Cool! I’ll have to keep my eyes out for that one.

I just had a Riesling this week that was AMAZING. It was the first time I had a Riesling (thanks GV!) and I had a Lingenfelder 2005 Bird-label Riesling. It’s like eating a golden delicious apple, with maybe a bit of cinnamon and a hint of petrol. Lovely wine and went fantastic with some aged cheddar and black berries.

Don-
Tiger Mountain Winery, the touriga national from the blue ridge mountains of georgia, is only a few miles from my families cabin. Talk about a good lesson in QPR. The land is so expensive up there they have to charge over twenty dollars a bottle just to break even. I agree, just a novelity. I’m a buyer for a restaurant/wine shop in ATL and I would prefer the novelity of a $15 Germain Donfelder than under ripe syrup they stuggle to ferment dry on tiger Mountain!

Hint: to all of those of you who have a yachet, giant home, or a plane. Before you add another charm to your charm braclet (your winery) hire a enologist!

Love the Gwertz epi!

Hey Gary. This is my first response. I,m out of the lurking closet!! Great show man! I’ve been watching for about three weeks and I’m addicted. Hope your enjoying your vacation!

Gary, you really ARE a workaholic, how many episodes did you tape?? And get off the computer and get back on the beach, man! I know you feed off all these comments, but c’mon!! (j/k, I’d do the same thing in your shoes).

Thanks for the Gewurz tasting, I totally agree that US Gewurz has been sadly lacking, but I’ve always harbored a secret belief that it could be done. Nice to finally be vindicated.

QOD – Just recently tasted my first dry Furmint (the grape used in Tokaji dessert wines, for anyone unfamiliar). Wow, really nice. Kinda like an Alvarinho, but with a bit more mineral aspect.

Yuw Gary, are you nuts? I thought, well, yesterday that ‘d be the last episode he taped for us. Let’s not hope for more. Maybe a bit covering up myself on beforehand … Like that. I appreciate it very much that you taped a whole day away, just to have us watching the whole week along (that is: I hope so 🙂 ). Question: what’s this about that name of this Gewürz? The ‘Z’ referring to Zind-Humbrecht’s Z’s? ‘Z mor(e)’?
QOTD: there is a small shop quite nearby here that’s selling only South African and a small amount of Chilean wines. Last time I went over there to get some more bottles of Independent Minds Merlot, the owner let me try a Buckettraube from Cederberg (she always does: you have to be carefull or you leave the shop completely soused :D). I knew the varietal only from reading about it: a forgotten German varietal, bland, nothing special. So, I was a bit sceptical when taking my first sip … well, that was wrong, I should have known that. Great, really great. Very crisp and velvety on the palate at the same time. A lovely nose (not really big, but with excellent definition) of mellon (Cavaillon), tangerine, green tea and lime confit, some spices as well. Long finish, pleasing mouthfeel. Would go superbly with foie gras (I think the traditional combination whit Sauternes is really murdering murderer and witness) or some nice soft cheeses. And the best thing still had to come: I got it for free, as a New Years present … isn’t that nice!

Last year I’ve tasted two ice wine made of Gewurztraminer (Moravian winemakers from Czech republic) and it was just wonderful!!! And I do adore the nose of this grape, its just killing meee 😉

QOTD: Last week, we had our staff (late) Christmas dinner. I tried a couple things I’d never had before – the most impressive of which was the Tokaji Aszu – 5 Puttonyos. This was my first experience with Tokaji and I loved it! This is a bottle that someone had brought me from Hungary about 8 months ago and I had been dying to try it, but just waiting for the right company with which to do so. This was WAY different to any of the Sauternes, or Loupiac that I’ve had and different to other botrytised wines as well. In a word – unbelieveable!

Gary, I noticed you did an episode where you tasted an Escenzia that was about $70. How does this compare to the ones at around $200-$300?

Hey Gary great episode this was a good heads up so i can get my hands on this one and taste it. I hope you are having a good time on vacation i am sure yoiu are 🙂

QOTD: Found a cool looking bottle during the holidays and decided to try it. It was called Electric Reindeer and it was a Merlot. I think it was from santa rosa ca. I was stunned that it was pretty good and i am glad a tried it.

Damn it. i’m getting in later and later on these episodes lately. Anyway, I think I have a Gewurtz stashed away. I’ll have to break it out and try it.

QOD: Sad to say, nothing. I’ve been sticking to Cab fruit bombs and very nice Zins lately. I’m on a Zin kick right now. Try some better Zins in an episode soon so I know what to attack next.

