Portuguese Douro Wines – Episode #232

May 7, 2007

Wines tasted in this episode:

Gary has been talking up Portugal, today 3 VERY highly rated wines step up and get challenged.

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

115 Responses

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May 7, 2007

Sue Z.
Gary,
I love pairing white wine with Italian red-sauce based food. I’ll have to try the gewertz the next time I have pasta. Thanks for the tip!
QOD – technology is a double edged sword! It’s great to have access to all the info but the part that scares me is who else has access to all that info.
May 7, 2007

Kathleen
QOTD: Technology enables us to get so caught up in being ‘connected’ to everything that we don’t have the time to stay connected with quality time with the people who really matter.
Technology makes us think we’ve kept busy all day, when in fact we haven’t done much in the way of making and keeping quality connections, which is supposedly the point of technology in the first place.
Kathleen
Wine and Stories from the Vineyard – (My quality interactions with New York grapes)
http://www.myspace.com/gamay
May 7, 2007

Randy
OK, so outline for how best to integrate Twitter (or other micro-blog tool) into the show.

1. Twitter in, saying the show topic and solicit questions
2. Hand the phone (or computer) to someone else to gather the questions and pick which ones to answer
3. That person either writes the questions on paper or (better) on a whiteboard that YOU read from
4. Answer our questions during the show, making us feel much more involved.

Honestly, Twitter doesn’t add a crazy amount of interactivity, because it’s not like you’re Twittering (a verb?) back to us while you’re in the midst of taping. Add to it that the show is “tape delayed” by at least a couple hours and suddenly the value of Twitter (or Jaiku for that matter) is considerably diminished.
May 7, 2007

Kelldey
Gary,
Great show! I had no idea that Portugal produced such great wines. I must agree with others that the Twitter/cell phone thing during the show was a bit annoying. Suggestion: Why don’t you post topic of the show about an hour before you tape and let people send questions UNTIL you tape (turn off the cell phone when you start taping).

QOTD: Hmm. I loves me some technology, but there are points where I draw the line personally. I don’t have a MySpace page and I don’t use the text messaging on my cell. I am too OCD to start that; I’d be texting every three seconds!

Have a great day all!
K
May 7, 2007

Neil
Haven’t looked at the twitter thing seriously and have never instant messaged, either. My dad used to leave his office on a business meeting (before the use of cell phones) and couldn’t be reached until he returned to the office. Now people get calls in the bathroom. I think technology is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand you can do business on the road, on the other you pay for it with the loss of freedom. Not to mention identity theft.

Bottom line: the loss of freedom and ID theft are the major concerns.

Regarding twitter, I have no opinion. It doesn’t make for great TV though……
May 7, 2007

TheDumbPhase
I’ll second the others to ditch the phone Gary. Twitter has potential, but use other hardware to utilize it during the show. The phone on vibe is too damn annoying. Solid wines today though. Gonna have to buy more Douro.
May 7, 2007

Randy
Good job on the episode, I guess my Port question was more about the grape varietals used to make Port. You mentioned a LOT of varietals I haven’t heard of before, which was pretty cool.

Anyhow, definitely turn off the phone ringer all the way to silent, or have a lieutenant get the “tweets” off your phone and put them on a whiteboard for you to answer. The intermittent buzzing (of which I was a part of) was really distracting.

QOTD: I am not afraid of technology. What scares me is that people allow it to absolutely rule their lives from the moment they wake up until they fall asleep. Set limits, people (as in, turning the ringer all the way off on your phone, so Twitter “tweets” don’t distract you from taping a show).
May 7, 2007

mas
Nice episode on high end Douro reds Gary – don’t think I’ve ever seen any of them and will definitely seek them out.

