Sancerre Wines and a Sneak Peak to Bordeaux

Sancerre Wines and a Sneak Peak to Bordeaux – Episode #202

March 26, 2007

Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Girard Sancerre La Garenne
2005 Thomas-labaille Sancerre Les Monts Damnes
2005 Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre
2005 Henri Bourgeois Le Md Bourgeois Sancerre
Question of the day: “What is the biggest example of where your perception was not reality?”

Gary’s back and has some info on Bordeaux and tastes through his favorite white wines.

Having trouble seeing this video? Click here for the Quicktime version

153 Responses

March 26, 2007

mikeyrad
am i #1?
March 26, 2007

Nathan L
#1 haha
March 26, 2007

Nathan L
arg!
March 26, 2007

Snarf
top 10 1st time ever. whoooo hoooo
March 26, 2007

Michael Palmer
top 10 baby!
March 26, 2007

TheDumbPhase
Welcome back Bud!
March 26, 2007

flavasauce
I am laaame!!!!
March 26, 2007

LargeFormatFever
Woo Hoo, hes back, andmy productivity level has fallen to zero again…..
March 26, 2007

tarheel17
no way. Did I get in this early??
March 26, 2007

Paul M
FINALLY!
March 26, 2007

SS Chris
SS Vacation is over….HAPPILY back to work!!!
March 26, 2007

Hinrgman
Gary

Great to have you back
March 26, 2007

Colin Devroe
Great episode, square dancing and all!
March 26, 2007

glenn
welcome home! but Sancerre after Bordeaux?
March 26, 2007

John Coyne
‘Bout time you got back. I’ve been waiting days to download WLTV to my iPod so I can watch at work(I have a lot of downtime). I think I was suffering withdrawal.
March 26, 2007

TheDumbPhase
QOTD-
I actually thought for a little while that the Jets were a decent football team. Wow was my perception far from reality!
March 26, 2007

tarheel17
OK, so anyone who uses the pink panther theme on his vlog desreves a second comment. . .
GV, I loved your energy today. Not too streesed, genuinely interested in the wines, brutally honest (well, that’s nothing new) – you make me laugh and pay attention at the same time.
If you have to go to France to recharge, so be it! I’m excited to see all the new juice you’ll bring back with you. Thnks, as always.
Go Jets! (yes, I have been reduced to cheering for football off-season. Did you see what those hoyas did to my poor heels?)
March 26, 2007

organicguy
Welcome back to the video waves….looking forward to having you name some of those $15-$18 bottles!!!!
March 26, 2007

HomerJ
Agree with Gary on $10-$20 Bordx wines. Small wineries are facing major financial problems. I would really hate to see them go or get bought by Mondavi/Rothschild/etc or some millionaire who wants to show off to his friends.
March 26, 2007

GottaGoDrink
Great show Gary and welcome back. Yes, I do remember square dancing in school. I have even done a little as an adult.

QOTD- My first great $9 bottle of wine several years ago. My perception was that inexpensive wine was fruit juice with alcohol, just something to be tolerated. The reality is that this wine from Spain was REAL wine with structure, tannins, a lingering savory finish, and a variety of flavors. And it was interesting to drink and taste. My perception of wine by price changed forever. Cheers!
March 26, 2007

glenn
i forgot QotD! my skills @ the NCAA bracket mark an area where perception MATCHES reality. goodness i suck @ this tourney every year. my career is a place where my perception in my 20’s missed the reality by a long shot!
March 26, 2007

Tahmedee
You finally got me to come out of the shadows; I am no longer a lurker. As a Cleveland Browns fan, I think it was the John Elway’s “Drive” reference that did it. Anyways, welcome home and great episode.

QOTD – Before I got into drinking wine, I always thought wine drinkers were all a little snobby and thought they were better than everyone else. Boy, was I way off. And you helped change that perception. Thanks!
March 26, 2007

John Blue Label
Gary,
Welcome back! Nice episode. Never had a Sancere, will have to try one. First time I square danced was not 3rd grade, it was MY WEDDING! My wife’s family from Upstate NY was into that, so we had to do it. By the way, did you know that rednecks are not indigenous to North Carolina? My In-Laws, and I love them, are Upstate NY rednecks. The difference: the food. Down South, it’s biscuits and gravy. Upstate NY it’s Michigans and chili. So that is my perception/reality QOTD.
JW
March 26, 2007

Andrew G
Gary-

Welcome back and nice episode. I have a feeling the Bordeaux episode(s) are going to rock. QOTD: I really thought I was going to hate the Tower of Terror ride at MGM Studios in Disney, but I ended up loving it to death. I know, it is lame, but my perception was much different than the reality.
March 26, 2007

Dr. J. L. Sifuentes
Hey Gary, welcome back! Hope you put together the perfect $200.00 case of French wine from your recent trip. Go Buckeyes!
March 26, 2007

Alos Diallo
Ha what a episode! Welcome back Gary!
March 26, 2007

Brookhouser
Man you lead a rough life trying out all of the wonderful wines of the world!….NOT….good to see your back from vacation
March 26, 2007

jonochicago
QOTD: I always tought wine lovers were snobs and then I watched WLTV, hoo boy was I wrong!!!!

