Argentina Has Cabernet Too.

Argentina Has Cabernet Too. – Episode #227

April 30, 2007

Wines tasted in this episode:

Links mentioned in todays episode.

Gary Vaynerchuk knows most of you think about Malbec but today we search out the Cabernet Sauvignon’s

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

129 Responses

April 30, 2007

CW
argentina !
April 30, 2007

waibeans
number toooooooooooo!
April 30, 2007

TommyBoBo of WI
WOOWHOOOO TOP 5!!!
April 30, 2007

KenP
Top 5?
April 30, 2007

caleb
1st top 10??? Maybe top 5-???? my life is forever changed…maybe not…
April 30, 2007

Kevin
Top 10?
April 30, 2007

Rob B.
TOP 10
April 30, 2007

3dvw
QOTD: Ruffino Chianti. Everybody seems to love it. Tasted like old flower water and costs too much.
April 30, 2007

Glenn
another top 10 – en fuego!
April 30, 2007

SteveB
top 10!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 30, 2007

sfgiants55
HOla!
April 30, 2007

dougiefresh
saw you about a half dozen times at the draft. too funny.

great NPR interview too.
April 30, 2007

Portland Guy
Top 100?
April 30, 2007

Le Vin au Blog
Great episode.
April 30, 2007

waibeans
heels yes on the OW ep. it totally seems like you always rep the NW.. blow us away with some OW GV!
April 30, 2007

Harold
Nice; another trip to Argentina. Thanks Gary.
April 30, 2007

Alos Diallo
I would have to say many of the first growths that I have had particularly Latour. I know they are amazing and I love to drink them, but in my opinion juice should never cost that much money. For the same money I can fly to Hawaii from Boston or Thailand for that matter. I know demand is high, but come on now.
April 30, 2007

Colleen
Top 20!! woohoo
April 30, 2007

mas
Too bad on the Susana Balbo Cab, but the ‘06 Torrontes is smokin’, and a great value. Glad to hear about the Catena – I’ve been a fan of their wines for some time.

QOTD: ‘97 Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc – I might have caught it at a bad time, but it was flabby and very non-nebbiolo like.
April 30, 2007

e.fremont
Another great episode. I look forward to it daily. QOTD Silver Oak- good wine but men should learn about other choices!!!
April 30, 2007

Hank
Paris Hilton says that not being a lurker anymore is really cool.

[heard you live on Saturday GV. AWESOME!!!]
April 30, 2007

mikeyrad
OK, I’ll have to go with Silver Oak (02 Alexander Valley). Had it recently, mismatched with Italian food. In general, pretty eh.
April 30, 2007

amgryger
QOTD:

I geuss that would depend on who is rating it. That said, i would probably pick the wine with the kangaroo on it. I won’t say anything about who was rating it.
April 30, 2007

KAHUNA
QOTD: Some chianti that some pinhead with a videocast recommended
April 30, 2007

geespot
Argentinian Cabs, good call. I’m not a big fan of a lot of the malbec coming from there, nice to see they are making some good effort on cab sauv.

QOD: I had a Rodney Strong 2003 Sonoma Cab Sauv recently that got 90pts W.E. back in December and I barely would give it a 81. It was a really poor effort, over priced at 20$. Granted, I wasn’t expecting that much from a mega-producer like R.S., but c’mon, it was cherry cough medicine with tannin, bleh.
April 30, 2007

stevo
QOTD: Pillar Box Red – everyone seems to love it – I dumped it after half of a glass. Plus, I tasted it immediately upon opening, at the 1 hour mark, and at the 4 hour mark.
April 30, 2007

Hinrgman
More value wines – Great area Argentina
April 30, 2007

Harley Stan
Nice episode. QOTD Quara 2004/Cafayate Valley Malbec. My first Malbec and it was pretty lame, I have not visited an Argentina wine since, I will have to go back and try another one.
April 30, 2007

Ben N.
Good episode.
April 30, 2007

Joe
What a great interivew on NPR! It will make you the most sought after wine-man in history!

QOTD: Tie between Marquis Phillips anything and Silver Oak (all oak – nothing special underneath)

Joe
April 30, 2007

DryDrew
Good episode
Are we counting to the next full lunar eclipse?
April 30, 2007

SoCal
G,
Nice Episode….
Sill no Rudi
QOTD: Toss up between Silver Oak (either one) & Opus one…pick a vintage….
April 30, 2007

jcmeyrou
Go to Mendoza, the place is beautiful and has changed a lot in the past years… Wine quality is really good in general. Cab are great even if I believe MAlbec remains number one in term of authenticity…
April 30, 2007

RandyB
QOTD: Gotta agree with Joe, e.fremont and Mikeyrad, 2001 and 2002 Silver Oak Cabernet. The Alexander Valley is slightly better than the Napa Valley in both vintages. Anybody know who’s making the wine there?

