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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.1 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 108 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Senso-beak on 10/24/2020 & rated 90 points: Opened and poured. I don't know what it is about Shea bottlings, but I always seem to like them....regardless of producer. Maybe it's the balance....everything well proportioned - just solid and without distractions. Despite Lorings being touted as early drinkers, this one is quite nice, without evidence of flabbiness or oxidization - perhaps the screw cap helped that out. Anyway, medium body, with plenty of reds, plum, and acidity. Fruit not tired. Just solid all the way around. (979 views) | | | Tasted by GrapeScott on 3/3/2020 & rated 87 points: This bottle has admittedly not seen the best storage conditions, spending ~2 years of its early life in a NYC apartment closet. This bottle is not cooked or otherwise flawed, but probably accelerated in its development. Baking spice and black fruit profile, this has now shed the tannins and structure of its youth. Drinking well now, but likely peaking or on the decline. (1096 views) | | | Tasted by Roentgen Ray on 10/22/2018 & rated 90 points: Lite flavors.
Perfumed strawberry, and a hint of mint.
Fairly tannic and bright. (1289 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 8/12/2018 & rated 86 points: Second Sunday Group: 2008 Oregon Pinot: Blind. Notes of cola, dark pinot fruit and spice. Cherry tones emerge as it sits in the glass. Medium tannins, somewhat chalky feel; spice and dark pinot fruit flavors with nice acidity. Develops notes of leather and weedy/vegetal brett qualities that I find distracting. 86+ pts.
My #8, Domino's #2
Group #1, 36 pts (1582 views) | | | Tasted by wondersofwine on 1/10/2016: 14.7% abv. Screwcap closure. Purple color; opaque. Very spicy and earthy. Dark fruits on the palate with a lengthy finish. Big and bold this paired well with a beef, onion, bell peppers stir fry and another day with ground beef-stuffed cabbage. I haven't been purchasing Loring Wine Company wines lately but do have some older vintages to work through. I was going to score this 86 but see that the community average is quite a bit higher and my score may be based more on my personal preferences than the quality of the winemaking so will not enter a formal score. (3282 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 3/12/2014 & rated 89 points: A decent fruity new world pinot. (4859 views) | | | Tasted by rdfech01 on 11/30/2013 & rated 91 points: Fresh nose of blueberry and spice. Equally fresh and bright fruit on the palate with a pleasant edginess. (4749 views) | | | Tasted by GMGnyc on 11/29/2013 & rated 92 points: didn't get enough of this at thanksgiving dinner but what I had was terrific. definitely a powerful pinot but also quite beautiful and elegant. wish I had more. (4612 views) | | | Tasted by lab_rat on 7/29/2013 & rated 92 points: The nice surprise of the evening, with a lot more balance and restraint than some of the CA-based LWC Pinots. This will guide my Loring purchases for years to come. A terrific wine. (5137 views) | | | Tasted by khmark7 on 5/29/2013 & rated 90 points: My first 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir. I waited on these due to the tannic nature of the vintage, and it shows in this wine. Aromatic upon opening, this shows not only Brian's style of winemaking but also the tannic character of the vintage. Instead of the red fruits on the front of the palate this displays black fruits on the back of the palate. Drinking well today, I wish I had tried this in it's youth to see how the fruit tasted. A serious well made wine. (3558 views) | | | Tasted by jasonh on 4/21/2013: EWG Tastes Oregon Wines - April 21, 2013 (Roy's Pasadena): Peter popped this at the end of the night. I like Brian's wines but for me this was out of sorts on this night. I found it on the shrill side with a fair amount of heat as well. Might just be in a bad place. I have had a few 08s that are not working right now. (2757 views) | | | Tasted by peternelson on 4/21/2013 & rated 90 points: EWG Oregon Pinot Dinner at Roy's (Roy's Hawiian Cuisine): Blackberry, big, ripe fruit with raspberry aromas; bold dark fruits, medium tannins, medium acidity, still young. I thought this was good, no blatant oak, and will probably improve over a few more years. (2415 views) | | | Tasted by underwds on 2/13/2013 & rated 88 points: Meh. Muted fruits. Nice body and mouth feel, but mostly earthy and woodsy. It's a good wine to drink with food because of the acidity and tannins, but doesn't (for me) have a lot of character.
