Wine ratings? – Episode #178

February 7, 2007

Wines tasted in this episode:

Links mentioned in todays episode.

American Wine Blog Awards

Wine Ratings what do they mean and how does Gary stack his scores against these 90+ scored wines from the MAJOR press.

167 Responses

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February 8, 2007

MiamiDolphins
basket
February 8, 2007

Sir Lloyd
basket
February 8, 2007

Paul M
QOTD: basket … too busy with family to add another project to my life, heck if I made my own wine I might not have time for WLTV
February 8, 2007

Joe P.
We are a nation that needs to be validated by grades! Let the vino grading continue! QOTD: Winemaking kit! A fun nudge from a friend to say: see what you can do! jp
February 8, 2007

Nathan N
QOTD I vote for the basket.

Great show! I really like getting your tasting notes and comparing thim to the RP’s, WS & of course my own.
February 8, 2007

Ken
QOTD: Wine basket

I don’t know Gary. How is one supposed to walk into a place like the WL, with its thousands of bottles, and make a decision without some sort of guidance? You would go broke trying even a fraction of everything there is. So, we need some sort of head start. After all, wine ain’t as cheap as bubble gum.

I choose wine in much the same way I decide what movies to see, or what electronic device to buy. That is I do read the reviews, but only the reviews of writers who I have come to trust. Why should wine be any different than any other commodity in this respect? Just how do you suggest that someone goes about finding out what they like? The trial and error would be ridiculous, and as I said, absurdly expensive.

In the case of wine, I have come to value your opinion because your tastes have rarely diverged from my own. I’m willing to risk a few bucks because you said so. I think many of the people here feel the same way. If you recommended wines, and I thought they sucked, I’d be paying attention to someone else.

So after months of rating wines, I find it a little disingenuous for you now to suggest that we not listen to you.
February 8, 2007

Bill T.
QOTD – Got to go with the wine making kit!
February 8, 2007

Doug
WHY I LIKE RATINGS…

Gary, Gary, Gary
You compare wine to bubble gum? To tires? How many brands of bubble gum are there? How many brands of tires? Maybe a dozen, max? How many kinds of wine could I buy? Thousands and thousands and THOUSANDS. So how do I decide? Okay, I like fruit-forward new-world styles. STILL thousands. So if Gary V or Bobby P or some Spectator wants to help me out and say – hey, there are lots of cab-based meritages or chardonnays or Rhone-style wines – BUT this one tastes better to me than that one, and this one tastes even better (and maybe use a numeric scale to differentiate) – then, hey – for me, that’s a good thing.
I’ll drink what I like – that’s why I’ve got 4 bottles of Paraduxx, 3 bottles of Garnacha de Fuego, and a few other duplicates in the cellar. But loving wine is all about trying new stuff, and I appreciate all the help I can get in picking out better new wines.
Keep up the great work!
February 8, 2007

Kathy
Wine basket for sure. I had to drink too many glasses of homemade wine by an Uncle who was so proud of his wine that I couldn’t spit it out. Thanks for making my day for saying you enjoy Sauvignon Blanc over Chardonay. It seems safer to order at a resturant as I usually get a enjoyable wine. With Chardonay I always seem disappointed. This is a constant issue with my husband and me. He wants the oak monster Chardonay.
Thanks for a good episode. Will expand my white wine choices.
February 8, 2007

the sound guy
Wine making kit. I love making Beer and mead and would also like wine Someone asked the other day in the comments and I was wondering if there was an answer yet about what the numbers behind you mean.
Well I voted for you good luck in the awards
February 8, 2007

dealbhadair
Forget all you lazy alchoholics! Heheh… JK… jk…
I want the wine-making kit! That sounds fun!!!
Dangerous….. but fun!
(Seriously, though… What could increase you appreciation for wine more, than putting in months of your own blood, sweat, and tears, only to end up with undrinkable swill?)
February 8, 2007

Grackle
I have generally always dug the Holly’s Blend. Haven’t tried the ‘05, but plan to soon.

