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

May 7, 2007

Rob B.
FIRST!!
May 7, 2007

thescrewcap
wow douro!
May 7, 2007

caleb
top 3…yay
May 7, 2007

NathanN
Cool Portugal as promised
May 7, 2007

Greg B.
Wow, Seems like I’m always in the top 10 now! Oh, and twitter is pretty cool! Thanks Gary
May 7, 2007

thkorent
TOP 10!
May 7, 2007

Lynne
I can’t view this video. I’ve been trying since Friday to watch that episode, also (#231) . Can’t view the Quicktime version, either. As far as my pc, I haven’t knowingly changed any settings. Anybody got any ideas?
May 7, 2007

SS Chris
I’m a lurker….hi Gary!!!!!
May 7, 2007

SS Chris
Like Lynne (#7), I was experience problems viewing Thursday & Friday’s Viddler videos.

And then when I click the Quicktime link, nothing happens.
May 7, 2007

Vange
top 10?
May 7, 2007

Noanoa
G’Day Mates

Question of the day:

What’s the last wine you’ve purchased from Winelibrary ?

Cheers
May 7, 2007

DryDrew
Sorry! Am I the only one getting nervous of this twitter business?
May 7, 2007

KAHUNA
Not sold on the Twitter yet- but trying-

Gary multitasks with his phone like a hooker looking at her watch- JUST BAD!
May 7, 2007

Garret Nagle
QOTD:

We have seen for a long time that technology doesn’t necessarily make our lives better and more fulfilling. My concern, which is really just a continued concern (my opinion is not new under the sun), is that technology is causing people to be socially disconnected from people.

It seems like we are so influenced by television and the media that there isn’t enough time in the day anymore to relax and be at peace – we’re always on the phone, or watching tv, or on our blackberries on the freeway. Oh and about TV, DVRs actually might contribute to more television watching instead of having the opposite effect.

Technology is an exciting thing, but we must be reminded of its negative aspects. Truthfuly, when I was in Tuscany, I had never seen anything as idylic and beautiful than a vineyard in Chianti Classico, with a quaint house sitting on top of a hill. There is something special about the simple life of working the soil and farming land to make a profit – how wonderfuly simple and beautiful that could be.

Sorry to get all Ralph Waldo Emerson on you there…..

Thanks again Gary

Garret
May 7, 2007

ecola
QOTD: Pretty soon I won’t be able to go the bathroom w/o someone trying to communicate with me.
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.
May 7, 2007

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

What’s the frequency Kenneth??
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

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

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

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

auspuff
QOTH: Information overload. And Twitter is the prime example.
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

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

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

glassrunnethempty
Dave? Dave? Dave’s not here, man.
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

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

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

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

TimF
Hey, so where’s Bill V today?
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RandyB
QOTD: What scares me is Randy’s thorough knowledge of Twitter. Gotta be an IT guy.

Ciao
May 7, 2007

BV
You guys are TOO MUCH — and I LOVE IT!!
I’m hard at work, see, in Beautiful Downtown Burbank, where it’s just 3:00 PM.
As soon as I can, I’ll actually watch the episode!

Thanks again – your BV entries left me ROTFLMAO!!!

Bill V.
May 7, 2007

amgryger
QOTD: This morning I saw the entire side of a building in Soho-ish (don’t quite remember exactly where) advertising Grand Theft Auto IV, which features features violence and mayhem in a very recognizable, realistically 3D rendered New York City. I live in New York and while I’m generally not one to blame video games for violence, I don’t think I’m okay with with the extremely real depiction of where I live in a video game like Grand Theft Auto.
May 7, 2007

Randy B
Amgryger, wasn’t that an Apprentice Episode?
May 7, 2007

Randy
RandyB,

Excellent first name you got there. I hope to see you at the SF meet @ the end of May!

Wine + High Tech = Randy Hall.

