by Fred McMillin
for May 29, 2000

Lohr Evermore

Prologue

 
"Pinot Blanc produces a weighty, densely-flavored wine, particularly when a touch of oak is added. It performs extremely well against Chardonnay of the same price range."

...WineDay, December 18, 1997

Does It Age Well?

In a 1997 tasting we were impressed by the 1995 J. Lohr Pinot Blanc with its touch of oak. So, we put another bottle of it into our cellar to see how well it would age. So after three very quiet years at about 55 degrees, we quietly slipped it into the last tasting. The envelope, please.

The Minority Opinion

There were 15 tasters. Three of them (20%) felt it had lost some charm between 1997 and 2000.

The Majority Opinion

Twelve tasters (EIGHTY PERCENT) found the time in the cellar was well spent. The Pinot Blanc tasted better when five years old than when two. The twelve elevated the rating to HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Why We Don't Know More About This Pinot

Chardonnay has been growing in Burgundy for nine centuries. Pinot Blanc has been growing (in Burgundy) for a little over one century. It has a bright, unfolding future.

Your Own Test

When the budget permits, we'd suggest purchasing two bottle of the Lohr Pinot, and two of the award-winning Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay, of the same vintage, of course. Sip two now, and two in 2005. To order, contact the office of Mark Dirickson, (408) 288-5057, FAX (408) 993-2276.

Postscript

Jerry Lohr, (pictured), planted his first vines in 1972. There were 11 varieties. Twenty eight years later only four are still in the Lohr vineyard, and one of the four is Pinot Blanc.

Note: About aging the Lohr Chardonnay, see the Sept. 28, 1998 WineDay titled "Age Whites?"

About the Writer Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history for 30 years on three continents. He currently teaches wine courses at San Francisco State and San Francisco City College. In 1995, the Academy of Wine Communications honored Fred with one of only 22 Certificates of Commendation awarded to American wine writers.

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May 2000

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This page created May 2000

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