WineLovers Discussion Group

I'm not a subscriber, but I followed a link provided by LWC on Facebook and managed to read the whole thing. I just now followed the same steps to provide a link here, but it's behind the subscription wall now. Anyway, loved the article--it captures all of Brian's quirks in a way that's both fond and humorous and which, in the end, shows what makes him the iconoclastic winemaker he is.

Some background: I first met Brian back in about 2001. I was having a wine tasting party, and out of nowhere the day before my phone rang. The guy on the other end, who I'd never heard of or encountered on line, introduced himself as Brian Loring and said he'd love to join us and get our thoughts on these pinot noirs he'd made. He was so disarmingly bold and joyous, even on the phone, that of course I said yes, stranger, you may come to my home. And so began a friendship.

But Brian's quirks stood out from day one. When author Tim Fish described Brian as eating ONLY meat and potatoes, no fruit, no vegetables, it made me laugh out loud. He's not kidding. At that party, I remember serving some dim sum-type dumplings which I'd made myself. I had pan seared them on one side and then finished them in a sauce so that there wasn't anything guests could drip, and was passing them hot on a platter. Brian stared at them the way at ten year old stares at his first escargot, and then he asked what was in them in a voice clearly suspicious of getting poisoned. He had never eaten a potsticker before, and this was before the days of PF Changs and frozen gyozas at Costco and Trader Joe's. I described the pork and the seasonings. Which he didn't accept at face value, and demanded to know if there were any vegetables in it as well--there was in fact napa cabbage, green onion and water chestnut--but I sensed that he might not understand these items and anything he didn't understand would get an outright rejection, so I just lied and said no. It worked, he ate a bazillion of them. And I would not be surprised to learn that he hasn't eaten one since.

Anyway, it's a must-read for any fan of Loring wines because they are truly Brian in a bottle. Here's a link to the lead:

http://www.winespectator.com/magazine/show/id/49571

Jenise wrote:I'm not a subscriber, but I followed a link provided by LWC on Facebook and managed to read the whole thing. I just now followed the same steps to provide a link here, but it's behind the subscription wall now. Anyway, loved the article--it captures all of Brian's quirks in a way that's both fond and humorous and which, in the end, shows what makes him the iconoclastic winemaker he is.

OMG, Jenise...like...uhhhh...like...followed Brian from the very start??
I, too, thought it was a rather good article on Brian. The most interesting article in another vacuous WS that issue.
Tom

You know what, I never looked at it that way but yes! Brian and Adam Lee are about the only people I can say that of (I bought a six pack of his first barrel, before he went commercial), but it's true.

Followed Brian from the 2000 vintage. We had dinner in Pasadena when I was out there on a business trip. A local shop even had his 1999 (first commercial wine), and I managed to grab one. At dinner that evening I had brought a Grüner Veltliner to drink and ordered asparagus soup. Brian stared at my soup as if it was actually dangerous.

When his 2001s came out Brian came to Massachusetts and joined us at Tanglewood for the evening. He brought a bunch of his wine and was pouring it to every attractive woman he could find.

Fast forward to fall 2004, and I was able to spend a weekend working in what was then known as Pinot Prison. Got to meet Andrew Vignello (AP Vin) and Peter Cargassachi. Crazy weekend!

Haven't read the article, but likely don't need to.

Oh yeah, lots of good Brian stories. I used to see him every couple of weeks when he lived in Orange County and still worked in aerospace. I loved the early marketing of his wines in sets of 375s so you could check them out before committing.

David, if the 1999 you refer to was the Sharon's Vineyard, I have great memories of that wine. I had it with some age on it, and it was wonderful. I think it came from Cottonwood, where he made the wine.

my wife and I go back to the early days with Brian as well and remember the 99 Sharon and 2001 Gary's and Clos Pepe as well..Along with our daughters, we have had dinner with Brian on several occasions, including an Italian restaurant here in Siberacuse, with Jim and Juli Boeheim sitting at the next table, and dinner with an impromptu barrel tasting(out of water bottles) at a resto at the Disney property in Anaheim..Cannot remember what Brian ate..or did not eat..but it was a lot of fun and he was terrific with our girls and they adored him..Love his wines as well, opened a 2006 Loring Aubain Vyd PN with dinner last night. And yes, we read the article..

I met him when he attended MO'COOL and admired his enthusiasm. We got to sample wines that weren't bottled yet. I didn't pay attention to what he ate or didn't eat but there is so much great food at MO'COOL that I hope he tried some of the fruit or vegetable offerings.

JC (NC) wrote:I met him when he attended MO'COOL and admired his enthusiasm. We got to sample wines that weren't bottled yet. I didn't pay attention to what he ate or didn't eat but there is so much great food at MO'COOL that I hope he tried some of the fruit or vegetable offerings.

He wouldn't have. He doesn't eat ANY. Zero. He won't even taste wine grapes for ripeness: as the article said, they remind him of little eyeballs.

Jenise wrote:

JC (NC) wrote:I met him when he attended MO'COOL and admired his enthusiasm. We got to sample wines that weren't bottled yet. I didn't pay attention to what he ate or didn't eat but there is so much great food at MO'COOL that I hope he tried some of the fruit or vegetable offerings.

He wouldn't have. He doesn't eat ANY. Zero. He won't even taste wine grapes for ripeness: as the article said, they remind him of little eyeballs.

Brian is clearly a troubled individual.

James Dietz wrote:

Jenise wrote:

JC (NC) wrote:I met him when he attended MO'COOL and admired his enthusiasm. We got to sample wines that weren't bottled yet. I didn't pay attention to what he ate or didn't eat but there is so much great food at MO'COOL that I hope he tried some of the fruit or vegetable offerings.

He wouldn't have. He doesn't eat ANY. Zero. He won't even taste wine grapes for ripeness: as the article said, they remind him of little eyeballs.

Brian is clearly a troubled individual.

Health implications aside, he's actually rather lucky in that he actually likes a variety of meats and starches--and wine! Many with adult selective eating disorder are more restrictive: per one website, "Selective eaters tend to like similar foods, with an emphasis on the bland and processed. They love salt. French fries are a favorite. Bacon is the only meat many of them will eat. Fruit, vegetables and alcohol are snubbed for the most part."