2012 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (21) Avg Score: 90.7 points

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  10/20/2023 - timewithwine wrote:

  What a difference a year and a half can make in a wine. The color of the wine remained the same with the expected Loring purple consuming all light at its core with only a thin rim of cranberry. But unlike last year’s bottle, Brian’s exuberance does not shine with the usual explosiveness. While both bottles displayed the expected cloves, cola, black cherries, cranberry, some black olive, and vanilla, the fruit was dull in the first bottle. Some of Brian’s Pinots can be linear, but the Clos Pepe usually isn’t. Both bottles were. The first bottle was decidedly dull. So, the next day I pulled a sister bottle. While the second bottle was a bit brighter, it showed signs of fading fruit. And to double down and make certain I wasn’t losing my palate or drifting away from Brian’s Pinot, I pulled a 2013 Clos Pepe. And there it was, all the abundant, exuberant fruit you expect to find in Brian’s wine. As with the bottle 18 months ago, a cloudy film of sediment coated the walls of one of the 2012 bottles while the other bottle showed a similar but much narrower band of filminess. If you have 2012 Clos Pepe, drink up, … and fast. 14.8% alc. With sauteed boneless pork chop doused in balsamic over a bed of arugula, roasted butternut squash and toasted walnuts the first night and with blue cheese and Petit Basque and finnocchiona the next. 10.19&20.23. Not Recommended.

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  4/8/2022 - timewithwine Likes this wine:

  Loring red/purple consumes the light that was in the glass like a handheld black hole. The color of cranberries thinly rims the core. Brian’s exuberance comes through on the explosive nose with cloves, cola, black cherries, a touch of cranberry, and a faint whiff of vanilla. Abundant tannins are softening. The finish integrates the flavors of the attack in a final kiss. A light film of sediment coats the walls of the bottle. 14.8% alc. With leftover pork loin and blue cheeses on crusty bread. 04.08.22. Recommended.

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  2/22/2020 - timewithwine wrote:

  Loring red - that exuberant color that announces a big wine. And big the wine is with an intense nose of cola, vanilla, black cherry, cloves, and teaberry. The nose and palate track tightly. The length of the finish is long. This wine is complete, full and satisfying. Some sediment. 14.8% alc. With grilled duck and a side of bourbon cranberries. Recommended.

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  10/22/2019 - Chainthroer wrote: 92 Points

  Consumed two bottles in last month. Time to drink up. Nice Pinot.

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  7/26/2018 - Central Coast Wino Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Well structured pinot, but it has lost a lot of its fruit. Some may prefer it this way, but I'd describe it as getting over the hill and recommend drinking soon.

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View all 21 Community Tasting Notes

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