Nice to see such wine tasting diversity Gary. Gewurtztraminer is one of our favorites… now if I could only learn how to pronounce it!

QOTD: Last new wine was a Spanish Albarino, very good but hard to find in the US.

I will add a vote for Gewurz being the perfect pair for Thai food. I find two main flavor/aroma profiles go well with Thai, with the best having some of both: floral and lychee. The Columbia Crest is a good example of this, and it has some RS to calm the searingly hot dishes.
As for Cali gewurz, I recently had a Thomas Fogarty (Monterey) and was very impressed with the dense mouthfeel and golden COLOR, and concentrated lychee aroma & flavor. For all those sweet boo-hooers, it had the *impression* of sweetness but only 0.5% RS. The Gundlach-Bundschu (also Cali) is supposed to be awesome, I’m saving that one for birthday Thai dinner.
For non-US, the Hugel Gewurz was like drinking liquid roses.
QOTD: Viognier with Mediterranean food. The aromas were nice but it lacked the acidity to stand up to the food. A Vouvray Chenin would have been much better.

Gary you are a sadist man! I hope your enjoying a much needed break and thanks for the unexpected fun you left us. I tried some Texas cabs recently and while not great (or even good for that matter), its an experience worth trying. You can really taste the 100 deg weather. All three I tried had lots of stewed prune flavors and the grapes tasted like they had been cooked.

never had it…have to try….usually stay away from too many whites…..That is quite the glass there gary…when you get back you can do away with the jets sign and put up a colts if you would like:)

I recently purchased and tried a 97 Dunnewood Signature Charbono Port (Napa Valley). 18.2 alc, 38 months in French & American oak. It was less viscous than expected or hoped for with a soft nutty (think almond) mid palate and finish. Found it recently for $10.00 and have been a fan of DW for years so couldn’t resist. The gorgeous packaging belied it’s modest price so I picked up a second bottle for a friend.

Go ahead, try to beat this esoteric find, I dare ya…

QOTD- I have really been jumping around lately.
Recently tried for the first time:
Tempranillo (Ercavio)
Brunello di Montalcino (Atreus)
Wolf Trap (many kinds of wine in that one)

Enjoy vacation and have a pina colada for me

QOTD – I had a Swiss wine recently. It lasted like a German Silvaner but with a touch less body. I never knew they were producing wines in Southern Switzerland, but why not?

OPPS…meant masochistic

Hey Gary. That Zmor sounded good. I’ll give it a shot one day. As for the QOTD: I just recently had a Bandol from Domaine Tempier for the first time the other day. Man, that was good. Had just a little hint of black olives. It was definately a food-wine, but we had it by it’s dang self. I want to have it again.

OK…gotta go to the Bears website now before my lunch is over. See you later, enjoy your vacation.
GO BEARS!!!
T

2 wines from regions that i have had not has that grape from before
I recently had a Tim Adams Clare Valley Riesling.. the driest i have ever tasted, super mineraly. great now and
will develop for 10 years into something really interesting.
Also Tried a Washington State Mourvedre.. Isenhower Cellars..Profound, deep tannic, great!!!

Only new wine for me which wasn’t totally new but one I haven’t had in a long time and for good reason was Retsina. Was at a Greek restaurant with friends and they insisted on buying this wine. It still sucks. I have had so many bad Gewürtztaminers over the years that I have become completely truned off to it. Made a real try with Alsatian ones but they smelled like hair treatments to me and I never could get past that and all of the CA ones I had have been weak and unappealing.Maybe the Zmor will change that.

QOTD: Alvear Pedro Ximenez Solera 1927, current WOTM on the forum.
Talk about sweet!

QOTD: Chinon, lets just say I’ll cross this one off my list!

Gewurzt? two words:

Mendocino County

Had the Dornfelder. Interesting. Not one I’ll be reaching for again any time soon though.

Hi Gary, I hope the vacation is going well. QOTD: Barbaresco. I just had my first, and a good one! The Moccagatta Barbaresco Basarin 2001, paired with pasta and ossobuco at Piccola Venezia in Astoria, Queens. Wow, this wine turned me around…I was just coming to the conclusion that Italian wines weren’t for me, too “old world” for my tastes…now I’ll have to reassess. This wine was really lively and exciting, while still being dry and pairing well with food. Any chance of WL stocking Moccagatta wines? BTW, yes, I’m a lurker. I LOVE the show and am a complete WLTV addict…keep up the good work!