A Very Special Wine Episode.

A Very Special Wine Episode. – Episode #96

September 22, 2006

Wines tasted in this episode:

Today Gary tastes 4 wines from 4 very different places and finds a few he likes, he also takes us on a very special journey. Please watch todays episode with an nice bottle of wine and enjoy this massive effort. If there is ever an episode to write in on or email Gary about this is it!

158 Responses

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September 25, 2006

Mark
Another great episode…Looking forward to trying the 2003 Corte Riva Merlot.

I’ll never have another Freemark Abbey Wine, especially the Sycamore Vineyard. I purchased a case of the 2006 at the vineyard a few years ago and brought it home. Almost every bottle was tainted…badly. And when I complained I never got a response. Needless to say, both the wine and the service left a bad taste in my mouth!
September 25, 2006

Bruce S
Gary,

With your Pat Benatar obsession, I envision you sitting at home watching the DVD of 13 Going On 30. Its my wife and daughter’s favorite movie to watch together and sing along. Didn’t know you were so into chick flicks.
September 25, 2006

dougiefresh
the wine I’ll never buy again was that Baco Cab you turned us on to. dude, I think your show jumped the shark on that episode. In fact, I opened the second bottle I bought figuring there was something wrong with the first and both went down the sink. blech! it was like dirty socks dipped in a compost.

fortunatly the Mellville you had mentioned was there to salvage our Saturday night. ; )
September 25, 2006

Hinrgman
Tony S

Try Google.com sometime.

http://www.decanter.co.uk/news/46215.html
September 25, 2006

joseph
Isn’t it illegal to drive in NJ while on your cell phone?
September 25, 2006

Tony S.
Great episode…let me guess, you listen to the Soprano’s theme every single day you go to work? I thought so. The one wine I’ll never have again is anything from Duckhorn. They sued, or tried to sue, a small winery I believe in the New York area, because that winery had the word “Duck” in their title! Greedy corporate bastards!

Anyway, I heard that story years and years ago and am foggy on all the details, but I’ve sworn off Duckhorn after that, and haven’t tried it since. If you, or someone else out there, knows the details of the story, I’d love to hear about it. It’s been awhile, heck, I may even be wrong, so I’d like to know that as well.

OK, see you later.
Go Bears!
T
September 25, 2006

Russ J
Great episode, Gary. The funny ones are the best. I am sure you were just pretending to talk on your cell phone, to get some of that “breakin’ the law” flavor pumping.

I saw Haley Giraldo, Pat Benetar’s daughter, on “Filthy Rich Cattle Drive”, a reality show on E (?) last year. Very hot, but came off as a vacuous little airhead. Maybe it was the editing…..Yeah, I just admitted to watching “Filthy Rich Cattle Drive”. I also watched “Celebrity Mole” and liked it!
QOTD: directly related to my answer to an earlier QOTD, worst wine experience, Hungarian sparkling wine. Not nearly as good as that mediocre Pinot you tasted.
September 25, 2006

TimF
100?
September 25, 2006

Vinacull
Gary,
Fantastic episode! I’m probably one of the few in America who doesn’t watch Sopranos, but I loved the opening clip just the same. The tribute to your father and family was touching. When my father came to America through Ellis Island in 1949, he was nine years old and his family had only a few dollars to their name. So I follow you completely when you say the things you accomplish pale in comparison. My hat is off to you Gary. As for Pat Benetar, your cutaway to the video vixen reminded me of the wine steward we learned from in Oregon who often used references to female characters or characteristics to describe Pinot Noir — all in good fun of course. As long as you’re running with the shadows of the night, make sure you give props to Blondie and Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders as well! QOTD: Had occasion to try Fat Bastard Shiraz one time. Undrinkable IMO.
September 25, 2006

Lawrence Leichtman
Have to second the comments on the cell phone as it is one of my pet peeves and studies show it is worse than driving drunk that I’m sure you don’t recommend. Other than that, this episode was cleverly done. Can’t find the Corte Riva and would like to.