I’d like the basket and the kit as a gift. HA!
February 8, 2007

Acousticdoc
Basket!!
February 8, 2007

Joe Po
I’ll take a wine basket especially if it is like the Christmas one! What a crowd pleaser!
February 8, 2007

SoCalDaveBandito
Wine basket… easily.

A couple of Red Zins, some triple creme cheese and a crusty bread and it sounds like a picnic to me.
February 8, 2007

Joyce
Basket–ready to drink!
February 8, 2007

CollegeFootballis NumberOne
Basket-case.
February 8, 2007

Louisiana George
Wine basket

Never had a desire to make my own wine (although I have made my own beer for years), however, there are so many good wines out there left for me to try, never wanted to try to make my own. Had some friends in Boston whose parents made their own wine and it was scary stuff – that may influence my decision a bit.

Louisiana George
February 8, 2007

gordoyflaca
kit!
February 8, 2007

Tony S.
Great show Gary. I think I’ll have to pick up that D’Arenberg, not that I care what YOU think, but it is helpful when someone I trust likes something. As I’ve commented before, I totally agree with you on the “drink what YOU like, not what OTHER people like” attitude. It’s more fun to experiment and stuff. Seriously, I’m in the wine business, and I couldn’t tell the score of any wine…I simply don’t care what RP, Spectator, etc…thinks about certain wines.

What I DO trust, is the opinions of my co-workers, friends and my own. I love it when I’m pouring at a tasting and I’m pouring a wine that is supposed to be a “great” wine, and having tasted it before the tasting, I find this wine to be mediocre (at best). And I’m not being a snob, but the wine is clearly not what it should be. And everyone rushes over to taste it and they’re gushing all over it, and at the same time, passing up on wines that don’t get much hype when they’re great wines. Ridiculous. That’s why I like blind tastings.

OK…so, when you played with your Barbie dolls, was seperate from when you played with your Strawberry Shortcake dolls, or did you play with them at the same time?

QOD: I have no desire to make wine, so I think I would take a wine basket. OK, well, take it easy and have a good day.
See you later,
T

GO BEARS!!!
February 8, 2007

Rebecca
Wine making kit – would like a basket, but, how often would anyone think to give a wine making kit. I think it would be a great experience to make wine – I’m a nerd that way.

Gary, your family was in to have dinner at the restaurant where I work last evening. I’d noticed the last name in my reservation book once before a few weeks ago and was disappointed that it was may night off. Anyway, I chatted with your Dad as he was leaving. He asked me if I’d see the episode when you described his debacle over loosing his cell phone while taking off his hat in the ocean..of course I did, I’m a Vaniac! Actually, he was so upset about it that although it was a funny, classic story, I felt bad for him – and I can’t imagine how much it would stink to loose all the #’s and info that we store in our cell phones! Anyway, it was neat to see your family – hope they had a good time, good food and good wine!
February 8, 2007

vinnyd
Nice episode…to me the Parker ratings are either right on or huge disappointments…when I do shop for rated wines, I seem to have much more luck with Tanzer. He seems a bit stingier with giving out 90’s, as opposed to Parker.
February 8, 2007

Justmarsh
QOD: Wine basket. Making wine sounds tough!

Oprah + Vaynerchuk (a match made in heaven?)
February 8, 2007

Dr. Dan
Good episode. Like everyone else, in print I am drawn to wines with a rating score. Yet, I look closely at the tasting notes before spending mucho dinero. Also, I’m trying to calibrate my palate with those vaunted rating gurus, so that I’ll know how their tastes align with mine.
February 8, 2007

Joe in LA
I like the scoring system but often wonder if the flew out the Spectator bunch for a weekend on the town before they rated…The WORST sentence to hear is, ” It’s a good wine FOR THE MONEY”….as if paying less will make it taste better.

Another great episode. Wine basket by far…

I voted…and still trying to shake off the visual of GV sniffing Barbie.