Repeat ten times to yourself, then tell three friends.
May 7, 2007

GottaGoDrink
Gary- I’m voting with the group above that you lose the phone during the show. We love ya, but it’s an unnecessary distraction. Very nice wines today.

QOTD- I am not on the cutting edge of technology, but use tech on a daily basis. I appreciate what it brings to us, but I wonder what will become of all the people I see who cannot function w/o a cell phone call/text/game and Ipod plugs in their ears. It’s surprising more people aren’t run over here in Chicago every day as they travel the busy streets oblivious to their surroundings.
May 7, 2007

Kevin k
QOTD Technology is cool, mind boggeling, and full of gorgeous possibilities.

Thumbs up Twitter!!!
May 7, 2007

JonE
QOTD: Remember a time not so long ago when you couldn’t be reached. Yeah you remember those were good times. I miss those days. Thanks to technology I am always accessible. Yeah that sucks. Besides when cell become implanted in your hand or your earlobe, thats the day I jump off a tall bridge.
May 7, 2007

dublin
You sold me on Portugal wine, I gotta try it, reluctant at first but you got me. Good salesmanship.
QOTD: Matrix, enough said.
May 7, 2007

Harley Stan
Gary, great episode. I really learn alot from you. Just this weekend I had a bottle of wine that I was anticipating to be really good. When I finally tasted it, it was horrible, then I remembered a few episodes ago when you had a bottle that was “corked”. This wine tasted similar to what you described. Before WLTV I would have dismissed it as a $40 crap wine. Looking further at the cork I could see the lines going up the sides suggesting a problem with the cork, the whole experience was rather exciting now that I have some knowledge about wine. I have another bottle of the same wine to try next weekend just to confirm my suspiscion. Thanks.

QOTD- Have you ever left the house without your cell phone and felt naked? I don’t know what I did in the 80’s before I had one. Now days when I am feeling saucy I will intentionaly leave the house without my phone just for the adrelaline rush. I am sick, I know.
May 7, 2007

BV
Hey, Gar’ – you just read my question — what a kick!
On Twitter I call myself “Winepal” and you gave me an interesting Alsace suggestion for spaghetti & meatballs. If I can get to a store before heading home, I’ll give it a shot.
Thanks again for the Alsace tip!

Bill V. (Winepal)
May 7, 2007

SoCal
G,
Very informative episode.
I will be looking to try some soon.
QOTD: I signed up and love twitter….I twittered all weekend from Vegas. Not sure if anyone read my notes or not but it was fun.
May 7, 2007

GregL
Gar,
First of all Great show , I would never have tried a Portuguese still wine if not for this show.
Now for the problems : Viddler is constantly cutting out ,Quicktime works fine. The phone on vibrate has to go. Kahuna is right about the multitasking!LOL QOTD : People spending hours on cell phones are the worst ! They have no social skills !
Most extreme are the Bluetooth folks blabbing out loud like they are talking to the voices in their heads.
May 7, 2007

GeneV
Terrific episode and long overdue!. Portugal is my go-to value country.

I have been thrilled with just about every WL Portuguese bargain in the $10 territory.
You get old world and new world fun for nice money.

Great descriptions of notes I find in Duoros.

Too bad the last one was sold out before I saw the video.

Thanks again for the episode.
May 7, 2007

Andy
Looking forward to trying some great wine from Portugal. Thanks G.

Qotd…… Be careful for the big guy is watching and listening to us.
May 7, 2007

Nima
Great episode, Gary. I can’t wait to sample a couple of these. I know you were just in chicago a couple weeks ago, but I was wondering if you’re planning another trip for later this summer.

QotD:
I signed up for twitter and linked to AIM, but not my cell. It’s not really a privacy issue for me- I wouldn’t put up any information that I didn’t want people to know. Its more the fact that while technology has offered easier methods of communication, it also leads to more interruptions. I don’t need continuous updates of EVERYTHING thats going on. If I’m in a meeting, in class, at dinner or a movie, I’d rather be focused on the moment than getting twittered about somebody who proclaims “easy mac” the best mac & cheese ever. If I’m not doing anything important, I’ve usually got AIM going anyway.
May 7, 2007

leatherpalate
Portugal in the Hizzzzeeee.
QOD: Too much. I predict A.D.D. continues to skyrocket. Will there ever be a moment
that we spend in our future without some gadget in our hand?

