85 Responses

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1. September 17, 2009

   John J.

   Great episode Gary, love you’re encouragement for people to continue to try new things. 2 things which most people haven’t tried that I would love to see you do on here would be: A tasting on different charbono’s, and 1 on vin jaune’s.
   Which brings me to your qotd. The most prized wine in my cellar isn’t there yet, but will be finally in about 2 or 3 days. It’s a Caves Jean Bourdy 2002 vin jaune. I’ve been reading about these wines for a couple years, and how they are made. How rare they are, how long they take to make and age before release, and how they are only made in the French wine region of Jura. Most people haven’t even heard of the Jura region, much less their vin jaune’s. Been trying to find a distributor in my state that carries them, and had to look for a long time. No distributor’s listed in the beverage journal, had any vin jaune’s, and I couldn’t find any place that had 1, so I assumed they either weren’t coming to the U.S. or at least my state. Then about 6 months ago out of the blue, this guy pop’s his head in my restaurant and drops off a little catalog. Turn’s out he works for a very small wine distributor, not listed in the beverage journal [quite a few aren't, sure you know this, and i thought i knew who most of those companies were], that focused on wines and wine areas, not being picked up my most other distributors. There was even a whole section on Jura, whereas other distributor’s don’t even have a single wine from Jura! There were even 2 vin jaune’s on there, A Tissot 99 vintage, which was cheaper, and bottled in a 500ml bottle. Then there was the more expensive one, the Caves Jean Bourdy 2002, which was bottled in the traditional Clavelin 620ml bottles. The traditional clavelin bottle was part of the allure for me too, since it’s the only wine bottled in such a bottle. I thought those clavelin’s weren’t exported to the U.S., but maybe it slipped in under the radar, who knows? But, it’s whats inside that counts. So I went online to check out reviews and get info on the 2. Check out Jean Bourdy’s wines out on any website, garagistewine.com for instance. [i have no affiliation w any websites.] Apparently Jean Bourdy, this unknown winery to me has been making wine in the family for 14 generations since the 1700’s. But even better, sommelier’s in France consider it among the top 3 wineries in all of France that leads in both red and white wine’s. The other 2 are Chateau Haut-Brion, and Domain de la Romanee Conti. They went even further to say it may be the best of the 3. They did say that Jean Bourdy’s 1947 Chateau Chalon blanc may be single greatest white wine in the world of the 20th century. Their 1865 had received pretty much the same praise for the 19th century, which is still drinking well apparently. Red wines get similar praise from them, and review after review that I have read, is among the most stellar wine reviews I’ve ever read. And no it’s not cheap, but its probably a tenth of the price as those 1st growth Bordeaux’s and grand cru Burgundies. It’s just so damn hard to find. I did find out there is 1 liquor store downtown selling the Tissot vin jaune. But after hearing about the esteem of the Bourdy, and that being the only 1 of the 2 sold in the clavelin, I lost interest in that one fast, compared to the Bourdy. Of course that didn’t make getting the budget from my boss any easier in ordering it, a whole different story. So anyway, after trying for almost 2 years, and I can find things working in the business that the avg consumer can’t, I’ll finally have that wine for myself in a few days, and probably be the only person in the state with one on their wine list. Until someone else from my state reads this of course lol. So that’s my most prized bottle as of yet. Now I just have to wait many years to drink it, to try to have it at it’s peak.

2. February 11, 2008

   thefanjestic

   Episode rating – B+ 89 points

   Qotd: Chateau Haut Brion 1999 – my wife and I openned a bottle before we decided to start the journey of making our daughter. I have since gone back and bought another bottle for when we make a second edition.

3. January 30, 2008

   Chris

   QOTD-

   I won a 3L of 2002 Insignia in a raffle (bought 2 Le Mistrals). Not sure when I will open it. Maybe if I ever get married. Any ladies out there? LOL

4. September 28, 2007

   GrapeThinking | Wine, Culture, Lifestyle

   [...] Pinotage required to make this a Cape Blend offers spontaneous combustion of fruit profiles with undercurrents of sweet spice from the Merlot [...]

5. September 5, 2007

   GrapeStuff

   Lovin’ S.A. thanks to a lot of your encouragement and I agree – its a great region that is definitely under the radar. I have been consistently trying to buy a bottle or two from S.A. for the past few months and have really enjoyed it.

6. July 16, 2007

   Michael H

   Just got a chance to watch this episode. Great questions of the day around these episodes.

   QOTD: My prized bottle in my collection and why — 1996 Ch. Lafite Rothschild. I wanted to get a “Parker Perfect” about 7-8 years ago to have in my collection. I have since deemed it a bottle to open with my son when he turns 21. That gives it 20 more years of cellaring. I hope I can wait.

