84 Responses

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1. September 24, 2009

   John J.

   qotd: how do you pick 1, how do you pick just 100? My fav at the moment would be Jean Bourdy. Because I’ve heard amazing things about his wines, they are not easy to get, and after a VERY long time of looking, I got a vin jaune, and his is supposed to be the best.
   Love that you are tasting wines from you’re library. I hope that that is not an alwayd absolute however. That seems like imposing limitations on yourself with all the 1000’s of wines out there.
   So Gary, how about tackling a vin jaune episode?, and on eon tasting different charbono’s?

2. May 18, 2009

   Phredd

   QOTD: Gotta be Trefethen, appropriately enough, given the episode. I generally like Trefethen wines, but the reason I like the winery was because the people there were so nice. We were the only ones there, so they took us on a guided mini-tour. They had a basil garden out front and we were just chatting about how much we like making our own pesto and how nice it would be to have a big plot of basil like that instead of a tiny little box on our deck. So they told us to go pick as much as we wanted. Super friendly people.

   Honorable mention to Sebastiani vineyards in the Sonoma valley. The carved casks are gorgeous.

3. January 13, 2007

   Pat Reed

   Imagery Estate Winery in Sonoma, CA makes a wonderful single varietal Petit Verdot, as well as an amazing Lagrein. They specialize in single varietal wines.

4. December 20, 2006

   Adam

   Favorite Winery: Messina Hof. Why? I am a die-hard Aggie, I bleed maroon, and this winery is in Bryan/College Station TX (Aggieland). I would love to see you do a show on Messina Hof wines. Maybe even a show on Texas wines.

5. November 28, 2006

   Brandon M

   QOTD – Answered Before – Far Niente…reasons are the same!

6. November 20, 2006

   BigMC

   Gary,

   Nice episode. QOD–Pride Mountain Vineyards….hands down. Sits atop Spring Mountain above St. Helena in the Napa Valley. Incredible views from various picnic tables and a brand new wine tasting room just completed. Bob Foley, their winemaker is amazing. The wine, the views, the people….never a disappoinment.

7. November 17, 2006

   PattyO

   Favorite winery – Davida (somewhere around Montalcino, Italy!). As we walked up the gravel path to the tasting room the wine maker came around the corner from her clothes line with a basket of wet laundry. vinyard on the hill behind, laundry basket in the doorway, unlocked the tasting room and sampled us through a lovely selection. Real people.

   Worst winery – Fall Creek – Texas Hill Country. Several years back we visited because we’d heard that good things were happening with the local grapes. Driving in we noticed that the grape vines were all dead as a doornail. In the tasting room we inquired and were told that a bug had taken out all the vines in the vicinity several years back and they were now buying grapes from east Texas and other states. We commented that we thought the local “terroir” was significant to the vinyard and the guy responded with a smirk,
   “Not at all! A grape’s a grape!”

8. November 17, 2006

   Nathan N

   Living in the Midwest the only winery’s we get to visit are in Hermann MO. Adam Puchta produces some really good wine with the grape varieties that they are able to grow and Oak Glenn has a beutiful view of the MO river. We enjoy our visit every year.

   Another good episode and I don’t have a problem with having to turn the volume up a bit.

9. November 17, 2006

   Lawrence Leichtman

   Gary, you should have said yesterday that your mom had made the great looking spread and then everyone would have commented. As it was could have been bought from Safeway and we wouldn’t have known. Be nicer to your mom!
   Very revealing tasting today. I hacve disliked every bottle of Beujolais Nouveau for the last 15 years without exception. They make too much of it to be any good. The hype is what sells it.

   My absolute favorite winery is Elyse. They give you so much to taste of so many great wines and don’t charge. Absolutely amazing and great wines to boot.
   The second favorite is Turley in Paso Robles simply because of the quality of what they have for tasting and, since I am on the list, I get to taste that for free as well.

10. November 17, 2006

    Ken

    The first California winery I ever visited was Viansa. I suspect it’s the first for many people because of its location. It’s probably the closest winery to San Francisco. I enjoyed the winery, but the wine, not so much.

11. November 17, 2006

    Kathy Hughes

    Denise, For shingles, your doctor will want you to take an anti-viral med to stop the progression of the shingles. Your doctor may prescribe a pain med as well, especially if the shingles are in the area of your face. I’m worried that you’re not taking proper care of the shingles. Naples Kathy aka fellow shingle sufferer.

12. November 17, 2006

    Skip

    Gary,
    I would love to see an episode on viogniers. I’ve had a few this past year and really loved them (especially the one from Dariousch in Napa) and they seem a great alternative to chardonnay. I’ve also enjoyed the Mas des Bressades Roussanne-Viognier.