Ciao
April 30, 2007

Greg B.
I guess I’ll stay with the Malbecs. Wow for the QOTD. The guy above me is shocking. Mine has to be the big one 2 Buck Chuck. LOL
April 30, 2007

Lynne
QOD: To be honest, I haven’t really tried many highly rated wines because they’re too expensive and I don’t want to take the shot. I must say, Gary, that of all the wines I’ve tried that you’ve rated 90 pts. plus, I have totally enjoyed. I have learned not to go by the wineries’ assessments of their own wines. More often than not, I’m disappointed.
April 30, 2007

GottaGoDrink
QOTD- 2003 Cakebread Cellars Pinot Noir. Turpentine.
April 30, 2007

Matt B DC
QOTD: Sadly, the most overrated wine I’ve had in recent memory was one my friend hyped up – - between the price ($70 a bottle) and the fact that he bought 4 cases of the stuff, I was expecting AWESOME. It wasn’t old world or new world . . . it was third-world
April 30, 2007

Matt B DC
OH! And I forgot to mention, it was the Longview 2004 Block 11 Cabernet Sauvignon that I cracked open as a result of Episode #219 QOTD: â€œWhat special bottle of wine are you going to open this weekend?â€

Man, what a let-down. Give my regards to Mothy,
-Matt
April 30, 2007

cgf
QOTD: 2005 Provenance Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. That is the worst most boring Sauv blanc i have ever had, and the fact that it got 93 points astounds me.

i didnt look up the score until after i drank it. i was shocked.
April 30, 2007

Andrew Z
QOTD

The Robert Parker 90 point Di Majo Norante Sangiovese 2005.

Gary nailed it when he referred to it as “under-whelming” – that’s exactly what it is.
April 30, 2007

Edward Hafer
QOTD: 2000 Fratelli Revello Barolo
Wine Spectator gave it 93, I was expecting something nice. It appears that they put only over ripe, unhealthy berries into the vats, producing a unsettling, out of balance mix of sickly sweet flowers, prune and dust flavors. Very depressing, reminded me of a funeral.
April 30, 2007

KenP
Yeah, GV, do an Old World show!
QOTD: a Dom Perignon, think it was a ‘99. Dom’s generally are ridiculously over-rated.
April 30, 2007

PhilB
Holy cow!!

“Incest” taste?? Does that have anything to do with the sibling wedding you served us last week?? hahaha!! Just kidding you, this is what makes the show so cool! None of the people on the WS website could put videos like this online!

QOTD: I guess that when wines get a 95 and over score the expectations are SO high that event though they might score a 91 or 92 for you, you’re still disappointed… Then I guess a 2001 Beaucastel (RP:96) disappointed me when I had it (although I think it was it what they call the dumb phase…)
April 30, 2007

Jennifer
Good stuff, Gary! Great NPR interview. The Jersey Wine Maven.
April 30, 2007

MattN
nice facetime on ESPN, toooo bad Revis is gonna get torn up by randy moss. God i hate the patriots.

QOTD:
Any of the recent vintages of Opus and Cristal. Dom and Bollinger alot better and much cheaper.
April 30, 2007

David M Roberts
Big Cocodrilo fan here. You captured the right qualities with that one; the incense and smoke were really evident to me. I’ll also admit to being a lesser fan of Crios, but Iâ€™m basing that on their malbecâ€¦

Okay â€“ interesting take on the Cadus. Reminds me of a recent wine tasting I attended (zins) where one bottle had an ungodly amount of earth and must element to it â€“ from the nose, to the attack and through to the finish, it was poo-poo city with this wine. I hated it, but a lot more seasoned wine drinkers rated it the highest for the night.

Is this something that happens with too many tastings? Is it akin to becoming jaded, so that suddenly only the oddities stand out? Or, is it a level of tasting sophistication that newbies just don’t have?

Maybe itâ€™s both, but Iâ€™m sticking to my guns â€“ Iâ€™m staying clear of poop.
April 30, 2007

Russ J
Great episode. Mothy was a nice addition. I really liked the NPR segment as well. You definitely need a straight man. “trouble at the plate when you were 5 or 6″ Nice!