7. July 6, 2007

   David Canada

   I’d give it an 87….but I have advantage of having see episode 138-260 already.
   QOTD – Hmmmm, probably the 1970 Domaine de Chevalier….I just love this wine.

8. December 14, 2006

   sebastien

   interesting website and videos..

   here is a list of the best south africans you can find today,

   5 top whites
   1. palladius eben sadie 2003,2004 and 2005
   2. springfield estate methode ancienne chardonnay 2002 ,2004
   3. lammershoek chenin blanc barriques 2004
   4. Scali white blend , chenin and grenache 2005
   5. vergelegen white 2003

   5 top reds.
   1. columella eben sadie 2003,2004
   2. observatory syrah 2004
   3. boekenhoutskloof cabernet sauvingon 2003
   4. Vriesenhof pinot noir 2003
   5. Rudera cabernet Sauvingon 2000

   and the best pinotage(unique to south africa)

   1.scali pinotage 2003.

   taste those and come back to me..
   p.s eben sadie has recently made dits del terra priorat 2003 ( voted best old world wine )

   pps.. dom perignon 1998 is crap..only 1990 and 1996 are good. ( also NEVER keep any wine in your fridge!!!!)

   cheers

9. August 23, 2006

   Craig K

   Gary,
   I’d rate this episode an 88 or so. JohnM said it best: Watchable but not memorable. Always better when you take a few extra minutes to address viewer questions/comments. Most cherished wine in my cellar is an ‘89 Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage, because it carries fond memories of our initial learning of Rhone wines in the early 90’s — and there were so many great ones to choose from between the 89 & 90 vintages. Have to mention runner up cherished wine is the ‘91 Dominus because it was the year my wife and I got married.

10. August 23, 2006

    DaBear

    Gary,

    Had some good South African wines from the Paarl Valley. Can you review some wines from that region?

    Steelers are better than the Jets. Are not they the defending Super Bowl Champions…?

11. August 22, 2006

    MikeMe

    Most cherished wine in cellar – 2004 Amansio Gualdo del Re (Passito) from Tuscany – amazing taste, lots of care and time into making it, and the winemakers daughter was “hot”.

    93 ranking for show

    Sorry Gary but this is the decade of the Hawks.

12. August 22, 2006

    MarcT

    Easy…Cigarral Pago Del Ama 2001. This is not the best wine I have had ever…but it is one of the best…I need more!!! This is not my best wine in my cellar….but I need more!!!
    This was the best recommendation you have ever made Gary. What a deal and what a wine.
    Great episode…96 pts…although because in my tasting journal I use a 20 point scale I have to say 16 pts…
    Keep up the good work and LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE PICTURES I HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT!!!!!
    Thanks

13. August 22, 2006

    Tony

    MAtty Van & CGF:

    Thanks for the info! I’m sure it will come in handy on my trip. Time to get into Riesling!

14. August 22, 2006

    Mike S.

    Gary,

    Pretty subpar episode. Why is South Africa so underrated? Is it because they’ve been making wine for 350+ years? Is it because the wineries are making an extraordinary strides since the end of apartheid? Unfortunately, there was no discussion about the history of South African wine and except for one brief mention as a blending grape in one of the bottles you were tasting, you said virtually nothing about pinotage. Nor did you discuss the wine regions, except to say that these bottles came from Stellenbosch. Does that make them better than something from the Western Cape or Paarl or Robertson? And, I can name at least a half dozen other reds that are far superior to anything you had in this episode. Maybe it’s because I’ve been drinking South African wine for a number of years now, but I was really expecting a lot more.

    As for my most cherished bottle, everything in my rather modest collection is equally valued, albeit for different reasons (i.e. some are sentimental, some were heavily sought out, some I had my eye one for a long time, etc.). That’s just the way I buy my wine.

15. August 22, 2006

    cgf

    tony-
    i went to school in the finger lakes and love the region.
    I agree with matty van about Finger Lakes reds being average at best. The one exception for me is Cabernet Franc, which does very well in the Finger Lakes in my opinion. Good producers of Cab Franc are Miles and Fox Run on Seneca West; Red Newt, Standing Stone(which has the only good Bordeaux blend in the finger lakes), and Lamoreaux Landing on Seneca East; and Ravines and Dr. Frank’s on Keuka.
    Besides for that I would stick to the rieslings. The best rieslings and my favorite place to visit is Hermann Wiemer on Seneca West. I would say pick a region (Seneca West or Keuka, etc.) and stick to it for the day.
    For Lunch, Stonecat Cafe on Seneca East is great and serves local wines, and Fox Run has a decent bistro on Seneca west.
    For dinner, Suzanne is the place to go on Seneca east. If you are at Keuka, the Village tavern inn has decent food and a wine list that includes local wines that go back to the early 90’s if you are interested in seeing how finger lakes wines evolve.
    Good luck and enjoy!

