Pinot Noir Face Off – Episode #186

February 20, 2007

Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Almarosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills
2005 Breggo Pinot Noir Anderson Valley
2005 Ap Vin Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir
2003 Arcadian Pinot Noir Rio Vista Santa Rita Hills

Links mentioned in todays episode.

The Introduce Yourself Forum (Remember you have to register before you can post)

After a certain Hollywood movie Pinot Noir’s became hot. Today Gary tastes four super hot Pinot Noir’s. Sit back and enjoy!

111 Responses

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February 20, 2007

eatapc
Dionysus sums up my thoughts perfectly: “Pinot Noir is like Beaujolais. I want to like it. Iâ€™ve tried to like it, but every time I buy a bottle of Pinot Noir, I end up regretting it. I know it is a very temperamental grape, but for now I think Iâ€™ll stop looking for that magic bottle.” Well put.

I’ve tried reasonably priced but well-reviewed Pinots. Not worth it. Life’s too short. There are too many other wines I like too much. Too many outstanding reds under $30. And if you bump the price point up to $40, $50 or even $75, I can still do much, much better with other grapes. PN is off my list. — Mark B
February 20, 2007

Brookhouser
watch out for the rubber glove taste!
February 20, 2007

Hooler
Gary, funny episode. I immediately also thought Dig Dug! But then you said 10 yard fight and I had to laugh. I had forgotten about that one until you brought it up. The most fun was shaken off the tacklers. During those days I remember games like Rampage, Paper Boy and the boxing game with Glass Joe and Piston Hurricane. It took a while to master that one. Lots of energy tonight you must be revved up for London.
February 20, 2007

TheDumbPhase
Hope you get the cameras fixed for the 1 year ep.

The greatest thing about Boonville? The farms. You know what they grow?
http://bumwine.com/

and you thought it would be Boons Farm!
February 20, 2007

joe
Dionysus (post 52): Pinot is the best there is – but you have to pay for it. There is no good Pinot under $30. Try Sinsky (around$38) or go for a guarenteed life-changing experience and find Sea Smoke from Santa Rita Hills for about $75 (probably source from web). You will love Pinot,
Joe
February 20, 2007

K Spengler
You never cease to amaze us with your detailed descriptions of smell and taste, you are incredibly descriptive. I find that so helpful, almost as good as tasting it myself! Can’t wait until a future Vaynerchuk Jr. asks “daddy, tell me a story”..you’ll have a vivid imagination and many memories to pull from. When in doubt, just check out your old episodes of WLTV as a reminder.
February 20, 2007

garyv
We are having camera issues here in London, it is 1 am and we might be in trouble for our special episode tomorrow, Man 1st LIVE and now 1 yr anniversary :(:(:(:(
February 20, 2007

M
Gary, manaya kasha is cooked Cream of Wheat. When raw, it’s manaya krupa (I know I’m butchering the Russian spelling but I want to convey the English phonetics).
February 20, 2007

Celia
they shoot pigs, don’t they?
February 20, 2007

Dionysus
For me, Pinot Noir is like Beaujolais. I want to like it. I’ve tried to like it, but every time I buy a bottle of Pinot Noir, I end up regretting it. I know it is a very temperamental grape, but for now I think I’ll stop looking for that magic bottle. Maybe one day I’ll splurge and buy a very highly rated Pinot, but for now I think I’ll stick to other grapes.
February 20, 2007

Portland Guy
Hearing your tasting notes blind (w/o knowing it is you), I would never think about buying what sounds like kiddie juice. My grandkids think your notes sound wonderful – want to know where we can get that kind of juice. Sorry, but I think you denigrate what might be eloquent Burgundian-styled PNs with those descriptions. Or perhaps they simply are not, but are the fruit bombs you so cherish and as such, deserve your comments.
February 20, 2007

John Blue Label
Gary,
Fun episode. I think you had some espresso before taping.
It’s Boone, NC, not booneville. Home of Appalachian State, the Division 1-AA football champs for the last 2 years running.
JW
February 20, 2007

JavaMonkey
OK, you lost me half way through the frozen-unfrozen thing.
February 20, 2007

brooklyni
I think the game is called ice climbers
February 20, 2007

Dom
Can’t go wrong with Pinot though unfortunately the good ones seem to be a tad pricey. I know, I know, a finicky grape that needs to be nurtured in almost pristine conditions but still, let’s try to keep it under $40 which most winers find it hard to do.