QOTD: 2001 Feudi Di San Gregorio Serpico, WS-95, WA-98. Not the wines fault as it was popped and poured at a tasting and was WAY to young but it had nothing going on at that point, or maybe it was that Rocky Creek Kool-aid someone touted a while back.
April 30, 2007

Garret Nagle
2001 Heitz Cabernet was a let down for me. I can’t really think of any others, because I usually try and stay away from the over-hyped wines in the 10 dollar range like Di Majo Sangiovese… wait… I did try the ‘03 in 2005 and it was OK, but that is when my palate uneducated, and back then it didn’t impress me.

I have tried to read up on wines before I purchase whatever my local wine stores push, which is so much more fun than just walking out with what some guy tells you to buy. Instead, I try to get an idea of what I want, and sometimes ask a store employee if they have tasted a wine I read about to corroborate my hypothesis on what to buy…..

This leads me to the following statement – I love hunting down interesting bottles just as much as drinking, sort of like how a hunt is probably as entertaining if not more enjoyable than eating the catch.

I feel like I’ve accomplished something special when I find a 15-20 dollar bottle that makes me happy; because anything 30 and above had better impress me, or I’m pissed off – I don’t get pissed at a mediocre 15 dollar bottle.
April 30, 2007

njbabs
I woke up to this guy on NPR talking about wine. And man I was sure he sounded like Gary – just somewhat more understated… more NPR. Well Gary on NPR made my Saturday morning! Thanks.
April 30, 2007

JonE
QOTD: Falesco Vitiano 04′ Rosso, granted its cheap but there is no way it was worth 90pts., easily a 70 points or lower. yeah really that bad.
April 30, 2007

Spanky
Thoroughly enjoyed this episode. Recently came across the Cocodrilo – shared it with 5 other wine enthusiasts and all enjoyed. Also, I own the Catena Alta but had not popped the cork on it yet. Exicted to try it! Don’t usually spend this kind of money blindly but everything I’ve ever had by Catena has been stellar.

Thanks Gary!
April 30, 2007

Lev M
QOTD: Silver Oak. I didnt know the price or anything about it at the time and thought it was a $15-$20 cab while I was drinking it. Tastes like sucking on a cedar/oak creamsickle stick for 2 hrs.
April 30, 2007

John Blue Label
GV,
Seems like for the price points, the Argentinian cabs can’t do any better than those from the GOOD OLD USA!!! But hey, nice to hear about a different country’s vino. Most overrated wine: Ojain Syrah Stolpman. Only one I ever sent back to WL. Just didn’t bring the thunder for the price. Many less expensive Syrah/Shiraz that were better. Hey, no one bats 1.000.

JW
April 30, 2007

E-Rock
QOD = Silver Oak or maybe even the 04 Togni
April 30, 2007

Joe
I think Silver Oak wins for the world’s MOST OVERATED wine!
April 30, 2007

Joe
In think Silver Oak became popular because it is “young-ster” wine. Easy to drink, does not demand thought…because it is just Vanilla Oak juice. I bought a case as a newbie and would up giving half a way as my palate grew, because the oak gagged me.
April 30, 2007

Les
GV, Interesting Argentine Cab episode. I liked your discussion on NPR of what you would include in a case for a newcomer to wine. It would be cool to go a bit further and compare classic examples of grape varieties by the case e.g a classic cab or a classic merlot, or a classic syrah, etc. I may have to do that for educational purposes. Is there an episode where you do this already (still not through the first two hundred episodes I missed)?
April 30, 2007

JimKay
Another grea episode. Each wine tasted was from a different vintage with the highest rated coming from 2003 – reportedly a great year in South America. Does vintage variation occur in these wines?

QOD – Opus One. Next question.
(At least you don’t blow as much for a bottle of Silver Oak)
April 30, 2007

TimF
The problem with all of the next-gen video sites is that they are slooooooow. They’re trying to do too much to differentiate themselves without getting the basics down, IMO.

What’s the move for “stupid pick”? You must have had to do that a few times over the years.

You totally should have killed that bug!

Chocolate covered brussel sprouts sounds really disgusting.

QOTD: SQN Omega at our Chicago WLTV Party.
April 30, 2007

Dale Cruse
We want gossip!

