23 Responses

1. April 18, 2006

   Stéphanie

   Congratulation for your Wine Library Tv! I am french and so, it’s a very good middle to know many wines and to learn many “tastind words”… So thank you, and see you soon.

2. April 18, 2006

   kidseyemd

   Gary,

   I think you got so excited about these wines you stated Haut Bergey is from the right bank!!! It’s Pessac, of course, on the left!!

3. April 18, 2006

   garyv

   WOW you are 100% correct I got way to excited thanx for pointing that out!

4. April 19, 2006

   GeneV

   Gary, I’m glad you picked a wine like the Haut Bergey to feature. (By the way I’m no French expert, but “haut” is pronounced “ho”) For most of us, the best buying strategy for stellar vintages is to buy deep into lower classified growths and Cru Bourgeois. The top growths will be overpriced and will not peak for 20 years or more. (I’ll be lucky to still be healthy) However, in 2000, the “lesser” chateaux were superb and many are now starting to mature.

5. April 19, 2006

   DebbiE

   I’m no French expert either but i am fairly sure it’s pronounced more like “o”. H is usually silent. I’m hoping you will have some 2005 cru bourgeois and lower classified growths from the left bank available for sale as well.

6. April 19, 2006

   kidseyemd

   Debbie is right…it’s “O” as in Haut Brion and Haut Medoc!!!
   Every review i’ve seen on Clos L’Eglise rates it 95+, which probably will see it’s price, even on futures at $200-that’s my guess. Can you imagine Petrus??? ($2000???)

7. April 20, 2006

   Julius

   This comment is probably more appropriate to some of the earlier episodes but also to this one. I find it most interesting that in all of your tasting notes for the cabernet sauvignon wines(and blends), you never mention the “classic” fruit flavor, black currants. Have all those vintners removed the cabernet sauvignon from the cabernet sauvignon?

8. April 24, 2006

   Bart Springer

   Hi Gary,

   I have watched your store “blossom.” Very nice.

   Wow … your enthusiasm is contagious. Thanks for doing your educational service. I lived in England in the early 1970’s and the very successful merchants were heavy into education.
   Parker and I are the same age. He just grabbed the bull by the horns and ran with his publication. His other attribute … he was/is not a merchant. Conflict of interest did not happen … thus his credibility.

   BUT … on another note:
   If one just learned a little English and saw the word “high” and pronounced it “hig.” It might hurt that person’s credibility. well here comes the “but.” The French word “Haut” means (as I’m sure you know) “high.” It is pronounced “Oh” the “t” is silent … just like the gh in High. Now … if the Haut is followed by an “e” as in “Haute Cotes de Bourgogne” then indeed the “t” in Haute is pronounced (as in the word “coat.” Thus “Oat Coat de Boorgoan” To complicate things … if the t in haut is followed by a vowel in the next word, there could be “Liason” … where the t is part of the next word.

   By the way … the “Cos” in Cos d’Estournel comes from old French… caux de caillou … or a hill of stones. Thus the “s” in Cos IS pronounced.

   I know you didn’t solicite this critique … but here goes anyway.

   You want to show people the color of the wine.

   Have one of those huge daily blotters they sell for desk tops in front of you (back, that is, white side up) or better yet have a white table cloth. Just one of those plastic coated ones then twirling your glass on the table top will not distract from your words. Have a camera poised directly over your head and take your wine glass and make a “tongue” or “tasting robe” with the wine to display the color and intensity. You can see these “tasting robes” in Stephen Spurrier’s book “Acadamie du Vin Complete wine course” (out of print) or in Mike Broadbent’s books on tasting.

   Next … I admire that you spit while tasting. I always do. However, have your (rather large) spit bucket down on the floor, next to your desk and spit into it down there. Put a few bits of sawdust in the bottom so everybody doesn’t hear a “splat” as you spit. You could place your hand beside your mouth if you want to be discreet.

   I have been teaching wine appreciation at Lehigh University since 1983.

   Thanks for reading.

   Bart Springer Phone number 570-325-9815

9. April 26, 2006

   Brian K

   Wow.. speechless.

