2008 Loring Wine Company Aubaine Vineyard Pinot Noir (93 Points)

DATE CONSUMED

Friday, January 20, 2012

VINTAGE

2008

WINERY/PRODUCER

Loring Wine Company

WINE NAME

N/A

TYPE OF WINE

Red

COMPOSITION

100% Pinot Noir

SUBNAME/NICKNAME

N/A

VINEYARD DESIGNATION

Aubaine Vineyard

REGION/A.V.A.

San Luis Obispo County

ALCOHOL CONTENT

14.9%

PRICE PAID

$23.46

WHERE/WHEN BOUGHT AND/OR HOW PROCURED

Loring Wine Co. didn’t have a tasting room two years ago and only sold their wines via restaurants, retail outlets, and/or directly from the winery.  They were having a special “blow-out” special for their 2008 Pinots and we took advantage of that sale in April, 2010.

BOUQUET

This wine exhibits classic California Pinot traits: earth, black pepper, and dark/black fruit (black cherries, raspberries, and blackberries).

TASTING NOTES

This wine pours almost as dark as a Zin or Syrah!  This is definitely not a Burgundian Pinot; this is definitely a California Central Coast Pinot Noir.

This is a rich, dark, creamy, oaky, earthy, and spicy Pinot.  If you prefer light-bodied, strawberry- and cherry-inflected Burgundian Pinots, this is definitely NOT your type of Pinot.  If you prefer rich, complex, creamy, incredibly delicious California Pinot Noirs, then this IS your type of Pinot!

This Pinot has a lot going on.  Hitting the palate first is rich and creamy oak, barrels of black pepper and other herbaceous herbs (like rosemary and sage), shovels of earth/dirt, and truckloads of black fruit (black and/or sour cherries, blackberries, plums, and secondary levels of red fruits like raspberries and strawberries (a classic Pinot Noir trait)).  The wine’s structure becomes apparent mid-palate; there’s a fantastic balance of acidity, alcohol (despite it’s rather high 14.9% level), and depth of flavors and heft (this is a rather full-bodied Pinot, like many Pinots hailing from the Central Coast and Sonoma/Napa Valleys).  The finish is long, smooth, and lingering, all in a very good way.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

We had this fabulous Pinot with seared rack of lamb and veggies; the pairing was absolutely perfect.  Because this wine is dark and rich/medium-to-full-bodied, I would recommend pairing this wine with most red meats (like curried lamb shanks and grilled rib eyes) and other rich, dark, spicy red stews.  Salmon and duck are classic Pinot pairings; this type of Pinot is definitely NOT that type of Pinot.  I would recommend pairing this wine with any/all dishes that you would pair with a well-made Syrah or Zinfandel. 

AGING POTENTIAL

This wine is drinking beautifully right now and based on it’s acidic, rich, creamy, and well-structured core, this wine will probably drink wonderfully for another 10 to 15 years.

SCORE

93 Points

Q.P.R. (QUALITY-TO-PRICE RATIO) (POOR, FAIR, GOOD, EXCELLENT)

Good-Excellent

WINERY WEBSITE

http://www.loringwinecompany.com/