    As far as the Beaujolais Nouveau, I couldn’t agree with you more and I would score it even lower. I thought anything above 80 was supposed to be acceptable wine from RP or ST.

    My favorite winery to visit is Peju Province in Napa. A wonderful French country home with a Mansard roof with a beautiful sculpture garden and some awfully nice wines including a Petit Verdot and some award winning Cabernet Francs. Great staff too.

    But you have to see Dariousch, also in Napa, the building is like a huge Babylonian temple or palace and its very 21st century inside with a glass waterfall. Their Red Table Wine, Viognier and Chardonnay are all excellent.

13. November 17, 2006

    Joe Po

    Gary,
    Your handsome self is looking out of focus and grainy.
    The Mondavi free insider tour was the best. Tasting 8 wines in the beautiful
    dining room, after a very knowledgeable tour was a wonderful experience.

14. November 17, 2006

    Joyce

    Years ago, Sterling Vineyards was a highlight of our trip to the wine country, due to the fact that we got stuck on their overhead gondola ride! Not so bad, actually, the views were amazing. An hour or so later, we were given Sterling Vineyard T-shirts for our trouble. But, for sheer beauty, I’d have to go for the Mondavi Estate…wow, I can still smell the musty-oaky barrels in their stone-walled cellars, and the rolling vine-covered hills on the property. So memorable.

15. November 17, 2006

    Johnny Jet

    QOTD: Benziger in Sonoma, CA. I love their Oonapais(65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet
    Franc, 12% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot)and Tribute (69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc,
    11% Merlot , 5% Petit Verdot)wines. I also found the winery beautiful and the staff knowledgeable. Not only are they producing some fantastic wines but they do it using a sustainable farming practice known as Biodynamics. If you have never visited Benziger, I recommend you stop there on your next trip west.

16. November 17, 2006

    burkekr

    Gary, Thanks for the PETIT VERDOT shout out–I am a lurker no more. I’ve been enjoying Veritas’s 2004 Petit Verdot all year; but I can’t say that I’ve run into another single varietal petit verdot in my life. Could you recommend any?

17. November 17, 2006

    ando

    Love the episode, but the camera and mic are way off. Camera looks totally out of focus.

18. November 17, 2006

    Julius

    QOTD – Two of the best winery “tours” I went on were at Fisher Vineyards and Viader. In both cases, they were arranged by appointment and my wife and I were shown around personnally; by Juelle and Whitney Fisher at the former and Delia Viader at the later. They were all very gracious and of course we tasted some great wine.

    As for wines I would like for you to taste, they are:

    #5230 – 2004 Argiolas Costera
    #7122 – 2003 Inama Soave Classico Du Lot
    #1938 – 2003 Terra di Lavoro
    #1788 – 2002 Nina Negri Sfursat 5 Stelle (it says you out of stock, but I know from past experience that you may actually still have a bottle or two)

19. November 17, 2006

    Rob B aka robnmo

    QOD:, Since I have never been to California, my favorite winery would be Applewood Winery in Warwick NY, or Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville NY. Applewood has a great atmosphere, music in the summer, and apple picking in the fall. Great fun for the family. Brotherhood is Americas oldest winery, and touring the cellars is awesome.

20. November 17, 2006

    GeneV

    IMHO, Beaujolais Nouveau shouldn’t be sold in the U.S. New wine is loads of fun when you drink it right from the winery, but not after a long trip in big boat. To me, imported BN always tastes like bubble gum floating in Mr. Clean.

21. November 17, 2006

    vermilionsteve

    Gary,
    I agree with dougiefresh, “petit verdot baby, I got your back!” is another classic! I agree! How about tasting Viader “V” which is one of my favorites and as you know is primarily petit verdot. I couldn’t find it on winelibrary.com but am sure you could secure a bottle. I think the ‘03 is the current vintage and I have not tried that.

22. November 17, 2006

    Butter Buddha

    Gary,

    Truly impressed that you bashed the Nouveau. Would you taste some other Beaujolais (fleurie, chiroubles, etc.) in the near future so that people aren’t entirely turned off to the category solely based on your comments re: the Nouveau?

23. November 17, 2006

    Bobby

    Gary,
    I think Ridge wines are fantastic and they age really well! Visited the winery several years ago and had a fantastic time even brought home some 96′ and 97′ Monte Bello which is not even ready yet right? Also Morgan does a nice job year after year with their Pinot Noirs, Chards and Sauvignon Blancs always reliable

24. November 17, 2006

    Ken

    I enjoyed my visit to Benziger Winery in Glen Ellen, CA. They gave a very interesting tour.

25. November 17, 2006

    TampaSteve

    Gary, told ya you were wrong on the Schlid …lololol

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