16. August 22, 2006

    Bill T.

    Gary – A solid 88 – 89! Good job!

    Most prized bottle – would have to be a bottle of Boones Farm Apple wine that I have had since I was 18 or 19 years old …30 years ago! (yes, it was legal to drink at that age back then!). Somehow it made it through my college years and never got drunk …although I sure did. BTW – Boones Farm was way ahead of its time and saw the value in a screw top!
    I’m sure I’ll never open it but it sure is fun to pull it out every now and then for a laugh!

    Does anyone know if Boones Farm apple wine is even sold anymore?

17. August 22, 2006

    Lawrence Leichtman

    I would score this episode a 88 just short of a 90. I’m not a fan of South African wines and your comments didn’t inspire me to get them.

    My most cherished bottles are 3 empties that I have kept. all 1974 Krug Vintage Brut that were used to toast each new child 1978, 1981, 1983.

    One other question. I was totally blown away with your review of the Viogner but now I see WL is out.
    Will you be getting any more of that one?

18. August 22, 2006

    ChipsterFL

    The S Africa episode was very good. Score: 90

    Great advice for the people that dump an entire varietal or region based on one glass.

    Most prized bottle? Split between two:

    A 1994 Harlan Estate that I have been holding for eight years. I got it from friend and former assistant winemaker, Bob Egelhoff.

    A 1997 Marcassin Lorenzo chardonnay that I was able to coerce the good people at the 21 Club out of back in 2000.

    Good luck in the AFC. I will scicker to myself if your Jets beat my wife’s beloved Dolphins (because she always giggles when I am watching WLTV at top volume!)

    Regards,
    Chip LaMarca
    Lighthouse Point, FL

19. August 22, 2006

    SeanM

    Rated: 85 Speaking pace was fine for me but you rushed the wines, makes it hard to follow the analysis. And you forgot the viewer QUESTIONS. You know you have us spoiled if we start to expect something of you.

    I second Rick McQ’s recommendation to the point that I think a pre-announced list would be helpful say once every two weeks. That way you could keep surprising us and we’d have that one episode of “Gary said he smelled WHAT in this swill?”

    I haven’t been into wine long enough to have a favorite bottle. I have a 52 bottle cooler of “lessons” and “returned to purchase more” because I liked the first one I tried. I do have a 2004 Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda Mendoza which I truely wish I could find more of in the DC area. Now that the ‘05 is out I guess I’ll have to give that a try and maybe give up on finding the ‘04.

20. August 22, 2006

    Jessica W.

    JETS JETS JETS

21. August 22, 2006

    Matty Van

    Hey Tony…here is link to our new wine and culinary center is on your way to the finger lakes from rochester, i recemend any NY wine tour start here. I live in rochester and have never really had a NY red that I rated better than average, we have a lot of great resling and dessert wines.

    http://nywcc.com/

    http://www.fingerlakes.org/wine.htm

22. August 22, 2006

    Jessica W.

    Thanks Gary for giving an episode to South Afica, although I did want you to try the 100% Pinotage;),
    This show is great, they are all different therefore they all have their own unique aspects.
    As well I think for the educational aspects you should touch base a bit more on the vineyard site and the winemaker. Perhaps a map in the backround.
    As well you should introduce a new “winespeak” vocab word, and explain why you are using this to descibe the particular wine.
    By the way I am A JERSEY GIRL

23. August 22, 2006

    Jared

    j-e-t-s jets jets jets…

    I would rate this episode as “your typical california cab…$15 veriety.” I think you put that at about 84.

    QOD: I would have to say my most cherished bottle would be the 1976 Chateau D’Yquem becuase of how much both my wife and i enjoy sauterns and this one is year older than my wife.

24. August 22, 2006

    Rick McQ

    Gary:

    How about picking three wines from a specific region ahead of time. One $10-15, $20-25, then a $30-$40. They would have to be wines that have a good GV score. The WLTV croud could order the wine a couple weeks ahead. Then we would taste as you taste. It would help learn about different regions and see if we like it.

25. August 22, 2006

    boz151

    Gary,
    I’d rate the episode an 88. No big suprises. Love the WLTV blog though, keep up the good work !!

    My favorite bottle of wine in the cellar now is probably 1997 Illuminatti “Lumen” Why? Because this is the first time we started buying wine seriously…led me to buy a wine cellar etc etc. I’ve had the 1995, 1997 and 1999 and they are all great. Tough to find thought. I’d be interested in your thoughts on the wine.

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