Welcome back dude!
March 26, 2007

Neil
QOTD: After high school, my girlfriend at the time ran off with a woman named Sylvia.
March 26, 2007

brooklyni
Welcome back gary. can’t wait to see that bordeaux film. should be awesome!
March 26, 2007

KAHUNA
QOTD- Actually WLTV- I remember getting the 1st email for WLtv- and me and a buddy from work checked it out and both laughed- We thought for sure it was another selling gimmick-and we checked it out here and there along the way- till around episode 60 then I started watching it more closely and thought to myself-

Self this Gary guy isn’t such a dope after all- Of course I had been shopping for a while so I already new the store-both old and new were great.
March 26, 2007

ecola
Square-dancing in 3rd grade, glad I didn’t go to your school. Nice Tony LaRusa reference, I can’t stand that guy. QOTD: Growing up thinking that having alot of money ( I don’t have much) makes you happy until I learned it was family and friends.
March 26, 2007

E-
Lurker no more…but I won’t continue on the Lionel Ritchie tangent…
My wife and I are heading to France for our honeymoon in May, will be heading down the Loire after a week in Paris, using the Vendee region as a homebase and will be hitting Bordeaux for at least a day or two. REALLY looking forward to hearing about the good buy wines you stumbled across in the area. Also, if you have any “must see” areas around there you could point us to. (aside from the obvious…) Thanks for the Sancerre info, I will be tasting some of those out there too!
Love the show! You have been a major productivity killer since I found out about your show!
Eric
March 26, 2007

Rita Ladany
You BIG tease!!!! Thats all you have! Is that little clip! You better show us more. If anyone looked like Peter Seller`s you sure did! Damn! That tongue. How do you have any taste buds left!
Ok now lets get back to white wine. What is the mineral`s you taste ? Is it a dirt like taste or metal? And what is with the color of white? It seems you find the yellower the better and the lighter and whiter the wine you seem not to enjoy it. WHY?

as for
Question of the day: â€œWhat is the biggest example of where your perception was not reality?â€
When my dh promised me something and I believed that I would get it just didn`t happen!
I`m over it and now every promise I just don`t believe.
Like Goerge Carlin says something is Fu@$&d up! So I just don`t give a _ _ _ _! Why that heck and you ask this question! You really stirred up some very bad thngs! Sorry!
March 26, 2007

Lars
QOTD: Inga Jorgensen. Thought she was the type of gal who could only put bait on yer hook while ice fishin’. Oh geez. She could do a lot more dan dat der! Oh golly!

Good to have ya back, Wine Guy. Gonna have ta try some Sancerre, der…as Sav. Blancs are one of my favorite whites.
March 26, 2007

stevek1510
welcome back….QOTD
perception…after my wife gives birth, I will still be able to get a fair amount of sleep…
reality…on 3/19 @ 11:02pm my wife gave birth to a beautiful baby boy (and future vayniac if you are still doing the show in 21 years) and I have nor slept for 2 consecutive hours since…but it’s worth it!
March 26, 2007

waibeans
great little “taste” of what’s to come from the BDX trip. Can’t wait to see that beautiful bean footage.

welcome back GV and crew
March 26, 2007

cyrock1
Welcome back Gary!

QOTD: The first time some one emailed me a link to WLTV. I looked at the picture of Gary sitting behind that plain table, looked at his youth, took it all in and decided that I couldn’t gain anything by watching this “nobody” talk about wine.

Three months later I’m kicking my own but for not having given him a fair shot the first time and now I am still catching up on the old episodes. Only 151-192 left to view.
March 26, 2007

Lars
stevek1510…

Congrats on the little one!!! Sleep ain’t what it’s cracked up to be, anyway

Lars
March 26, 2007

Matt B DC
Gary, it’s really, REALLY weird to be watching the show and see you on a label at the same time . . .
March 26, 2007

Dom
Welcome back G-Man! Great show since Spring is in the air and some nice whites on the deck are a welcome retreat to the new season.

QOTD: Perception not realized? It has to be places I’ve visited and the one that comes to mind is the Roman forum. based on history books, movies etc I was assuming it was a big city but actually it is very, very small. Truly amazing.

Again, glad you’re back and bring on the “reasonable” Bordeauxs!!

Cheers!
March 26, 2007

dealbhadair
Good to have you back, big guy! Can’t wait to hear more about the exceptional, affordable Bordeaux you were teasing us with! And, thanks for the Sancerre tasting! Now I have something new to go out and explore! Yippie!!!
March 26, 2007

Matt B DC
Alright, now that I’ve finished watching:
#1: Welcome back G-Man!!
#2: I am very curious to see the footage from your trip . . . good teaser.
#3: QOTD – The military. I had this idea when I signed up (gee whiz, who knows where I could’ve gotten it) that you join and you get to see the world. Then, they stuck me in Oklahoma for two years and Alaska for two more. Not at all what I expected.

