WTN: 2006 LWC Pinot Noir, Graham Family Vineyard

Loring Wine Company. 14.2% alcohol.
Dark purple-red color, nearly opaque. Dark plum nose with some pine needle also. The flavor seems to meld dark plum with dark berries. I had the impression this had some resemblance to a Merry Edwards wine. I looked up where Graham Family vineyard is located and it is in the Russian River Valley. I think the RRV profile shows in the flavors of the wine. It's flavorful, not overly hot, and quite enjoyable. I haven't responded to the LWC mailing but may reconsider. I like to give LWC wines four years before opening. This one is drinking well now but could probably be cellared 2-3 more years without a decline.

Like you, I enjoy the LWC wines with some age on them, rather than in their raucous youth. I don't buy from the mailing list anymore (though I was on it for some years, right from the start, I believe), as the wines are now available to me at retail in my neighborhood. But I still do enjoy them. In fact, one of my favorite Loring wines is his first, a 1999 from Sharon's Vineyard. I still remember the flavors and complexity of that bottle!!

Hi Jane,

I am a LWC fan also. I ordered some of Brian's 2007 blended pinots from the Central Coast and the Russian River valley at $26 including shipping. I really liked the RRV blend but the Central Coast was just mediocre IMO (green tannins). This is the best deal I have seen on LWC wines yet. I have some 2007s but, like you, I usually try to wait until they are 4 years old before opening. The 2006s are really drinking nicely now, but I didn't order any Graham Family Vineyards. I think I only have one 2006 left in my cellar. The rest are 2007s. I have not ordered any 2008s either. I don't think I will. I did get a 2008 Clos Pepe Estate pinot from Wes Hagen, however . I really like his wines a bit better because they are more burgundian in character than Brian's. Although, I have to admit Brian has been dialling back a touch on the fruit lately to get a more balanced wine. I now have a bit of a 2007 horizontal from Clos Pepe vineyard with a Loring and two from Wes, his regular pinot and Vigeron Select. That would be a nice horizontal to take to MoCool this year.

I just recently had the 06 LWC Grahmn Family. I remember that I comtemplated this wine for a while trying to formulate my opinion. As usual, I ended up finishing the wine while still developing my opinion... I hate it when that happens (running out of wine) but It does have a tendency to occur on the good ones

I too used to buy off his mailing list for a few years, until a few years ago. I stopped because his wines are available at local retail for about the same, or lower, than his mailing list prices, which I remember, always included free shipping from the Left Coast. They're good wines, screw=capped, and can age nicely with some medium term cellaring. I still have some, the most recent being the 2005 vintage, left to drink