Echoes of Pomerol …

Michel Rolland … the name is synonymous with great Bordeaux. Having collaborated with Allen Shoup (former CEO of Chateau Ste. Michelle) to produce the 2005 Long Shadows “Pedestal”, his deft wine-making touch is ably demonstrated once again.
The ’05 Pedestal is 80% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc sourced from the Columbia Valley in Washington.
Jay Miller (WA94 rating) advises holding onto this wine till 2012 before drinking. Based on my experience with the ’05 Pedestal, I have to agree. I had this wine about a year and a half ago and it was quite closed. Upon recent tasting, it took about an hour and a half for this wine to really open up and hit its stride. And when it does, the '05 Pedestal is impressive - characterized by striking earthy blueberry flavor complemented by pleasing tobacco notes on a long finish. The tannins are well integrated, and there is a nice backbone of acidity to make it food friendly.
While it will pair with beef, this wine makes an excellent partner for rack of lamb. Market price averages around $50 per bottle, but I have seen this wine on sale for as low as $28 per bottle.

The Great Pinot Noir Debate

What makes a good Pinot Noir? Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, or rather the tastebuds with Pinot Noir.
Case in point: the 2008 Loring Keefer Ranch …
I have a difficult time recognizing this wine as a pinot noir. While it is young, it exhibits a clearly over-extracted style - almost syrah-like in its body and color, characterized by ponderous black cherry notes and muddy tannins.  There is an earthiness, but it’s not typical of pinot.
Here's an interesting thread on the Wine Library TV website that echoes this perspective:
http://forums.winelibrary.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&p=589009&sid=b143bae4278a1b154b6149033132baf9
Of the three major U.S. pinot producing regions (Oregon, northern California and central coast California), northern California presents more of a challenge in terms of producing great pinot noir.
While the '08 Loring Keefer may improve over time in the bottle, it may not possess the basic raw material to become much more than it is now.
The bottom line is that it presents a stark contrast to the '08 Loring Shea.  I’m looking forward to tasting the '08 Loring Aubaine from the central coast California region.
One thing you can say about Brian Loring: the gentleman has true Negociant blood running in his veins.

A Pinot Noir Renaissance?

The 2008 Pinot Noir vintage in Oregon is much heralded ... Does it portend a return to more traditional expressions of this varietal?  If Loring's 2008 Shea Vineyard bottling from the Willamette Valley is any indication, then we may expect so.
LWC's 2008 Shea is a delight ... it is very approachable now but will improve with another year or so in the bottle.  The subtle violet nose will continue to develop ... lithe tannins provide the framework for sweet cherry and spice ... and, yes, there is that wonderful Oregon earthiness that makes Burgundy fans take notice!  The Willamette Valley terroir is to Pinot Noir what Rutherford dust is to Cabernet Sauvignon.
This is a very food-friendly wine...something that is often found wanting in the "fruit-bomb" style of Pinots from northern California (Loring also makes Pinots from northern California and central California .. more on those later).   It complemented a dinner of veal Milanese perfectly.
The Pinot Report recognized the excellence of Loring's '08 Shea, rating it at a whopping 96 points.  Harvey Steiman at Wine Spectator really missed the mark on this excellent wine, drastically under-rating it at 87 points.  I would rate this wine in the 92-94 point range.  I actually prefer it to many 93-94 point California pinots I have had from the acclaimed 2007 vintage...
Here is an excerpt from the Loring Wine Company website about the 2008 effort:
“We’d been at the forefront of the ‘bigger is better’ wave, trying to see just how freakin’ massive and ripe we could get Pinot Noir. It was an exciting ride, but we lost some of you along the way. We’ve learned a lot since then and refined what we do, it’s almost as if we’re new again."
The 2008 LWC Shea is just what I look for in pinot noir ... Congratulations to the Loring team!

.... coming attractions: Brian Loring is Back !!

... with the 2008 Shea Vineyard bottling ...

What other Central California Coast Vinter makes pinot noir from all three major climats of the west coast ? (Oregon, N. Calif. and Central Calif)

... his 2008 Shea pinot is inspired ... true Burgundian character and a return to what pinot noir should be ... Bravo to Brian and Kimberly Loring ..

Stay tuned for more details on the 2008 Loring Pinots!

Languedoc Roussillon in a glass ....

A recent find is the 2007 "Orchis" from Jean-Louis Tribouley... a gorgeous, young wine from the south of France. Mssr. Tribouley sources the fruit for Orchis from the Coume du Roi appellation near Maury ... the wine is 75% Grenache with the the balance being Carignan. Left open to breathe, we found a nice expression of Grenache: jammy black raspberry balanced with enough stony acidity to make it quite food friendly. A bottle of Orchis perfectly completed grilled hamburgers, and would also go well with spicier meat dishes.

David Schildknecht thought well of the 2007 Orchis, giving it a rating of 93-94 points in his review on Parker's website.

The release price for the 2007 vintage is listed at $30 per bottle. The current market price is around $22 to $25 per bottle and can be found on sale for below $20, which indeed makes it a bargain for southern Rhone-style wine aficionados... the 2007 Orchis can be enjoyed for at least the next 5 to 8 years...

Cheers!