Loring Wine Company, Clos Pepe Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills

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 …

2012 vintage

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 …

2012 vintage

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.

2012 vintage

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

2012 vintage

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.

2012 vintage

Sumptuous, dark crimson color. Black cherry, cinnamon and sweet oak on the nose. Blackberries, black cherry and raspberry compote on the palate. Nicely integrated and drinking well. Smooth finish.

2012 vintage

Super vanilla nose from the oak but great structure, extraction and lots of layering of flavors here. Great Pinot with lots of earth typical of Central Coast California Pinot Noir.

2012 vintage

Tons of cherry and cranberry fruit. Almost too tart to drink when I first opened it, but mellowed out after half an hour. Still not a lot to the profile besides the fruit. Enough acidity to rescue it for the right food--something rich that needs cut through. 1/11/2018 Couldn't have been much different than my earlier bottle. Rich black cherry fruit, with mushroom and leather later in the palate. Nice oak finish--almost to much of one, but stopped short of …

2012 vintage

new world richness remarkable depth and dark cherries delicious

2012 vintage

Brian says he wants to make wine for people to drink. True. He does that. So his wines generally are best out of the gate (early release). These were generally uninteresting and a poor QPR. You can buy Siduri all year for 60% the cost and nearly exact same flavor profile (and often vineyards). I'm done with LWC. These were my last two bottles. No more.

2012 vintage

A bit sweet now for Pinot but that should change over time. Leather and smoke on the nose and palate. Good structure and went well with ham and turkey. Pop n poured two bottles. Air time probably would help it a bit. Will keep the others for a year or two- expecting them to be really great then.

2012 vintage

Big juice bomb for a Pinot! Needs to be drunk in its youth.

2012 vintage

full well balanced dark cherry fruit with good nose & finsih

2012 vintage

Cherry, cranberry, mushroom, forest floor, spice on the finish. Hitting its stride.

2012 vintage

Very rich cherry and mushroom nose, rich and smooth fruit flavor and a medium finish. A big wine.

2012 vintage

Maderized. Not the fault of the wine, though: blame 12 years of passive storage for a hot vintage made in a 3-5 year style.

2003 vintage

amazing. pop vinturi and drink. my idea of classic great california pinot noir. cranberry, red fruit and the classic california pinot taste on the forefront. softly rounded and balanced. just got better as the glass opened up. beautiful job, loring.

2012 vintage

One of my favorite vineyards and favorite winemakers. Consistently high quality. Cherries, strawberry notes and a hint of cola.

2012 vintage

Always one of my favorite vineyards from Brian. A really nice combination of fruit and earthiness. Blueberry and blackberry gives way to spice and mushroom. Soft tannins on the finish.

2012 vintage

Tastes like a zin/syrah blend. Not bad but not good

2012 vintage

Pop n' pour, this was ready to go immediately. Smooth and savory dark fruit profile. Not terribly complex, but very tasty and delicious.

2012 vintage

Pop and pour and this wine was ready to go!

2012 vintage

Big but with proper acidity to balance the fruit. Notes of tea and truffles.

2012 vintage

Flawed or just way over the hill. Bottom line is that LWC's earlier vintages haven't stood up to time well at all.

2003 vintage

did not taste on night one...comments were pleasant wine...two nights later was a roasted mess

2003 vintage

Popped and poured, very nice wine; fruit jumps out with some interesting spiciness, nice finish.

2003 vintage

Deep garnet color. Notes of clove, cola, black cherry and raspberry liqueur, with a woody undertone. Medium to full-bodied, with juicy black cherry, cola and raspberyr flavors.

2003 vintage

Muc hmore tame than it used to be, with red fruit and a subtle funkiness. Really tasty.

2003 vintage

This is enjoyable right now. Still some subtle tannins.

2003 vintage

deep purple. Nose was a touch surmaturite, plums, cherries. Taste was mellow, a touch hot-seemingly.