I was very early turned off to anything from Iron Horse or Far Niente but I have to say almost any Cal Chardonnay turns me off.
September 25, 2006

DaveL
Gary,
Great great great episode. I guess emulating Tony Soprano made it OK to break two (not one, but two!)laws during the filming: cell phone of course, and making that illegal left turn into your parking lot! Well, that’s actually not as bad as getting stuck trying to leave your place when someone is trying to make the illegal left OUT of the lot. Ha! Love the store, love the show. I’ll never drink highly oaked chard again if I can help it. Maybe one day my palate will evolve enough to appreciate it.
September 25, 2006

The Godfather
Gary:
Excellent marketing. For those of us lurkers tempted to “take a drive to Springfield” the intro is better than a dashboard GPS map.
Comment about your practice of using a single glass for tasting – OK for Bordeaux and merlot – but white wines and Pinot? I’m convinced glassware influences the tactile qualities of wine – Do you agree?
September 25, 2006

Jason R.
Very supprised on drinking something from Hungary…

Very last bottle I opened – Very first bottle in my life that I have ever DUMPED DOWN THE DRAIN.

EGERVIN – EGRI BIKAVER (BULLS BLOOD) $5.49

I have had before many years ago and it was decent and worth the $5-6 bones. This bottle smelled like 8th grade science experiment, and tasted like ACID. Like taking Chlorine and HCL / mixing up with Welches and throwing it in a bottle. I took one small whiff, and small drink, then another drink to confirm, spit and dumped….

NEVER AGAIN!!!!
September 25, 2006

mwf
About that opening…

Did you hear from Tony’s lawyers yet?

Actually, Tony doesn’t send lawyers!
September 25, 2006

Sean
Yellow Tail shiraz left an aftertaste of perfume. I’ll never buy YT again… I’ve learned better. I buy something new from somwhere new every time.
September 24, 2006

Polly
To Roxanne…

Scotland is beer country? Boy, you really missed the boat while you were there. Hope you didn’t miss the golf, too.
September 24, 2006

Brandon M
Just got back into town…Sunday Night.
I can’t say that I won’t ever drink it again, but I won’t ever buy it again….SILVER OAK
I have been so dissapointed after a lot of great early nineties cab. They suckered me in to higher prices and then made so many cases they couldn’t keep quality up. The grocery stores EVERY where started carrying it.

Gary…classic beginning to today’s episode.

BTW…NOMAAAAAAAAAAR DEEEEEEEEEP…Grand Slam, bottom of the ninth!

B
September 24, 2006

Polly
Gary,

You seem like a good kid. You have good intentions, and I really like your work. But, if you’re going to grow your program and your sphere of influence, it’s time to consider incorporating the talents of an editor into your effort. You know I mean this in the best way possible.

(Realize this is coming from one of the few that genuinely likes Pat Bentar.)

: )
September 24, 2006

PeteB
How’s that construction on Rt.78 treating you???

And I second one of the above sincerely – go hands free brother. I prefer the speaker phone option, just don’t like crap in my ear. That Lex has to have the option – look into it! I did for my wife & I and I am glad I spent the money.

GV all this Pat B. – are you leading up to the 100th episode – if Pat B. enters that episode, I am going to have you committed!

QOD: I don’t know if I have a definite, but lastr night I had the Bogle Petit Syrah and I know I will never try it again!

P.S. – enjoy your Jets victory today, as I will curse Seattle for beating my Giants.
September 24, 2006

Panman
I score the entertainment value of this episode 95 pts! After missing a few episodes, I was able to catch up on them tonight. Boy was I glad I got a chance to catch this one.

Thanks for testing the Los Vascos a few days ago. I dissapointed it did not show well. Try the ‘02.
September 24, 2006

Big Billy from Big D
Roxanne, Homemade would have been too much work.

What the Scots were peddling was their eqivalent of Two Buck Chuck or worse.

Chin chin
September 24, 2006

TimF
Impressive division win by the Jets today. I didn’t think they had them in it.

We totally need to get a WLTV Fantasy Football league set up next year…
September 24, 2006

Roxanne
Great show! Again, like others – please never drive while talking on the phone. EVER. I agree that an interview with your dad would be relly interesting. I agree with comment #42 that bad white wine is always better than bad red, as I was in beer country in Scotland this summer and although my beer loving husband was in heaven, most places we went to were a wine drinker’s hell. Most of them were unidentified ‘house reds’ (the only choice), so I cannot bash them specifically. I suspect some of them were home made. Shudder…
Roxanne
September 24, 2006

The Wine Glass
Great Show!! The last comment says it for me. The two buck chuck. Bad, Bad wine. Keep the shows coming.
September 24, 2006

Big Billy from Big D
Jets Avert Wine Library Free Shipping Offer to Western NY.
Film at 11

Chin chin