P.S.Hey Gary BZZZZZZZ,BZZZzZZZ,BZZZZZzz

you may want to go silent mode with that shizel IMHO. Kind of like having a conversation with someone that keeps checking their phone BZZZZZZ. Still Rocked OUT BTW!!!
May 7, 2007

Dale Cruse
I don’t use Twitter personally because I just don’t find it very compelling. That being said, answering questions live like this is one of (if not the) best use of Twitter I’ve seen so far. I think it actually works for you.
May 7, 2007

geespot
Okay, I jumped on the twitter wagon, not sure if I dig it yet. Good episode, nice to see high end Portugal.

QOD: Aside from ID theft and privacy invasion, I think technology is leading us to a new evolution as a species. The rapid transmission of information will eventually get everyone ‘in the know’ as to where we, humans, are going. That’s a bit out there, I know, but think about it. Soon, we’ll be in a world where we can share more than information, we’ll eventually be able to share our personal energy, our ideas, feeling, spirit, with anyone who wants a piece. The next level. Are you in?
May 7, 2007

Fredinnyc
Twitter: strictly for tweeners
May 7, 2007

Jennifer
QOTD: Too many youth missing out on old school kid stuff (and adults as well these days)- spending too much time inside in front of a screen instead of taking time to be outside- in the presence of friends.
May 7, 2007

TimF
Do you want us to get fired from our jobs?

I hope you guys haven’t given up on the true live episode idea.

Is it too early to announce the Giants/Jets game tailgate on the show?

You need to find a new “bringing the thunder” equivalent. It’s a little on the lame side.

I had no idea that strawberry Big League Chew was classic.

I can’t believe you didn’t work the word “Classic” into Wine Library’s name.

A still wine tasting from Portugal and no COLARES?!? Shame on you.

Gewurtz with Spaghetti? Barf!!!

Nice air quotes with the word “broad” today.

QOTD: I’ve very worried about robots taking over the world like in the Itchy and Scratchy Land episode of the Simpsons.
May 7, 2007

Jon B.
Great episode Trying to keep up with the twitter thing I don’t know how I feel about it yet. Qotd I have no concerns with technology My concerns are on my ability to keep up with it. When I was at a different time in my life(before kids and wife and house etc.)I had plenty of time to keep up with technology. Now technology takes a back seat to the more important things in life(kids,wife,house,work,wine,family). I’m all for tech and what it does to make our lives easier and more enjoyable.but I’m falling behind.
May 7, 2007

Winodontist
GV, really enjoyed the wines from Portugal, I knew nothing about them and once again you have opened up my eyes.
I’m enjoying one of your Pinot Grigio selections while I write this.

Not sure about this twitter thing yet, is that vibrating going to happen every episode, it was kind of distracting. I’m not some old guy complaining either.

QOTD: My concern is that I can never be left alone. My wife always complains that I’m always taking a call from someone I work with or a patient while I’m home with the family. Technology has allowed me to do work at home rather than take out the trash. Sometimes I yearn for a less distracting life. But then I think about how I can watch some dude like you educate me about wine while sitting on the couch. So I guess I give the nod to technology.
May 7, 2007

TommyBoBo of WI
tks for the info on the Portugal wines,,, will seek them out.

QOTD: Technology? You tell me,,, how does sitting down to over 2000 emails from total strangers feel? vs sitting and having a personal conversation with your family and children?