Again, welcome back!
March 26, 2007

Ben N.
Hay Gary,
Welcome back!! Another good episode.
Thank you
March 26, 2007

damon
I though I’d never really get into wine, that’s only for rich people who have dress up dinner parties and mind there manners. Now I like wine more than the people I described and my dinner parties have better food, wine, and no dress up allowed.

can’t wait to see more footage or Bordeaux.

What on earth was the hangin down thing from the bottle??????????
March 26, 2007

NY Pete
Welcome home.
March 26, 2007

wine-ot
Gary…i have to apply your sea shell/ocean-air analogy regarding various wines noses towards you. Your return home and todays wine libray tv welcome is just that….refreshing as an ocean breeze! Thank you for that and keep those episodes coming…
March 26, 2007

Kevin
QOTD: Talk about perception being different from reality! I saw the clip from your trip to Bordeaux and I can’t believe that the guy serving you the wine looked like he did. Where was his form-fitting black and white stripped shirt, his thin moustache, and his black beret? Maybe I should go to France…
March 26, 2007

flavasauce
Fun Fact: “The Pogo ” is a dance that originated at the beginning of the punk rock scene where one jumps up and down while the body maintains rigiousity. It was actualy started I beleive by Sid Viscious who was trying to get a better view of the stage at a show in London. Personnally I’d rather drink a pogo wine than a square dance wine.
March 26, 2007

monrovino
Welcome back Gary! We need the entire DVD Boxed Set of Gary Does Bordeaux for our (Southern) California Wine Dinner in early May! Name your price! Then give us the WL discount and free shipping

We’re looking forward to seeing France vicariously through you.
March 26, 2007

Todd
QOTD–My perception that you were going to offer free shipping upon your return from Bordeaux (Am I just dreaming or did you hint at this possibility the Friday before your departure?) , and the reality that you chose not to throw us a bone. Regards,
Lurk Off
March 26, 2007

Jennifer
Excellent episode, Gary. Welcome back- can’t wait to see more of Bordeaux.
QOTD: Just because I made it to work a few times in 7 minutes, I have been under the misconception that I can make that time every day. And so, inevitably, I’m hauling a** every day to make it to work on time.
March 26, 2007

JonE
Welcome back Cotter. Sancerre thank you thank you.

QOTD: My first love.
March 26, 2007

wine-ot
Gary- side question…do you find yourself slurping when you drink water…i catch myself doing it from time to time…
March 26, 2007

SoCal
G,
Great to have you back!
I am willing to do my part with helping the small guy of Bordeaux.
Just point me in the right direction.
QOTD: When I first got into wine I thought points were the sole determinate in selecting a great wine. Of course we all know that it wrongâ€¦. Itâ€™s the shape of the bottle!
Welcome back!
March 26, 2007

Portland Guy
Welcome back, GV. Enjoyed the episode.
March 26, 2007

BV
QOTD: I have many perception/reality disconnects. Most of them would put you to sleep. Hereâ€™s one thatâ€™s kind of fun:
Years ago, when there was no bigger movie star on earth than Elizabeth Taylor, I always thought sheâ€™d be haughty, icy, remote, humorless and imperious â€“ a totally spoiled and temperamental living legend, whose beauty brought everything to her, and demanded nothing of her.
Then one day in 1981, I met her and spent several hours watching her in action on the set of â€˜General Hospital,â€™ where she was making a guest appearance. She was just doing it as a lark, and was there to have a good time. I found her to be a fairly accessible, raucous, good-natured broad who loved to belly-laugh. Every time she blew a line she said â€œshit!â€ and burst into gales of laughter. Everything from giggles to guffaws. She was still quite lovely, but she took it all in stride â€“ both her beauty and the sycophants who surrounded her. My memory is that she was a friendly, fun-loving gal â€“ who had no trouble requesting chocolate chip cookies!

Bill V.
March 26, 2007

JimKay
Welcome back! and Sancerre to boot. You busted my Reverdy and Bourgeois. Looking forward to trying the Thomas-labaille.
How about some Cotat?
Vouvray next? Montlouis?
March 26, 2007

Dom
Welcome back Gary!! You are officially putting me in the poor house!…ha!
March 26, 2007

Harley Stan
WELCOME BACK!!!!! Gary it is nice to have you back. A great episode, I am a little concerned that you would would pick on John Elway, he did take us to back to back superbowls. Anyway, I am looking forward to hearing about affordable bordeaux.
QOTD Santa Claus, I was crushed when I found out.
March 26, 2007

Badger Ann
Welcome back, Gary! I will be curious to see what you liked in particular from St. Emillion.
March 26, 2007

GregL
Welcome back G !
I was having wltv withdrawals.
QOTD: That I could ever taste anything but wine flavor , actually I’m still working on that one, but having fun trying .
GL
March 26, 2007

