Brian Loring

Brian is seen looking dapper at the Wine Spectator Grand Tasting last night. I was lucky enough to join Andrew in pouring at this event and I got the chance to taste some amazing wines. Pride Mountain was my favorite Cabernet. Paloma makes an outrageously good Merlot. I also loved the Araujo cab and Robert Foley cab (Foley's is called a claret, but he said it was 100% cab). In the "value" category I was impressed with Plumpjack's $75 cab. I also liked what Ramey was pouring.

Disappointing wines included Harlan, a Gallo Sonoma 1992 Reserve Cab, Dominus, Dunn, and Far Niente. Some of those wines were overwhelmed with Brettanomyces. From bad barnyard to band-aid to nasty antiseptic. It really made me wonder what they were doing. Maybe I'm just too sensitive to that flavor. But I'm guessing that many new barrels come to the winery already infected with Brett. Cabs, being aged so long in oak, are more likely to get infected. I need to study this a bit more though.