Gary, my girl Courtney is going to be sending you a photo and story about your wristband that’s going to knock your socks off!
April 30, 2007

Photojoe
Anything with Catena Alta is great! Their Chardonnay rocks for the price! Their Malbec blows away almost all of the competition and their Cabernet is no doubt just as good! I tried to get the Cab in our store, but the owner didn’t think we could sell a Argentinian Cabernet for that price point…. who’s to say?
QOTD: I think the most over rated wine is Cakebread! They do so good at selling themselves to restraunts and barely let anything go retail and it makes everyone crazy trying to find it, so when they do, they snatch it up! I just think there are many more wines out there that are just as good for a much better price.

Photo Joe
April 30, 2007

Jen
I loved your special guest host, Mothy – I hope he comes back. And also, chocolate covered brussel sprouts– that’s the only way I’d like ‘em, so I’m IN for that wine!
QOTD: I guess recently Au Bon Climat Pinot Gris… not that anyone told me it was A-ma-zing, but I had a pre-conceived ni=otion in my head about it and I got it on a special afternoon, and I was SEVERELY disappointed. Maybe I was most disappointed with MYSELF! boo-hoo-hoo… I just didn’t like it.
April 30, 2007

CampingLisaB
Don’t you want to start singing…. “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina….”
April 30, 2007

Dale Cruse
Okay, QOTD: Ed Meades Zin. Bleah. New World alcohol bomb. Over 16% alcohol and I taste every bit of it. That wine tasted like a mistake. It tasted like the winemaker forgot about it and left it on the vines WAY too long, realized he couldn’t sell it because the alcohol was too high, and tried to artificially amp up the fruit in order to compete. Not just a New World fruit bomb – it’s a New World FAKE fruit bomb. Blech. Poured it down the sink. Waste of $30.
April 30, 2007

Kelly
A 1990 Vigna Faset Barberesco. To he honest it tasted like Porto and the tannis where thicker than I’ve ever seen. We probably should have decanted the bottle but the thick syrupy taste and smell just threw me for a loop.
April 30, 2007

Photojoe
Great interview on NPR. I would like to see the Jets win, just to see you open that case of wine from 1975!
On a tasting note: I was at my retail store the other day and told everyone that the Bridlewood Viognier (we were tasting) smelled like Fuity Pebbles and everyone laughed at me, but after taking another sniff, they got it!
I also said (a few weeks earlier) that a certain wine ( I forgot the name of it) smelled like you were “blowing up a beach ball”! The owner of the store laughed out loud…. took another sniff…. and preceeded to go out and tell all the other employees that it definatley smelled like you were blowing up a beach ball!

I would have never had the courage to say that if it wasn’t for the crazy off the wall flavors and smells that you give to wines Gary!
Thank you!!!

Photo Joe
April 30, 2007

manual
nice palate opening episode on argentina. i fall in the Malbec camp for sure and the Nieto Cadus sounds like a new adventure to take on.

QOTD : 7-8 years ago at a local italian place… Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. everyone was raving about it to the point where i just wanted to yell SHUT UP!!!. i just didn’t see it. feel it. taste it. haven’t had it since. in fact it turned me off of the grape for years.
April 30, 2007

Badger Ann
Saw you on TV Saturday! I was very happy for fellow Badger Joe Thomas, being the 3rd overall pick.

QOTD: I recently tried the 2003 Antinori Solaia at a tasting. Completely underwhelming. I’ve had red wines just as good for 100 bones less.
April 30, 2007

Steve R
I agree with Russ J, the 2001 Feudi Di San Gregorio Serpico was thin and flavorless, except for tons of tannins… sigh. I also think that almost any of the large house prestige Champagnes are overrated — Dom, Cristal, etc. — they never seem to taste much better than their basic cuvees. Finally, let’s face it, bashing Silver Oak or Opus One is a pretty easy and popular target, and I would suggest that the critics agree with the bashing (Parker really let ‘er rip on Opus One) but I have found some disappointments in some of the “hot” wineries as well. I had a bland (at best) Rochioli, and this is a wine that is sold out on allocation!
April 30, 2007

Ole Ole
Gary, nice touch, to include your visitor and not to squash it. Welcome, Mothy, well, she/he/it seems to go by the nose. Smart move. Would have been the last flight – though not bad to drown in Cab.