QOTD: where does one start? I second comments by Garrett (#14) and 3dvw (#16) and others on privacy and “24-7 connectivity”, never mind highway safety. Do we really need another reason to take our attention from the road?? Over the last couple of years, I’ve found new hires fresh out of college to be very impressive with their technological skills, but deficient in their interpersonal communication and public speaking skills, and very deficient in their written communication skills. I don’t know if this is a coincidence and more an indictment of our education system, or one is causing the other, but it’s there. I’m also concerned with security when a new technology hits the scene – someone out there will find a hole and exploit it before the breach can be plugged. For that reason, I’m usually a “late adopter”. Like wine, everything in moderation, folks.
May 7, 2007

Craig
QOTD: Can we resist technology ? Can we resist the call of our cell phones, PDAs, high speed internet connections and each new technology that entices us with the promise of instant information gratification ? Perhaps resistance was futile and we have already been assimilated. Could we already be the BORG ? If so, welcome to the hive mind.

On a less bleak note, maybe I’ll enjoy a glass of Tokaji out in the sunshine, and leave all the gizmos in the house.
May 7, 2007

TimF
Hey, so where’s Bill V today?
May 7, 2007

Colin Devroe
Nice.. Twitter + Viddler + WLTV == Crazy Delicious.
May 7, 2007

Ryan D
QOTD: I’m afraid that we won’t be able to do anything for ourselves. I’m reminded of the Douglas Adams book, “Mostly Harmless” in which a present day man meets and lives with a relatively primitive society. The main character’s only contribution to society was he knew how to make a hell of a sandwich. We’re headed that way.
May 7, 2007

carnyc
Great episode, I picked up a couple of the ‘01 Sousas and four of the ‘04 Lemos based upon your descriptions alone. The Lemos sounds a bit like the ‘04 Clio with it’s creaminess and big fruit but w/ a little more old world flavor. Thanks for turning me on to a region that 1) I did not realize made quality non-dessert wines and 2) I would not have otherwise explored!
May 7, 2007

Randy
Gary, turn off the vibe on the phone. Yes, Twitter is very nice, but it’s like the crack cocaine of the social networking world.

Thx for the mention of being too damn early on the West Coast when you started taping.
May 7, 2007

glassrunnethempty
Dave? Dave? Dave’s not here, man.
May 7, 2007

Portland Guy
Excellent episode, except for the Twitter annoyance. QOTD – My concerns about technology advancement? Well, the overuse and misuse of cell phones, blackberries, Twitter, etc, provides examples of tech going, going, gone amuck.
May 7, 2007

Jonathon M Chicago
QOTD: I just get sick of learning how to operate somthing and then somthing new comes along and I’m back to square one. Too much wasted time staring into screens! Often have problems with Viddler buffering.
May 7, 2007

Sarah L
I agree with Garret. New technology can be make our lives more convenient and be a lot of fun; but the downside of being in constant contact with the world is overstimulation and less freedom.
May 7, 2007

auspuff
QOTH: Information overload. And Twitter is the prime example.
May 7, 2007

Coupe 60
“Hey, so where’s Bill V today?” I was led to believe he frequently left comments here
May 7, 2007

Adam
Gary, I have to agree with KAHUNA. The twitter thing is REALLY ANNOYING while trying to watch the show. I say, “swing and a miss” with the whole twitter thing.
May 7, 2007

John Blue Label
GV,
NIce new stuff. Will have to try some wine from Portugal.
QOTD: the possibility of having my identitiy stolen. It is apparently quite difficult to clear the mess if it happens. Having said that, I’m an online guy and love the way technology helps.
JW
May 7, 2007

waibeans
awesome GV.. somehow i thought you would be doing a show on Portugal this week, so when i was in the store yesterday i went straight for the portugal section. didn’t see anything that popped out, but hey that’s what the show’s for
May 7, 2007

SS Chris
Hey, so where’s Bill V today?

What’s the frequency Kenneth??
May 7, 2007

3dvw
QOTD: It’s keeping us all from interacting in person. We IM or myspace instead of call or meet up. We blog instead of go and have coffee. Strangely enough I think people open up a bit more because they can hide behind the keyboard or type joke or lol based on reactions.