Dave Canada
God it’s good to have you back…
Saw your love for the 04s and am keen to hear more about it.
Your Vince Carter Raptors baby jersey will be arriving in mid April. It is classic…maybe bring the new addition on the show with it on in a shout out the silent assasins to be in the 2007 NBA playoffs and to the most pitiful player in the NBA?
QOTD – New Jersey. I thought it was a backwater place that people shipped their garbage but apparently it is the epicentre of the wine world…at least it is for me these days.(I know…I’m a loser)
Enjoy the dirty Jersey Gary, good to have you back with us.
March 26, 2007

panoca
Welcome Back Gary! We really missed you.
Another great episode. Very informative. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and keep up the great work.
March 26, 2007

Jon B.
Good to see you again. Great episode you seem to be energized. Can not wait for more footage from your trip!!! QOTD One time I pulled into my parking spot at work it was 5:00 am.When across the street I noticed the high power line was arcing and on fire. So to rectify this danger, I called the local police department who contacted the local fire department.Come to find out what I percieved to be an arcing fire ball, was a mylar baloon and string blowing in the wind and reflecting the parking lot lights. So after dragging the fire and police department to what I percieved as a dangerous situation , in reality I may have jumped the gun a bit. Good to have you back!! Bring the tasty values…
March 26, 2007

Acousticdoc
Gary,
You haven’t changed a bit (since Saturday) I’m excited about Sancerre. Will seek some out. So August 29th is the big day. My future perception of this day is unimaginable. I hope reality will not disappoint. Knowing you I’m sure it won’t!!
March 26, 2007

Acousticdoc
Good story Jon B.
March 26, 2007

aktormedic
what were you drinking in the clip? Looked like brown muddy water, or more likely, a 1930’s Mouton or something….
March 26, 2007

mas
Love Sancerre Gary and can’t wait to hear more about Bordeaux!

QOTD: Steve1510, congrats on the little one! My little girl just turned one year, and my perception was like yours is, that I’d never sleep again. Believe it or not, they will eventually sleep through the night – and Gary, if that is what the countdown is for, you are in for the best experience of your life!
March 26, 2007

Jim Walker
Interesting QOTD Gary. One of the reasons why I find your wine tasting abilities so intriguing comes because of your epistemological insights, especially concerning taste and its perception.

My answer to your question: Color. Color doesn’t exist “out there.” Matter and energy doesn’t have color (and light frequency doesn’t describe the sensation of color either). Brain functions produce the sensation of color, as it does taste and all the other sensations.
March 26, 2007

stevo
QOTD: That SNL hosted by Peyton Manning this past weekend would be lame. It turned out to be hilarious. Carrie Underwood’s legs are on fire. No joke.
March 26, 2007

ChrisR
welcome back!
March 26, 2007

TommyBoBo of WI
QOTD: 1987, after two years of being in the same dental class and hardly ever talking to her(she was a gunner, I’m just trying to get by) we go on our first date. 20 years and three boys later I’m grateful everyday. Learned to really look beyond “my” first impressions.
Great to come home to the family and a new episode.!
March 26, 2007

kirk
QOTD: I would have to say that after my trip out to the west coast in 2006 my perception of Napa was a bunch of uppity stuck up people. While I was touring Oregon I called several “major names” in Napa in an attempt to make a tasting appointment. All of them ACCEPT Joseph Phelps were very short and unfriendly on the phone. I cancelled my trip to Napa because of it. Recently I found a very small Napa Cab producer in the Diamond Mountain district (2 acres and less that 200 cases a year) where the vineyard mannager/wife/voice of the business was extreemely friendly. She has been a dear to talk to on the phone and once again has me excited about the prospect of going out to Napa when my schooling is done. The quality of these wines is breathtaking…and I was privilaged enough to have her post my wine review of their estate bottles on their web site. It seems after all that there are still some people in Napa who are vestly interested in building and maintaining a strong relationship with the people that love their wines. This little winery even goes so far as to age their cabs in barel for 24 months and in bottle for 18 months before releasing them for sale.
March 26, 2007

TWofPasadena
Lurker coming out of the shadows here.

Gary- quit it with the bad 80’s music references. “Hello”??? Jeez, that song was only good if you were a 14y/o boy at a school dance trying to get close and…. OK, check that. It was damn good song for me in 84.

Keep up the good work.
March 26, 2007

Darlene O.
Hey, welcome back, GV!!! QOD: Hmmmmm……have to think about that one…
March 26, 2007

The Smartest Girl in San Francisco
Welcome back, Gary.

I had to start writing, as my husband and I watch you every night through our iPod. Most of my comments are actually about YOU (clothes, hair, accoutrements), so that’s what I’ll write about EVERYDAY FROM NOW ON! My personal perceptions only, of course.

You’re lookin’ good! Lots of energy, excited, enthusiastic, fun to watch! Thin these days — especially in the Bordeaux clip! Flat hair in that clip, but that’s ok — you had more hair than either of those guys. In fact, you seem to look more and more like AJ Soprano each time I watch. The double tee is great too. The button-down shirts can get a little puffy sometimes.