QOTD: Whenever a “great wine” is too young, I find I cannot enjoy it at all. Too much tannins, not integrated or balanced. So a lot of the recommendations from the RP’s and GV’s of this world may lead to disappointments. You wine masters know how to predict the flavor and balance… Suggestion: always include in your comments and tasting notes if the wine is ready to drink now or WHEN?
April 30, 2007

geespot
I’m waiting for ‘hints of moth wings’ in the tasting notes.
April 30, 2007

Capt M
Gary, THANKS! for mentioning our coming wedding, which is this Friday. I’ve personally stopped buying argentinean wines because I feel that most of them come out so young and with so much heat. So what I do is that I put away in my cellar every bottle of Argentinean red that I get as gifts. Recently, I got an interesting bottle of Norton Malbec, and my friend who gave it to me keeps encouraging me to pop it and try it, but I’m in no hurry. In today’s show, the Cocodrilo and the Cadus show an incredible tint; specially the Cadus, nice color. The Catena Alta is sold at the wine store here in Panama where I normally stock up, but the ‘03 doesn’t appear on the list. They have listed the ‘01 Catena Alta Cab Sauvignon at $26, and the ‘02 Catena Alta Malbec at $30. I’m going to swing by and pick up a bottle of each, but again, they’ll be going in the cellar for some time.

QOTD: the 2000 Tintoralba, but I agree with KenP about the Dom Perignon.
April 30, 2007

Winodontist
Solid episode, a bit disappointed with the flavor profiles, so I may pass on these.

QOTD: 1994 Cain Five. I popped it 2 months ago after cellaring for 8 years. Other people at the party loved it, I sat there wishing I had a more New World wine in my glass.
April 30, 2007

Portland Guy
Enjoyed the episode. QOTD? That’s an easy one: ‘03 Alonso Yerro Maria! Big hype (by you all know who) and a bigger bomb.
April 30, 2007

Don S.
QOTD:
I have tried Opus One twice and both times I left trying to figure out the hype. It’s the worst over $100 wine out there IMO.
April 30, 2007

10sGuy
2003 Amizetta Napa Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the only wines I have disagreed w/ Gary on – I hated this stuff…
April 30, 2007

Doc Dan
GV, NEED THE BRDX!
QOTD: Saddleback
April 30, 2007

Charleen
QOTD: Most overrated wine – From Lurton – Araucano 2004 Carmenere, Chile…completely overrated, very dissapointing
April 30, 2007

acrobaticfish
Gary: I caught the NPR interview (which as an NPR fanatic was sick (in the good way)) and couldn’t help cracking up at hearing the signature Vayner-swish over compressed FM…

“This is like soil after rain.” You’ve got some serious competition.
April 30, 2007

H-Why
Gary – time for another blind tasting episode. How about doing that on the first Thursday of the month?
April 30, 2007

Herm
I agree with an earlier comment that mentioned pillar Box Red….I don’t really see a 90 rating for this wine…..Great episode Gary
April 30, 2007

Steve
I’m pretty new, so I have to ask, what is the number on your whiteboard? Obviously a countdown to something…
April 30, 2007

C-BusWineMofo
Yes, Cab from diffrent places is great. We have a Cab in Ohio that beat Stags Leap Artemis hands down in a blind taste test. http://www.azcentral.com/home/wine/articles/0803ohiowine0803.html I also took it to Napa and served it at a party along side Quentessa, Silver Oak, Clos Du Val and Grigch Hills cabs. It didn’t win but everybody who was tasting was saying “What wine is this?”

QOTD – I would have to say Opus One, if the fruit isn’t as good every year why is the price still rising?
April 30, 2007

Panoca
Gary, SPECTACULAR episode, since i’m originally from Argentina, and a big fan of Cabs (and of course malbecs) from all over the world. Any episode involving Argentina or Cabs gets me excited, so, congrats on this one.
QOTD: I’m new in the wine world and haven’t tasted many wines, but from my little experience, the Yangarra Cadenzia GSM 2004 (#43 in the top 100 2006 by W.S), 93 pts at $ 21/25 i thought it was going to be a great QPR but drunk it yesterday and i was very dissapointed. I tasted it along with the episode you did on that wine, and agreed on most of the tasting notes you gave.
Riesling overall are also overrated, most of my experiences with it, didn’t deliver at all. ALL of them, ALL (!) didn’t have the acidity enought to back up the suggary syrupy flat flavors of this varietal. I still have some J.J.Prum from the 2005 vintage (spatlese and auslese) and i’ll give them some more time. Do you think the acidity of the rielings gets better with more years of bottle aging? Thanks again Gary, for the great episode.
April 30, 2007