Moderation, sure. Go spend a good week in Northern Ontario, on a fly in fishing trip,,,the silence is so strong your ears ring. Lifes pace changes,,, and you know what? you really didn’t miss a damn thing when you get back. So that’s really how wonderful technology is. There’s my fiddy cents worth.
May 7, 2007

njbabs
Duro, boo yeah. I’ve wondering about the Portuguese. Seeing as I love so much of what Spain puts out, I’ve always felt that Portugal would be a clear winner. now i just need to wait for my wine budget to open up…
May 7, 2007

Darlene O.
Love the episode on Portugal, Gary. QOD: Not a big tech gal. My profession doesn’t require techy knowledge and so I’ve never felt the pressure to succumb.
May 7, 2007

JoÃ£o Pedro Carvalho
Aleluia… Portuguese wine in WineLibraryTv.

Just a tip: Quinta da GAIVOSA not GAVIOSA and QUINTA VALE DONA MARIA… not DE MARIA

You must try a Touriga Nacional varietal.

And welcome to the Portuguese Wines
May 7, 2007

Boston Ben
As with all high-end episodes, I rushed out to look for… the low-end QPR versions. I first found out after accidentally typing “Duro” into google that Hoover has an unbelievable value-for-your-money Duro vacuum cleaner. And there were some high-value things called “Disco Duro,” described in another language (?! I got excited for a minute, foolishly thinking that I had discovered “Disco Douro”). After I cleaned up my search engine act, I found there are many academics with Douro in their name, in diverse fields such as plant sciences and sociology, all of whom provide better value than those pesky Portuguese wines. Talk about under the radar! Any suggestions for QPR Douro from folks? I’ve seen Lavradores de Feitoria mentioned, and that’s actually available at my local store.

The Gewurtz-Pasta pairing reminds me of my greatest recent pairing discovery: Rioja and Corn Dogs. Try it, and you will thank me. It will totally knock your socks off.

QOTD: So I’m on Twitter now, but gettin’ updates on the phone would be a little too much! I already have work that tries to suck all of the spare time out of my life – yah have to hide from your technology a bit. I also have to pay for text messages over the first hundred or so!
May 7, 2007

Martin
I drove a BMW 750i last week; all of its’ computing power was distracting and only took away from the enjoyment rather than enhancing it. On the other hand, Wine Library TV is a great utilization of technology!
May 7, 2007

Jen
QOTD: I love technology, and I love all the cool things we can do nowadays, but sometimes I get bogged down with the neurosis it conjurs.. Like, I’m always thinking about email, voicemail, MySpace. Twitter, Cork’d, texting– EVERYTHING all the time. I’m worried if I don’t get a return email, worried about who’s looking at my profile, who’s calling, knowing who’s calling because of caller I.D. then choosing to answer or not answer and WHY, when I post a video is it stupid?, do people think my pictures are cool? Am I sending the write email message and did I capture the proper tone? TIVO: am I missing something? Are the shows I programmed to tape REALLY taping? When will I watch this, that, the other!?!?! It’s all wonderful and I’m so glad we have it but if I think on it sometimes I want to go live in a hut somewhere on an island like on Lost, except without the freaky black cloud or the Others…… Good question, Vay Vay – can you tell I’m a little passionate about it?
May 7, 2007

Malarkey
happy birthday to me OK, after that shameless self promotion, I’m gonna ’seek out’ that there Douro wine.

I agree with the above: the twitter thing is fine, but turn the vibe function off.

happily drinking puligny-montrachet,
malarkey
May 7, 2007

Herm
Qotd: Sun spots
May 8, 2007

Wildebeest
QOTD: concerns!? I say, BRING ON THE TECHNOLOGY! It don’t scare me none. Though I do wish I didn’t have to devise a new password for every single new service I want to use. It seems like soon I’ll have hundreds of passwords and login IDs to remember.
May 8, 2007

tarheel17
As someone who will never be watching an episode when you air (you taped the show at 7:30 am my time!), I am, sadly, probably not the best judge of the value of Twitter.
Regardless, I love your enthusiasm and drive to make WLTV more interactive, and I’m sure it will work out for the best eventually, whether you Tweedle-dee or Tweedle-dum. I’ll still watch! I love the Portugal episodes. . .maybe one in the lower price range soon?. . .I’ve already blown my Birthday Money on a case of wine, and I don’t turn 30 until August!
May 8, 2007

JOEinLA
By the time I get to see this, the great wine is sold out…and twitter is a waste for me. Honestly, a big distraction and not an added bonus. We come here to watch you review and play the role on WLTV. I’ll go to the Forums if I want to know what the rest have to say…and I like it there by the way.