The one thing that sorta of grossed me out was that weird flacid thing pouring the wine at the end there. Kinda icky.

Otherwise, you rocked tonight!

TSGISF
March 26, 2007

Doc Dan
THANK GOD YOU”RE BACK! I am ready to see some BRDX footage!!
QOTD: Thought no WLTV for a week would be no big deal. Reality- It absolutely STUNK not having any new episodes to watch!
Welcome back Pal!
March 26, 2007

t_moderne
Lurker? I was a lurker and was going to comment until I heard the Lionel Ritchie “hello” comment and then I decided not to comment. Ooopps, forget that thought.
March 26, 2007

Susan
Gary-
Welcome
Back!!!!!!!!!!
QOD:
I was
very surprised at the
living conditions
when I lived
in a third-world country.
Gives me SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
much to be thankful for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 26, 2007

Susan
Gary-
Loved th ep!
As per usual, your visual
discriptions are
FABULOUS!
!!!!!!!!!!!
March 26, 2007

gordoyflaca
welcome back
March 26, 2007

Caren
good to see you again!! definitely going to try and pick up some Thomas-labaille Sancerre this weekend…hope it makes my ears pop up too.

QOTD-my perception of old age, depending on where I am in life….
March 26, 2007

ol_fezziweg
Welcome back. . .did the French have anything to say about your performance in the NCAA tourney pool? Probably better that you slipped out of the country.

QOTD: My first beer. Beer always looked so yummy on TV, but when I had my first one — YUCK! Not nearly as yummy as I thought it would be. It took me years to get over that. Beer bongs helped me get over that faulty perception. Then I switched to wine.

Steve1510 — Congrats on your new arrival. Best of luck now and always.
March 27, 2007

ATLien
QOTD- That I would be able to go a entire week without WLTV! Glad you had a killer time in Bordeaux Gary!
March 27, 2007

Brian
Welcome Back!! Great show. I didn’t realize how much I missed watching until today!
March 27, 2007

YoungDave
Welcome back, Big G! Wow- missed you just a little bit last week. Great Ep, and I’ll try to seek out some Sancerre, even though my modest budget might not allow it. Looking foreward to your Bordeaux episode, especially if it will include some of those values you mentioned at $10-$18.

QOTD: How much I once thought the little things in life meant so much. Friends, family, health…and wine are by far the most important to me now!
March 27, 2007

KC Dan
Welcome back G man !!! Former lurker , Don’t want to piss you off anymore .
March 27, 2007

John
Welcome back Gary, great show. I think I have had all of 2 Sancerre’s but enjoyed them both as I recall…checking my notes. (actual notes on paper – haha)

I am working on a good answer for the QOTD!

See ya
JOhn
March 27, 2007

Justmarsh
Geez Gary. what if I don’t like square dancing? Can’t you feature non-square dancing (or Lionel Richie) wines for once! hahaha
March 27, 2007

NathanN
Welcome back GV.

Canâ€™t wait till you introduce us to the small producers you were talking about.
March 27, 2007

JimVarney01
Nice ep gary, we had a sancerre (pascal joliet or something like that) wasnt’ too profound but it was the only one I could find. WL DOESN’T SHIP TO ME It was good, better than a sauv blanc, but not really all that great. Mass produced crap most likely.

PS. Nice hair, they didn’t let you bring hair gel on the plane?
March 27, 2007

Luckybecky
Yay!! GV is back! I was on the verge of going into DTs if I didn’t get a fix soon. Great episode. Now I have to go find a Sancerre and give it a whirl.

QOTD: What I used to imagine my children would be like, and what they actually are turning out like. They are the most awesome kids, but neither one is the least bit like I would have expected.

Speaking of kids, CONGRATS to SteveK. You will get to sleep again…. someday.
March 27, 2007

Tom T.
Great to see you back. How about some more footage, bro?
March 27, 2007

Eric S.
Welcome back GV!

QOD: MY perception is ALWAYS reality….in my eyes anyway. It’s hard saying if MY perception is reality, or your perception is reality, or if anyone’s perception is reality….isn’t it? Bigger question is: What is reality? Is my reality of the color blue the same as yours? HOLY CRAP! My head is spinning now. Is anything real? IS WINE REAL? AM I REAL? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! See what you did now?
March 27, 2007

Len C
156 Day until the big Cali trip!!!!!
March 27, 2007

JOEinLA
My perception is that you are TEASING……. with that little Bordeaux clip!