Panoca
Also agreed with the blind tasting episode. It’s time for another one. The one you did double blind was, honestly, my favorite of all.
April 30, 2007

Robin
QOTD I was most disappointed with Rubicon and my husband with Opus One. We’e been to some very nice tastings hosted by distributors and we always liked Robert Sinsky the best.
May 1, 2007

Alaska1
Yes, Opus One is not worth it. I think for anything over $100 it should not just be ok, it should be great. They need to get over them selfs.
Right?>
May 1, 2007

cpd
QOTD: ‘04 Falesco Vitiano, ‘01 Talomas Basket Press Reserve Syrah, or any of the cheapies from San Felipe…take your pick.
May 1, 2007

luvgrapesqeezings
Question of the Day (yea, I spelled it out!)- Molly Dooker, Two Left Feet. Is it really wine?
For me, its a big pass.
May 1, 2007

KenP
luvgrapesqueezings #90,
Molly Dooker, Two Left Feet, is not wine. It is pancake syrup.
May 1, 2007

tomatyork
Nice NPR and real nice show today. Thank you
May 1, 2007

JOEinLA
really good show today.

QOTD. A 1990 Pio Ceserae Barolo Ornato..Falesco Montiano.00, 01. I’m a huge Italian wine fan and have acquired a few Montiano’s along the way, especially because of the 90 and above ratings they get.

The Pio was kind of a diapointment, especially after enjoying the 2001 at a tasting.I figured th90 would be legendary. Like most legends I guess, more legend than performance. I couldn’t find anything that I liked and 3-4 hours later, the wine was acting dead tired.
May 1, 2007

diego de la p...
QOTD: crystal 1997, didnt like it, wasnt showing much, very expensive, but it was a gift haha so no problem.
May 1, 2007

Gregg Johnson
QOTD – Dom Perignon!
May 1, 2007

Susan
Gary-
Cabs – I see lots of
CABS!!!!
WOW!!
May 1, 2007

Nico
“Mothy”… “Argentina… don’t cry for me now”… this show is hilarious! Great theme and highlight for cab in Argentina!

QOTD: not sure what the ultimate overrated wine has been, but this was a recent disappointment: 2001 White Rock Napa Claret

-Nico
May 1, 2007

Rick "the model" m
You are getting better and better with each episode. Awesome.
May 1, 2007

Rick
Very nice.
May 1, 2007

Susan
QOD: I think most Chardonnays are
over-rated. I just think
Chardonnays are just not
for me!!!
May 1, 2007

Susan
Gary-
Your NPR interview
was
FABULOUS!!!!!!
Super job!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 1, 2007

Luckybecky
Awesome interview on NPR, Gary! I’m a big fan of NPR but missed this one, thanks for the link. Your enthusiasm and your down-to-earth personality shines through in everything you do. Now I want to go buy that case of wine you put together, but alas, I’ve been banned from buying any more wine until I get back to work selling on eBay and making some cash to support this habit.

Gotta get to work…
May 1, 2007

Ken
Itâ€™s too bad about the Crios Cabernet. Although you do not carry it, you should give the Susana Balbo Crios Syrah-Bonarda a try â€“ I really like this wine and you should give it a try and think about stocking it.

QOTD: 1995 Opus One. 1995 was a pretty decent vintage for Napa Valley and the Opus One tasted like it was brewed up with a chemistry set that was purchased from J. C. Penney.
May 1, 2007

Freddy
gary, great job on npr!
most overrated wine 1994 opus one – while it was good, it didn’t blow me away like it did my friends who drank the wine with me. then again, most of my friends don’t like the old world wines that i am a fan of. to take it one step further, an underrated wine, which i thought was excellent with its complexity and elegance was the 1999 lisini brunello di montalcino which i had with a meal of veal osso bucco and risotto.
as a side note, if you are going to throw a bone to some of us old world fans, any plans to do a show on 2005 burgundys? while everyone would like to see you take down some rousseau chambertin and la tache, i’d be interested in some offerings from both the larger and smaller producers, their differences, and how the wines compared across the board from vosne romanee, gevrey chambertin, vougeot, chambolle-musginy, and all the other great domaines that make me salivate.
can’t wait for the next episode!
May 1, 2007

Acousticdoc
Gary,
Great episode as always. Loved the NPR interview and the Draft camio.
QOTD: 2002 Jordan Cab. It has been the most expensive bottle of Jordan I have bought to date, AND the most dissapointing.
May 1, 2007

