward Pinot that would likely be very food friendly. 1050 cases.

2007 Rosella’s Vineyard ~ Santa Lucia Highlands ~ WS 92

Much more of a restrained nose than the Keefer, but definitely a weightier mouthfeel. Again, very nice acid but instead of strawberries, I got more of a sweet baked cherry pie experience. 750 cases.

2007 Russell Family Vineyard ~ Paso Robles ~ WS 93

This Pinot has a very impressive, very dark nose. On the palate I experienced more of an overripe strawberry, strawberry-rhubarb pie with a slight hint of mushroom. 725 cases.

2007 Aubaine Vineyard ~ San Louis Obispo ~ WS 93

This is a lighter, even more fruit forward Pinot with lively, bright and very well balanced fruit. 350 cases.

2007 Cargassacchi Vineyard ~ Santa Rita Hills ~ WS 91

Wow. What an example of new school style Pinot: Rich, jammy in the mouth with essense of mushrooms, sweet chocolate covered cherries with a touch of white pepper and earth. 275 cases.

2007 Clos Pepe Vineyard ~ Santa Rita Hills ~ WS 94

Definitely the most beautiful and perfumed nose of the bunch. Good black cherry and blueberry on the palate. Really couldn’t get over the prettiness of that nose and the finish leaves you with even more perfume, but not overbearing by any means. 800 cases.

Contact Jonathan Keller to acquire Brian Loring’s impressive Pinots




"Jonathan.. the wines were FANTASTIC!"

~ Diane T. Dallas, TX





Jan

15

Aubin Cellars “Verve”

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Today we tasted a truly artistic lineup called “Verve” by Aubin Cellars.

The Verve label was founded by Jerome Aubin, native of France turned California wine producer. But not before completing his International Business Masters Degree in Paris, then relocating to Sonoma County in July 1995 to help start a cooperage in the classic french tradition. That project ultimately transitioned into a successful wine barrel and bin importing business, providing close to 600 west coast wineries with artisan style barrels, cement, stainless-steel and wooden fermentation tanks.

Also worthy of note are the beautiful Verve labels, displaying (mostly French) expressionist paintings, from Jerome Aubin’s personal collection.

First poured was an interesting French white varietal called Colombard. If you’re not familiar with the Colombard varietal, it’s likely because it’s normally used as a blending grape in the production of Armagnac, a distinctive style of brandy.

The 2007 Verve French Colombard comes from the “Domaine de Mirail” located in the heart of Gascony in southwest France. The specific site is in the Cotes de Gascogne region, and is an old, densely planted vineyard situated on a south-facing limestone and clay hillside. Hints of white peach, jasmine and honeydew on the nose, slightly creamy texture with a crisp, refreshing minerality and racy acidity typical of French Colombard from the Cotes de Gascogne. Served well-chilled, Verve French Colombard will prove a classic match with fish, oysters and other shellfish, salad or goat cheese. On its own, the Verve Colombard is a nice alternative to your normal first-course whites. Perfect while preparing dinner or simply feasting on a sunset.

Next was a pleasant 2007 Sauvignon Blanc made from twenty-two year old “Villa San Juliette” vineyard in the northeast of Paso Robles. The vines are grown on a limestone hillside soil with a southern exposure. With an almost restrained, lightly floral nose, this Sauvignon Blanc explodes with tropical fruit on the finish. It would be best served very cold, on a very warm day.

Verve has also turned out two interesting single-vineyard Pinot Noirs in the 2006 vintage, one from the Sonoma Coast Appellation (Freestone) and the other from the Willamette Valley (Dundee Hills).

First poured was the 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot, which showed a classic nose of mushrooms, must and sweet perfume. On the palate were elegant notes of sweet cherry and rhubarb. Not overly extracted, this is a nice (affordable) expression of Pinot coming from a region well suited for the varietal.

Next came the 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot made from the sustainably farmed “Stoller Vineyard” in Dundee Hills (a sub-appellation of the Willamette Valley) which was another example of “new school” Pinot, but with a healthy nod toward traditional Burgundian styling. Again on the nose I caught ample mushroom, earth and perfume, on the palate was a pleasant core of light red berry fruits, with a distinctive thread of mineral essence that would encourage me to call this Pinot a definite “food wine.”

Last but definitely not least came two single vineyard offerings of Syrah. The first was a 2005 “Richard Dinner Vineyard” Syrah from the Sonoma Mountain Appellation. Sweet jammy fruit on the nose, with a very pretty core of sweet, ripe berry fruit. A very well rounded, well balanced Syrah.

Finally came their 2005 Syrah from the 900-1200ft elevation “Boushey Vineyard” in the Colombia Valley Appellation near Yakima, WA. This Syrah exhibiy6 black pepper, smoke and dried roses on the nose, a deep, intense darkness in the glass, velvet on the palate with cocoa and asian spice.

In reflection, the Verve wines are in my opinion stylistically balanced between the “new school” of winemaking and the classic french tradition of expressing the varietal in its truest form. Truly an art form in the glass.




"Jonathan, the R&B Cellars is fabulous!"

~ Mark W. San Antonio, TX





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