3/15/13 Similar observations: all fruit and wood. (2082 views) | | | Tasted by dsgris on 2/1/2013 & rated 91 points: Medium ruby, strong fruity nose, lilacs. Dry, perfume, bold fruit of ripe cherries, too jammy for my palate, others may like this style, but I prefer a spicy Syrah to a floral Pinot. I will let this sit capped for several days to see how it develops. Some of the acid is starting to show, there is hope. A night later, the acid is balancing the bold fruit nicely. The floral has morphed into iodine, ripe cherries. I can live with that! A couple more nights on the counter, last glass, very nice balance, fruit with acid, soft tannins. Give it time! (2248 views) | | | Tasted by kkleg on 11/7/2012: - Violet color - This might contain Oregon grapes, but it's definitely a Loring wine. While I usually enjoy the California Lorings, I expect something different when I drink an Oregon wine. This tastes more like a Russian River wine than a Willamette Pinot. Good stuff, but nothing special. Not sure it will improve with age, but it's possible. (2042 views) | | | Tasted by JDRFoster on 8/30/2012 & rated 89 points: Very enjoyable Oregon Pinot, mixed fruit, earth, spice, medium body and finish. (2296 views) | | | Tasted by Martin Redmond on 7/25/2012 & rated 89 points: Dark ruby color with red cherry, raspberry, cedarwood, and slightly earthy aromas. On the palate it's light-bodied with fine-grained tannins, good acidity, and ripe raspberry, cranberry, cherry, and spice flavors. Long finish. 14.7% alcohol (2438 views) | | | Tasted by domco on 6/25/2012 & rated 85 points: Like the bouquet, the rest is just ok. Loring just doesn't do it for us. Muted flavors, a bit tart, alcohol coming through. Got these for a great price, but will probably continue to pass going forward. (2362 views) | | | Tasted by Bob in NC on 6/22/2012 & rated 88 points: Not our favorite Loring. Generally muted flavors. (2329 views) | | | Tasted by peternelson on 6/18/2012 & rated 90 points: Dark ruby; good earth tones, blackberry-cherry fruit; hefty body, but well balanced and not hot. Oregon Pinot does well in Loring's hands. (2161 views) | | | Tasted by bpj87 on 4/14/2012 & rated 86 points: Transparent ruby red color. Nose of sweet fruit. Candied dark fruits, a touch of strident alcohol, and cola on the smooth, somewhat hollow palate. I used to derive great pleasure from this style, but the 2009 Hudelot-Noellat Bourgogne of last week was so much more tensile, fresh, and alive. (2453 views) | | | Tasted by JFish on 4/3/2012: Quick TN. Unscrewed and poured. This wine surprised me based upon other Loring pinots I've had in the past. Though dark and a bit riper than most of the Oregon wines I drink on a regular basis, this was nicely balanced showing a purity of the darker red/purple fruits. No noticeable oak or heat. A little earth, spice, and pepper (which at first, if blind, I would not have guessed pinot). A nice wine, on its own or with pepperoni pizza. (2608 views) | | | Tasted by air guitar & pinot noir on 3/29/2012 & rated 91 points: A bit restrained on the nose. Soft, ripe plum with some dustiness. Gains some focus and clarity in the glass. Some elements of white pepper, spice and moderate oak. Not overly fruit-driven and does not present the elements of Shea. Presents itself as Californian vs Oregon. Not overly ripe but still presents pure fruit. Not as acidic as some of Brian's Californian efforts. (2487 views) | | | Tasted by DaveZack on 3/25/2012 & rated 92 points: Got this bottle from the winery for $23.46 during a pre-release futures special pricing event (if my memory serves me correctly).
Brian does it again!
This is a fantastic Pinot Noir. The bouquet is absolutely gorgeous, exhibiting beautiful floral elements, along with typical Oregon Pinot traits, such as dark fruit, plenty of earth, and suggestions of spice and oak.
Brian Loring is easily my favorite Pinot negociant in California (a winemaker who buys grapes and/or must to complete the winemaking process); a LWC Pinot is guaranteed to be delicious, well-priced, and a bargain as the wine relates to its price-to-quality ratio.
This is a rich, dark, brooding, creamy, delicious, well-balanced Pinot Noir. Up-front, there's an abundance of dark fruit (plums, black cherries, and blackberries), along with creamy oak and tannins, earth, tons of spices (pepper and other herbaceous notes), all complimented by a long, lingering, elegant finish.
Brian sources his grapes from some of the best Pinot vineyards on the West Coast. He extracts fantastic depth-of-flavors from his purchased grapes and somehow/someway assembles world-class Pinots. I've never had a LWC Pinot that wasn't at least VERY good; most of them are FANTASTIC. This wine earns an EXCELLENT score on a price-to-quality ratio.