Great to see you back in the game~
March 27, 2007

Kevin
Hmmm…QOTD there are to many small perceptual errors to count and can’t think about the big ones. Excuse me but I may need some time to myself….
March 27, 2007

Michael Goldberg
QotD: The biggest perception gap I have ever had was occurs when I sit down an evaluate the NY Giants potential wins for the upcoming season. Evidently going 14-2 wasn’t in that stars yet again. Also, I thought Hideki Irabu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hideki_Irabu) was the next great pitcher from Japan. Unfortunately, he only could soundly defeat the Detroit Tigers. Only if we had him in the playoffs last year…

On a side note, Perception is all that matters in the wine world, right? If I perceive a certain wine as completely awesome then why should the reality of what other people think affect me and my precious Monkey Bay Chardonnay?
March 27, 2007

colosseum
Welcome back. Gary mentioned that 2003 and 2005 are good vintages in sancerre to cellar a few bottles. Since it was extremely hot in 2003, I find most 2003 loire white to be over the top, lacking minerality and crispness, no where near the top vintage like 2002 or 2005. Maybe gary mistaken 2003 with 2002.
March 27, 2007

Fiorentina!
Hey Gary….
(1) Welcome Back!
(2) What is going on for Aug 30?
(3) QotD – Well Cartesian Skepticism tells us that perception cannot be reality because it is based upon empiricism….where as metaphysics talks about reality and universals in a completely different matter…ah it’s too early to be tackling the question of “what is real?” Besides the little Hedonist on my lef shoulder is telling me not to question “what is life,” but rather, “what is the good life?” and “how much cheese and wine do it I need to consume to achieve it?”
March 27, 2007

TimF
Perception: That we’d only have about 10 people at the WLTV Chicago Party.
Reality: We’ve got over 75 people signed up.
March 27, 2007

Joyce
Gary V…..Sancerre-ly great to have you back! Sorry, had to do it.
March 27, 2007

Carlitos
Great to have you back in town and in form, Gary!

I think we are all looking forward to more Bordeaux insight.
March 27, 2007

wayno da wino
Gary, great having ya back !! We missed you alot !
Whose your favorite Sancerre producers ??

QOTD: When I was a “young” kid, I thought as ALL
people get older they become more ethical, honest,
civil, etc. As an “old” kid, I find that is not
always the case.

Looking forward to your Bordeaux findings !!
Keep up the Super Work !!
March 27, 2007

K MAN
comment 104….just building it up baby!
March 27, 2007

Autumnfox
Welcome back Gary! A lurker no more…I had no idea I was making you that angry. Oddly enough last night we had a Sancerre purchased from WL and how refreshing(considering 99.76502% of our wines are red) it was!
QOTD: That my butt is small from a side glance.
March 27, 2007

Justin S
Love the pink panter music at the end!

QOTD When I was younger I thought getting older would suck until I realized it’s all about how you perceive life at whatever point in life you find yourself. If that even made any sense, anywho great show.
March 27, 2007

Joseph
Yeay…new episodes.
March 27, 2007

cpd
Welcome back, GV.

QOTD: It always does look much bigger in the mirror, doesn’t it?
March 27, 2007

Matty Matt
Welcome back. Its sucked not having new episodes to watch while eating my lunch at work.

QOTD – Becoming an adult, when I was in college and right after I thought that was the time of my life (and it was awesome) but having a wife and a baby and enjoying fine wine not chugging cheap beer is much more rewarding.
March 27, 2007

wey
Welcome back Gary! Looking forward to seeing some more Bordeaux video’s
March 27, 2007

Mrs Monrovino
156 days until my Birthday. Gary, thanks for remembering!

Please don’t let this be my answer for the QOTD
March 27, 2007

Mike C
Finally some one is sincere about Sancerre…haha sorry couldn’t help myself.
March 27, 2007

Joe Po
Gary, Welcome home! Great move on the Sancerre’s rather than the Bordeaux.Can hardly wait to see the scenes from the trip. Mahvelous to see you animated and descriptive!
QOTD: Seattle. Ended up having a beautiful 9 days instead of the expected showers and gloom. This was in July.
March 27, 2007

TampaSteve
WE WANT BORDEAUX…..WE WANT BORDEAUX……WE WANT BORDEAUX;)……..
March 27, 2007

ScottieP
Welcome back Gary! Can’t wait to see the bordeaux!

Saw you on a show on INHD (mojo) the other night tasting wines and guessing their prices- was pretty funny! What was that last wine you said was so great??? They never showed a good closeup!
March 27, 2007

dadobs
QOTD: That a 5′10″ kid from the sticks of Minnesota would dunk someday and be a basketball stud. Story probably sounds familiar to some (subtract Minnesota…insert Jersey…).
March 27, 2007

ken
Gary, great epsiode on Sancerre. Iâ€™m pretty much an NZ guy when it comes to SB. It has been awhile since Iâ€™ve had Sancerre so I think Iâ€™ll have to try some more.
QOTD: My perception is that it is going to get very warm soon. Hopefully, that will not be reality since I will not buy mail-order wine again until the fall when it cools down again and Iâ€™d really like to make another purchase from WL before summer. Also, I spent 7 days in Napa Valley last April at my uncleâ€™s place. My perception was that it would be like every other time Iâ€™ve been to Napa in the spring; blue skies, wonderful weather, spring flowers, spending a day drinking great wine at David Arthur Vineyards. What was the reality? It rained EVERY DAY and was cold!! Hope you had fun in Bordeaux. Thanks.
March 27, 2007

damon
by the way, what was the bottle with your pic on it?
March 27, 2007

Formally Known as Big man
Gary I am from denver and how can you hate elway. that is all
March 27, 2007