Iron Man
QOTD whoa, too many to list…but even cheap wines have hurt me in the past, lastly a 2003 BenMarco, the 04 Catena Malbec normale, and the 2003 Arietta Propriety, nice after 2 hours but by the next day, the wine was shot….oh and then I had a flat Bud Light draft at Wingstop, I returned it…not my weekend I guess.
May 1, 2007

Ken
Excellent interview on NPR Gary. I starting to feel like it won’t be long before you have a show on cable TV- Maybe on the Food Network. I think you’ve got it. You’ll soon be the Bobby Flay of Wine. I’m proud of you & WineLibraryTV. Draft vid was funny.
QOTD: 2004 Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet [RP-90Points]
May 1, 2007

WINO
QOTD- Chateau Cantelys that you guys were pushing awhile back. Maybe it was just too old world for my tastes. I also was displeased with the Domaine La Garrigue 2005. A very very dry bland Cote du Rhone. Again, maybe just too old world for my tastes, but seemed to miss the boat. Gary, could you taste the Garrigue on the show so I can see what you think?
May 1, 2007

thkorent
QOTD: My guess would be De Loach Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Russian river valley 2004. 5 Decanter stars for both of them and they were amazingly BAD.
I am very much in favour of the Catena Cab, in fact, in both 2001 and 2002 i’ve liked it better than their Malbec. I guess, I’ll go buy a bottle of the 03 soon!
May 1, 2007

cdavis
I’m a huge Catena fan! I cant wait to try the Alta CS!

QOTD: hmm, I am going to stretch my answer and say Parker tends to overrate Aussies and I repeatedly find myself disappointed with 90-92 Parker Aussies.
May 1, 2007

Rick W.
Opus One & Silver Oak have to be the 2 most over-rated wines in the market today. If you have a few good years back to back & a catchy name then your wine is suppose to be good for life!! That’s what so great about wine, you have to know your vintage. Example; I had a B.V. Tapestry 1997 in a restaurant in Cleveland and it was a great bottle of wine. Then I ordered the same wine at a restaurant in Ca. the wine list said 1997, but they brought me a 1998. Needless to say it was terrible. After the dinner I did some investigating the 1997 was rated 92 points & 1998 was rated 81 points.
May 1, 2007

MzTeaze
Mothy got a shout out – very cool!

QOTD: For me it has to be the 2003 M. Chapoutier Hermitage White Chante-Alouette, WS 92. Their description alone sounds like a must have “Ripe, concentrated layers of papaya, fig and macadamia nut are woven with mineral, piecrust and fresh, sweetened butter notes, all rippling through a long showy finish that alternates between waxy and racy. Hard to resist now”…..dunno where they got that cuz it tasted like a minerally Perrier, which I hate.
May 1, 2007

poquelin
QOTD: Opus One is getting a bad rap here. I have never been disappointed with any vintage (especially the ‘96). On the other hand, I have often been underwhelmed by some the highly touted French Bordeaux. The ‘82 Ausone (95 RP) didn’t do a thing for me. Even worse was a ‘96 Cos D’Estournel (93 RP).
May 1, 2007

Lawrence Leichtman
Cinq Cepage from Chateau St. Jean. I had it before it received the number 1 rating from WS and after. Was never impressed and the price skyrocketed. Never understood that one at all. Seemed like someone slipped someone some dollars under the table (nudge niudge wink wink)
Great episode as always. The Catena Cab has been going strong for many years but I have yet to taste or smell milk in it.

Just got back from working in Oregon and Seattle and have never done much wine tasting there. Went to Willamette Valley and hit every open winery. Some impressions. Tori Mor absolutely hit the heights of the smoothest silkiest example of Oregon Pinot Noir and Domaine Serene the most powerful as well as Domaine Serene Viognier/Pinot Gris Blend with a bit of oak in it. What a great taste. Enjoyed Archery Summit, disappointed in several including Lange that was highly rated. Very pedestrian Pinot Noirs were the rule at many places with the most expensive tasting cost I have ever seen (makes Napa look like a bargain) and my biggest disappointment was that Chelhalem, a maker of some wonderful Pinot Noirs, had sold their liqour license to a grocer and no longer does tastings. Also disappointed that all of the wineries in Carlton were closed on Tuesdays and there were some very promising ones.
May 1, 2007

wizard_chef
Seems to me asking for absolutes like the “worst” or the “best” wines is a kind of non sequitur. Somebody hates riesling. Another hates the oaky CA chards. Wine is like art. There are clearly some really bad wines and bad art. But, it’s mostly in the palate of the beholder! I recently had a beautiful, crisp sauvignon blanc from France that was not much for sipping but dynamite with the shrimp and scallops dish we had for dinner. I love gewurtztraminer with spicy foods but it’s only good for drowning roaches for any other purpose (in my opinion!). Depends on the person and circumstance of the pour.