QOTD: Boonville? Maybe this is where Boones Farm is located? My QOTD: Is Boones Farm really “wine?”

Last but not least, great show.

Have fun in merry olde England.

Cheers
February 20, 2007

thorazine
SS Chris: Now THAT is a nice mom!

My problem was I was always sneaking them out of the freezer behind her back Hahahahaha…but this was a great episode.

The punching the other moms comment…instant classic.
February 20, 2007

Wil Neverspit
the video game you were thinking of…

DIG-DUG!

right?
February 20, 2007

Wil Neverspit
“Lost our nards” ???
“Give me the snout!” ???
“Punch the other moms” ???

AWESOME episode!

I think they were called Otter Pops.
Each flavor had a character…
Louie Bloo Raspberry, Alexander the Grape… you remember!
February 20, 2007

ML
I think your video game noise was Space Invaders…have a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqyKpJwk29o
February 20, 2007

Mitch
Gary; don’t know “manikasha” per se and don’t know your ethnic background, but my orthodox Jewish grandma made kasha all the time and perhaps the “kasha” is the same-buckwheat groats. Very distinctive smell. You either love it or hate it. Nutty-woody-earthy smell but even then, you just have to smell it. The stuff is very high in iron and good for you-pick up any vegetarian cookbook of note, and there will be buckwheat groat recipes. You can buy the stuff in the grocery stores in the ethnic food isles. The Jewish way-simmer onion in oil til translucent. Reserve the onions and then coat a cup of the grains with beaten egg, then toast the kernels (or groats, whatever you want to call ‘em) in the pan til separated. Pour in two cups of hot chicken stock and then the sauteed onion. Kashavarnishes-same thing but add parboiled bowtie pasta with the stock and onions. Probl’y more than you need to know about Kasha.
February 20, 2007

Susan
BV,
Thanks for the link on the real Boonville, CA.
It sounds just like Booneville, NC.
Scary, huh?
February 20, 2007

Rob M.
I agree with previous posts- sounds like Donkey Kong to me (you even have the arm motion down!)
February 20, 2007

Dan
I think that the video ganme you are thinking of was Dig Dug where you go mining for something or other.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dig_Dug
http://www.tripletsandus.com/80s/80s_games/DigDug.htm

Dan (in Houston. I am a mining engineer)
February 20, 2007

mark
Gary, your flavor profile metaphors kill me every time

“Think about going to Cuba, smoking some great cigars and watching people shoot pigs, as they run around”
February 20, 2007

TagWorld Brian
Nice screw-cap toss. You always hit the lens. You’re so athletic!

Kasha on the nose? My mother in law always makes kasha varnishkes with the little bow ties, and I think it tastes kinda metallic…

You had blender dementia as a kid? For me, it was microwave dementia. When we first got one in the ’70s, I used to nuke everything just see what would happen. (But no animals or metal objects.) Try microwaving a cup of marshmallows for about 45 seconds. Hilarious. Good luck cleaning the cup though.

Pinot vs. merlot. I still think back to that earlier episode when you pointed out that Miles’ favorite wine in the movie was Chat. Cheval Blanc, which I didn’t realize was a merlot! (Actually 66% cab. franc, 33% merlot, 1% malbec.) Cracked me up that most of the public (including me) didn’t know this. Over the weekend, the wife and I opened a merlot. A 2002 Murphy-Goode Alexander Valley Merlot. Nice mix of cigar box, dark chocolate cherry… A good $18 experience.

Also, we opened a bottle of the 2005 Von Hovel Oberemmeler Hutte Kabinett Riesling. Wow! Thanks for that recommendation (Episode 169).

Finally, have fun in London.