Fred C.
Gary,glad to have you back.Hope the French treated you well! Great Sancerre episode but you may know that there are 6 other Sauvignon blancs AOCs in the Loire valley, which I think, will be worth visiting(great values in Touraine) – Fred
March 27, 2007

Jamie
Couldn’t agree more about undiscovered low priced Bordeaux losing out to the old vines. Even here in the UK there is that misconception that Bordeaux is only for the rich. I’m also intrigued by the bottle with your picture on it… ?
March 27, 2007

alco holland
Qotd: That “lady” I tried to pick up last night at…aaah forget it.
March 27, 2007

Lawrence Leichtman
Welcome back. Sancerres always bring me back to them. Wish just one California Sauvignon Blanc even attempted it. Love the shellfish and grassy/olive/herbal component to a good one. Can’t tell that you had a great time from the clip but I’m sure they will be more. You do look reinvigorated so the trip must have been great. Not sure I’ve every tasted more than 250 wines in a week so I don’t know how you can keep 2500 straight in your head. Perception and reality are always the same. Your only reality is what you perceive.
March 27, 2007

flavasauce
QOTD: If I perceive it to be real than it is real. All reality being a subjective experience unless you are a Buddah.
March 27, 2007

PattyO
The laugh was great Gary – I can see why you’ve always wanted to do that! I had to rewind and watch it again it was so good!

QOtD-
Perception – the squalling, begging, screaming, laying-on-the-floor-tantrum toddlers in stores are a reflection of BAD, BAD, INEFFECTIVE parents!
Reality – (discovered after giving birth and raising 3 kids through toddler-dom) – NOT.
March 27, 2007

Erik
Great to have you back and (as always) I’m excited to have more Wine Library clips announcing their arrival in my e-mail!

I’ve been on a tear tasting as many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs as I can. The episode today will give me a reason to try some of the Sancerre wines and compare.

QOTD – There are so many examples of perception not meshing with reality it’s hard to know where to start. Just thinking about the subject of “politics” brings many thoughts to mind… Personally I’ve experienced a lot of perception-to-reality mismatches when traveling and sight-seeing: I think about the first time I actually visited the Grand Canyon. There’s no way to capture the first sense of vertigo and enormity though everyone has seen the pictures of the park.

I remember visiting the 360-degree theatre that Disneyland used to have as an attraction and how the senses could be fooled when you watched a movie being displayed all around you (they actually needed hand-rails as so many visitors lost their sense of equilibrium in there).

Also coming to mind was a fun party-game where team members would be blindfolded and then taste a “mystery food” concealed within a bag and tell everyone what they thought they had just tasted (things like a raw peeled potato would result in answers like an apple). A lot of familiar foods were frequently mistaken with often hilarious results. Lets me appreciate how difficult it can be in developing an “educated palate” for wine-tasting.
March 27, 2007

vinumsanctum
Hello Gary,

I believe you mentioned a kosher wine episode, is that gonna happen? I’m trully intrigued it sounded like you already had the wine in mind too. What is it?! there are only like maybe 5 possiblities Covenant, Valandraud, Capcanes, whos it gonna be Gary
March 27, 2007

Matthew L
Good to have you back Gary. I enjoyed a fair amount of wine in your absence.

I enjoyed the show, particularly because I’m looking to expand my horizons and pick up some crisp whites for the coming spring and summer months.

QOTD: My biggest example of where your perception was not reality? — Let’s see..the Detroit Lions every fall.

Really, some big eye openers have been things like breaking down racial stereotypes. I’ve found that we often have so much in common that it’s a huge waste of time focusing, seemingly exclusively, on race and ethnicity. Race and ethnicity/culture are important, but it shouldn’t be a barrier for friends and family.

At the risk of sounding like an ass kisser, another big one is breaking down the stodgy, snob persona of wine drinkers. You’ve done a huge favor to everyday people who really enjoy wine. I can be just as discerning about wine in jeans and a t-shirt than some jerk in a sport coat at some snobby wine shop. (Calvert Woodley in DC…oops did I say that.) Cheers to you Gary, the WL crew, and all the Vayniaks for keeping this thing going!
March 27, 2007

Christopher
My comment is from Germany… a little closer to France than the US… so it counts for two !!