It’s what you like. So, what disappoints some may delight others. Like Gary would say, lighten up! Wine is for enjoying! And, there are lots of reasonably priced wines that are delightful to drink.
May 1, 2007

Benji
GV, Mothy? . Another character to add to WLTV! I’m sure he’ll make many guest apperances like the Oak Monster. Next thing you know , Gary will be asking the vayniacs to send in their “Mothy art”. We can all look forward to a Mothy Montage somewhere in the near future. If any of you don’t know what this means…check out the end of episode #153.

Thanks for another great ep!
May 1, 2007

Karl B
QOTD: 2000 Peter Michael Les Pavots Cabernet Sauvignon – absolutely without mid-range body, terrible. I was asked if it would get better with age, but it can’t if it does not have any body to begin with!!!
May 1, 2007

jimvarney01
^ Hey Benji, what’s up?

Gary, Peta is gonna be on your ass for disturbing Mothy’s natural habitat. How dare you.

QOTD: Two buck chuck… Rosemount Shiraz…. Opus One… Wow, there’s a lot of incredibly overrated wines.

Another sweet episode.
May 1, 2007

big mitch
My daughter was actually bat-mitzvahed in Italy(long story) in the summer of 2001 and people told me to check out Monsanto Chianti, went to the vineyard, had a great tour, brought some bottles back
1999 vintage too, had a bottle a few weeks later and was totally disappointed.To this day I don’t know why
May 1, 2007

ashley alfinito
Hi! I love your approach to wines!!! I am a student at the Culinary Institute of America. My instructor, Denise Hall, suggested we watch your videos, since we recently did a wine tasting. Sh also said you were very handsome when we asked if you were cute. haha. I agree with her. Take care, happy drinking!!!
May 2, 2007

TSchampaert
Kudos to Mothy!
QOTD: a Parker 92-94 Chateauneuf dP Chante Cigale 2003. Huge expectations, but a complete disaster. Disjointed, greenish bitterness, hollow mid palate, horrible … . Had it twice on different occassions and both played the wrong card. Still two bottles left in my cellar. What the h*ck should I do with them?
May 2, 2007

Shotgun
Great episode on a great wine region of the world. QOD– I was thinking anything Silver Oak, but I count about a dozen mentions of that one ahead of me, so I’ll have to try something more original. Perhaps most disappointing was a bottle of Kamen 2003 Sonoma Cabernet that we had at the little place that is Jean Georges second restaurant, what’s it called? I can’t remember right off, but Jean Georges on training wheels. I had already sent back a corked Chinon, and thought the Kamen a safe bet, but it was a green vegetable bomb– awful (GV, you might have liked it– chock full of green pepper, pickle and broccoli).

Gary– congrats on the NPR piece. Well done!

Gary– Incest? Incest? Last week you were asking about marrying siblings, and now…?
May 2, 2007

Dom
QOTD Faleso Vitiano 04
May 3, 2007

MichaelP
QOTD: 2001 Dutschke Gods Hill Shiraz. Yuk!
May 4, 2007

lee
most overrated wine was the 2004 domaine alfred califa pinot noir 2004. i think laube with the spectator gave it 96 points. it is too sweet and gets its tail kicked by its little brother, the domaine alfred chamisal vineyard pinot noir 2004.
May 7, 2007

dz
Joe nailed qotd with anything by Marquis Phillips with its pandering Roogle that I would like to shoot and 2002 Silver Oak Alexander Valley , a weak vanilla flavored wine that is shockingly bad. Also, as a general category 6-10 dollar Spanish Grenaches that scored 90 pts. from Robert Parker.
May 25, 2007

Kraemer
Hurray for mothey!
July 2, 2008

Dessert Wine Nerd
I hope you had a proper burial for Mothy. *plays taps* QOTD: I havent had enough wines you to make a proper answer to that. I need to crack open some of my nicer wines I have cellaring and will possibly get back to you on that.
September 20, 2009

ulu ulu ulu ulu
QOTD: Opus One?