10. April 27, 2006

    Erik

    Former jersey guy here, transplanted to Chicago – as you can see I still love your store & website, still shoping even though I’m 1000 miles away.

    As for the S in Cos D’Estournel – to say the S or not —– NO the S is NOT pronounced – my resources? A few of my off-the-boat French drinking budies, a couple Chicago sommeliers, oh and of course, a French teacher

11. May 8, 2006

    al laborde

    Gary, I really appreciate your segments. Sometimes the pronounciation is a bit rushed or difficult to make out. otherwise thanks for the tons of info.
    al

12. May 11, 2006

    Bart Springer

    From my post of April 24th and to address Erik’s concern over the pronounciation of the “S” in Cos d’Estournal. Perhaps we can relieve a lot of ignorance by citing the late Frank Schoonmaker’s Encyclopedia of Wine, Hasting House, 1964. What was nice about this little book was after each entry the word would be phonetically spelled-out. On page 96 Mr. Schoonmaker enters COS D’ESTOURNAL with the pronunciation as (Cawss Dess-tour-nell’). Naturally the next entry Cos Labory (next door neighbour and fifth growth)is pronounced (Cawss La-bo-ree’). Erik, please share this information with your sources. I will be happy to continue to cite Clive Coates and others if you still think the “s” is silent.

    Thanks for reading.

    Bart Springer winecorp@verizon.net

13. May 11, 2006

    Bart Springer

    Sorry for the typo on Cos d’Estournel there is no “a” in the name.

14. September 20, 2006

    Brandon M

    Another episode where I learn pronunciation…through Gary, and everyone else…Thanks all!

    B

15. September 23, 2006

    Rick

    Gary
    What if I buy the the 2005 as an investment, how do I sell it later to make some money to buy other wines? How do you flip a case of wine? With your top 5 best bets, how much could I make when released?

    Check Out | Change
    Qty Product
    12 Chateau La Fleur De Bouard ‘05
    12 Chateau Marquis D`alesme Becker ‘05
    12 Chateau Quinault L`enclos ‘05
    12 Chateau Doisy Vedrines Sauternes ‘05
    12 Chateau Sansonnet ‘05
    Total*: $1,913.76

16. October 2, 2006

    Mike F.

    It would have been really nice to play the Bordeaux futures market this year. I need to spend less time working my 9 to 5, and more time trying new and exciting wines. If Gary is getting up at 5:00 am to fight the war for allocation, then I guess it’s game over for me. There’s always next year. Who knows? Maybe lightning will strike twice

17. October 14, 2006

    Jim Kay

    Late post-

    I’m a fan of French wines but hate ordering them because I’m sure I pronouncing them incorrectly. There is a great resource on the net – Berry Brothers and Rudd’s pronounciation guide. It just has the major Bordeaux chateau, but pronounced with a lovely French accent. Go to

    http://www.bbr.com/TF/wine-knowledge/pronunciation.lml?ID=3H30BNJ1NXH02HX

    WAV files that Quicktime will play.
    No “s” in Cos. Haut = “ho”

    One other source out on the net is a CD titled “Pronounce it Right” from the UK. Pass on this one. You’ll learn French with a strong British accent.

18. June 6, 2007

    David Canada

    I got in on this vintage in a huge way. I avoided the 1st growths so I could buy lots and I can’t wait to drink these in 10-20 years!

19. July 18, 2007

    yowens44

    Spreading the gospel early last year- love it. I went in on a case each of two of those 05’s a couple months ago.

20. August 31, 2007

    WA Ambassador

    I love going to barrel tastings. It really gives you a good idea of what a wine tastes like now for comparison after it has been bottled. Provided, of course, that you took good notes.

21. January 1, 2008

    The Fanjestic

    It’s funny to think that Gary has been talking about 05 bordeaux since episode 33!

22. February 19, 2008

    2005 Bordeaux Talk On The Heels Of The New Wine Spectator - Episode #411

    [...] 2005 Bordeaux: 1st taste out of barrel tasting – Episode #33 [...]

23. July 9, 2008

    Dan Leavy

    word 33 “internet”

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