We paired this wine with a corned beef and cabbage/carrots dish, assuming that an Oregon Pinot would be fairly light-bodied and delicious and elegant. This wine ended-up being much more substantial than we would have assumed. Though it paired well with the corned beef, this is such a serious, dark, creamy, extracted Pinot that I would recommend pairing this wine with serious beef dishes (a ribeye smothered in Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, curried lamb shanks, etc.).
No matter how you turn the Stelvin screw cap (LWC Pinots are always enclosed with Stelvin screw caps; as any serious wine lover knows, there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with that!), you canNOT go wrong with a Loring Pinot. As usual, job VERY well done, Brian!! (2562 views) | | | Tasted by cbbrown3 on 3/9/2012 & rated 90 points: Decanted about 45 minutes. Medium ruby red color. Black cherries, raspberry, baking spices, forest floor, vanilla and some white pepper on the very nice and interesting nose. Medium body with some ripe tannins and very nice acidity. Nice tart fruit and spice on the palate with a slight herbal note coming in on the backend, nice earthiness and spice adds a lot of flavor. Decent length on the finish, but this is the weakest part of the wine. Could use a bit more oomph on the finish, leaves you wanting a bit more. All said, I like the change of pace this provides. (2601 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Loring Wine Company Producer websitePinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.Shea VineyardShea Vineyard was first planted to wine grapes in the late 1980s. Today Shea Vineyard is a 200-acre property with 140 planted acres. 135 of these acres are planted to Pinot noir vines and the balance is planted to Chardonnay.
http://www.sheawinecellars.com/vineyard/
The Shea vineyard is in the Yamhill-Carlton District just west of the Chehalem Valley. The fruit is sourced from three small blocks, one of which is planted to the Pommard clone, one to the Dijon 114 clone and the last to Dijon 777 clone. Soils are primarily of the Goodin and Melbourne type which are sedimentary in origin. The three blocks range in elevation from 450 to 600 feet and were planted in 1989. The wine from this vineyard has a complex array of aromas and flavors including black and red fruits, particularly blueberry, spice and earth. Approximately 725 cases are produced. The vineyard is owned by Dick and Deirdre Shea and managed by Javier Marin.
Shea Vineyard is a 200 acre vineyard in Yamhill County, Oregon, owned by Dick and Deidre Shea. It is, by almost universal account, the most highly regarded vineyard in Oregon.
Shea sells grapes to some of Oregon's best wineries, and the vineyard has a reputation for producing some of the best Pinot noirs in the world, from such winemakers as Ken Wright and Mike Etzel of Beaux Freres. Shea planted the original 100-acre vineyard in 1988 and 1989 on its own roots, but has been systematically replanting with grafted vines over the past few years in response to phylloxera.
Read more:http://www.northwest-wine.com/Shea-Wine-Cellars-Block-5-Pinot-noir.html#ixzz16KKRMLJHUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.Oregon Oregon Wine, Oregon Wineries (Oregon Wine Board)Willamette Valley Willamette Valley Wineries Association | Willamette Valley (Oregon Wine Board)
On weinlagen-info including some single vineyards
Willamette Valley Vintage Reviews
Willamette Valley Willamette Valley Wineries Association | Willamette Valley AVA Wikipedia article
#2012 vintage:
"Broadly speaking, the Willamette Valley's 2012 pinots are fleshy and fruit-dominated, with round tannins and forward personalities. The fruit tends to the darker side of the pinot spectrum--think cherry and blackberry rather than strawberry and raspberry, much less cranberry and redcurrant--and this gives the wines massive crowd appeal. The best wines also have the depth to age, so don't be fooled by their accessible nature in the early going." - Josh Raynolds
#2013 vintage:
"The key to a successful foray into the ‘13s is first to understand that in most instances the wines lean to the red fruit side of Pinot Noir; they tend to be tangy and tightly wound but often lack concentration. While some wines may put on weight and gain sweetness with bottle age, that’s a gamble I’ll personally leave to others. The 2013s also tend to lack the tannic structure for more than mid-term aging although they will likely endure on their acidity, which I suspect will usually outlast the fruit in this vintage" - Josh Raynolds
#2014 vintage:
"The 2014 vintage in Oregon may be remembered as the vintage of a lifetime [for growers] . . . these wines as they will be similar to the 2009 vintage . . . lovely, ripe, rich, deeply concentrated and aromatic" - winebusiness.com
"The conditions made it relatively easy to make good wines, with no worries about achieving ripeness, and the lack of frost risk allowed us to keep grapes on the vine as long as we wished." - Casey McClellan |
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