2003 vintage

I think we are one of the last to drink the 03 Clos. This was absolutely wonderful. Lots of refined fruit, not the "happy puppy licking your face" but the older dog wagging his tail and cheerfully greeting you. I think this aged wonderfully.

2003 vintage

Found a few '03 Loring Pinots while rearranging the cellar ... Dark purplish-ruby in color. Not much on the nose - just some grapey aroma. Medium-full bodied with rather simple sweet grape flavors and little Pinot Noir character. No evident acid or tannins. Not a bad wine by any means, but not particularly recognizable as Pinot Noir either.

2003 vintage

Fairly close to the last bottle except the acidity seems to be a bit more pronounced at this time. Drink up now.

2003 vintage

Part of Pinks and Pinot party. A great time with a good wine.

2003 vintage

Sweet spot on this one tonight. Everything has integrated into a smooth easy to like drink. Gained some weight over a few hours. Not much complexity and also probably not going to get any better than today. Time to drink up.

2003 vintage

Shows aged plums, raspberry fruit...not as "fresh and alive" as I'm use to with Lorings. Dark spices, dried tobacco/tea leaves, cherry soft chews. Nice spice...dried florals....but too stewed with the fruit. Needs more acid to liven it up. I don't know if the plastic cork has anything to do with this???...but I'm glad they went to screw tops! All the screw tops I've had were fresh. As with FMIII, this is the last of the 2003 Lorings for me, as …

2003 vintage

After seeing the run @ 2003 Lorings this past week, figured I'd join in, as this is my last 2003 Loring. The wine seems pretty soft to me, with some sweet plum, black cherry and a hint of coffee/black tea note. Finishes on a sweet note but the wine isn't sweet in the thick sense, just fruited. What I don't find is any big acidity or heat so I'd say drink up, as it's probably ready to go.

2003 vintage

Missing that lovely funky Pinot nose. A layer of heat almost interferes with the sweet fruit but not quite. The acidity definitely puts this one into the "drink with food" category. Not just for sipping. An enjoyable wine but not a standout as others have been. Caveat: my mouth is probably still super sensitive to acid.

2003 vintage

Last 2003 LWC consumed with Thanksgiving dinner. Dark color and enough fruit to be in balance with the acidity. Left a glass for night two. Dark cherry cola and funk.

2003 vintage

A deep cranberry on the rim and typical Loring in the center - dark purple. Primary flavors of strawberry, cola, cinnamon and vanilla. Hugely fruit forward, but lip smackingly good. Heat on the finish, but then, it was almost welcome after the Lea Rosé. 14.5% alc. With Gordon and Johnson working their way up to the front and Edwards close behind, we didn’t bother much more with the notes. Recommended.

2003 vintage

WIML88 Tasted September 29, 2007. Opened and decanted about 30-45 minutes before serving. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Up front a slight whiff of “brett” on the nose followed by some Robitussin, black cherries and black berries. Fairly simply flavors of black cherries and berries. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Somewhat short finish. Drink over the short term.

2003 vintage

Dark red color...and after decanting an interesting nose of ripe red berries and black cherry with just a touch of spice. Good entry and a full mouth feel of some pretty firm layered fruit that had a medium framework to surround it...and a smooth finish that was a little short. Last bottle...and I must say that this progressively got better.

2003 vintage

Dark color with lots of life left. Two down and one to go. Thumbs up!

2003 vintage

Red cherry, plum, white pepper, some earth.

2003 vintage

Interesting earthy and cherry aromas with dried cherry and kirsch flavors with nice acidity on the finish. Not as good as the last bottle. Maybe a bit oxidized. Wonder if the synthetic corks are not meant for aging.

2003 vintage

Loring Retrospective (Orange County, CA) : Muted cherry and spice aromas. On the palate, delicate cherry and mineral flavors, a slightly watery mouthfeel and texture, and a zing of acidity on the finish.

2003 vintage

Overwhelmed by the Vanilla early... but with hours of air this was really drinking nicely. New World no doubt, but not the bruiser some of the Loring's have been. May continue to benefit from age.

2003 vintage

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Loring Wine Company, Clos Pepe Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills

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