Lets hear more about the ‘entry level’ Bordeaux wines (that blow the sock of Californian reds) !!
March 27, 2007

Matty Van - Tampa,FL
QOD – many men think a certian something is bigger than it actually is, and many women think that the tight ass pants they have on look good…like they are blind to the fat rolls (muffin top) hanging over there jeans
March 27, 2007

Atreyu
Welcome back Gary!
It’s nice to see you, we missed you… And it’s nice to see you back in good shape and pumped up!
March 27, 2007

boyd
Welcome back buddy!
March 27, 2007

Rick McQ
Gary:

When was peception not reality – My Honeymoon with my Ex-wife! It only lasted a year. I never should have gotten off the plane.

ps I’ve been happily married for 6 years with a Two year old and one on the way. Thats Reality!
March 27, 2007

Formally Known as Big man
ELWAY
March 27, 2007

Rick McQ
Glad your Back!!!!
March 27, 2007

RandyB
Nice to see that charming young man back on the screen. While you were gone I hosted a wine tasting event for the local youth baseball team’s annual crab feed and to no one’s surprise wore my Vayniac T-shirt. The wine tasting table was such a hit, we couldn’t get anyone to sit down for dinner. Is it because we all appreciate wine and notice others that share in that appreciation or is wine really finding its way into more and more people’s lives?

QTOD: Perception: Live one day at a time and try to get the most out of each and every day are simply old cliches that don’t mean anything. Reality: They are not cliches!

Ciao
March 27, 2007

Jens Hork
Hi Gary,

Sancerre was Ernest Hemingway’s favorite white, and being a great ‘Hemiac’ it was the first white wine ever I bought in order to understand why (and hopefully appreciate) when I was 18. From there my wine interest took off… Am still fond of the Sancerres and have visited and bought directly from Henri Bourgeois in Chavignol a couple of years ago.
March 27, 2007

Rick "The Model" M
Welcome back. Great show and nice footage man. Can’t wait to see more.
March 27, 2007

Colleen
Welcome back Gary. We missed you.
Love the little teaser of your trip. I can’t wait to see more.
March 27, 2007

Sam Zen
can’t agree with you enough on your comment about OVER PRICED and WAY OVER HYPED Cali wines.
March 27, 2007

matt l
QOTD: When I signed up for the Army a big selling point was the fact that I could not only get in great shape but go to college while I was in. Yeah between working 60 to 80 hours a week and alot of physical training, at least I got one of the two. I got out about six years ago, got my degree and am going through the VA to get disability. They dont tell you that when you sign up. Wouldnt trade the experience though.
Great to have you back Gary.
March 27, 2007

Elliot Essman
Are there any non-hyped California wines?
March 27, 2007

Carlos
Good stuff man.
March 27, 2007

ChadD
Gary,
Welcome back!!!!I missed watching you this past week-I’ve already watched all the old episodes so I was forced to look at Metal blogs all week (??!!). Great to have you back.
QOTD-this blog! I saw the ad in WS about 6 months ago and thought-this is either ok or extremely boring…and you are neither. Keep up the good work..I look forward each day to watching your videos.
March 27, 2007

caleb
Gary welcome back! nice purple tongue, the sign of a good day of tasting! Cant wait to hear your reccomendations on 2005. YOU ROCK!
March 27, 2007

Riezin
I just drank wine #4 the Le Md last week with my tasting group. I picked it up at the reco of one of the guys on the floor when i was choosing between a couple sancerre options (greg, maybe?). He picked well (also turned me onto a great QPR semillion from Oz – the Willows) Anyway, i really liked it a lot and I actually found a lot of varietal typicity. Maybe it was true to SB and less so to Sancerre in particular?, but i thought it a really good effort.
March 27, 2007

TR
Bon returne’ Monsiour Vanerchuk. I would have loved to have heard the Bordelaise pronounce your name. If you allow us to view your footage perhaps I shall. Perhaps that is why you syllabate it so pronouncedly. Which brings us to the QOTD. I have never been to Bordeaux. The closest I’ve been is I’le de Rey just north of there. As my favorite wine region I have built it up in my mind rather as a Mecca. I have read librarys full of info on the subject but have viewed very little footage. ‘Mondovino’ is about it. After we’ve seen your plethora of footage from your trip. It will be interesting to note how closely the new ‘reality’ matches my current perception. I wait with great an-ti-ci-pa…tion. my apologies to Richard O’Brien.
March 27, 2007

Shotgun
Welcome home! I love Sancerre. I love California Sauvignon Blanc (esp Sonoma, Preston is awesome). I love NZ Sauv Blanc. I love SB with a little Semillon blended in. Bordeaux blanc is awesome in that regard, but generally too expensive and hard to find. Well, maybe that’s my answer to the QOD– Bordeaux whites– why should they not be plentiful (and delicious) at the better price value points?
March 27, 2007

Nick H.
welcome home…GV
March 30, 2007

Wino
Welcome back, nice episode. I have only had a couple Sanceres and they really do not fit my style. I like Chard and Riesling for my whites but am not a big fan of Sancere or Sauv Blanc. Will try one of these and see if it can change my mind.
November 8, 2009

John J.
great episode Gary.
would love to see your take on vin jaune’s

Sancerre Wines and a Sneak Peak to Bordeaux – Episode #202

Wines tasted in this episode:

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