Thanks for enlightening me on Portugal.
May 8, 2007

JOEinLA
…funny thing about technology. More and more I find that people’s social skills are diminishing and thier thumbs and fingers do the talking. People won’t even say hello to each other anymore but they would jump on line a have intimate conversations with strangers. Hide behind the screen!~

What we need are the town squares of Europe~!
May 8, 2007

wm mole
GV brother, (as Hulk Hogan would say) way to keep things interesting with your rollout of Portuguese pleasures in a bottle. Also, bring on more of those sideroad food pairings, I’ll try it, at least once… Love the mac/cheese ep and the exotic recipes(especially the one with whiskey)
QOTD: I love tasting with you online and thanks to technology for that, but you can bet the Jets it would more fun in person.
May 8, 2007

KC Dan
Thanks for the portugal ep Gman . I will have to try one soon . Qotd Big Brother !!
May 8, 2007

Gregg Johnson
QOTD –
I honor technology, yes it’s a good thing. Good in a way that makes for a better society. Better in that it allows us to communicate practically in real time. Communication is the key to exploring where we are, extracting where we are from where we’ve been, so that we can move ahead into future technologies which are inevitable. This being the case do not attempt to stifle that which races towards you like a runaway train. Embrace technology my friend. It is your master, as well as your servant, and it will harness you until the day of your death.

Raise a glass of new wine to technology!
May 8, 2007

Steve-o
QOTD: The increasing use of technology is utterly inevitable and must simply be taken for what it is. Tech, like all things new, can be both helpful and hindering relative to everyday life. The intention is always helpful, yet the implementation can be more than frustrating for those who are not either willing to experiment or already fluent with the idea.

I suppose my point is that with technology, like wine, we must be open minded and willing to take chances while at the same time decidedly avoiding dependance.

My sincerest apologies for my flagrant use of the “royal we”.
May 8, 2007

Michael Palmer
I could agree more strongly with Comment 14 By Garret Nagle. Ditto Garret.
May 8, 2007

Michael Palmer
And I great show on the Portugal wines. That is what wine library is about. Learning about new wines and regions.
May 8, 2007

GlassRunnethEmpty
QOTD: Technology is a good thing. Things such as Twitter are a nice-to-have utility for someone who needs it. I personally don’t see the need for 24×7 contact using Twitter. Aside from the community aspect of Twitter, I’m not sure there’s a difference between it and any other web based text messaging.

For my life as it exists today, Twitter is a Pazzzzzzzzzzzz. I would suggest that for you, perhaps just leave the phone alone during taping and pick it up near the end of the show and answer the Qs….otherwise it becomes an annoying distraction to everyone.
May 8, 2007

Susan
Gary-
Super ep!
QOd:
I love and embrace technology
except
when it interfers with
actually speaking to one another.
If you use
technology that is no excuse to be a
jerk!
In others words, if you can use technology to be nice
and not a jerk and it helps interactions between people-
GO FOR IT!!!
May 8, 2007

Susan
That word would be interefers.
May 8, 2007

Capt M
QOTD: my concern is all the time that it takes up from my daily routine. My fear is not been able to distribute my time adequately and allowing technology to distract me too much from my daily choirs. Something I try to watch out for. Other than that, it’s all fun and part of our lives. Don’t want to fall behind either.
May 8, 2007

Capt M
BTW, excellent episode about wines that are unknown to most of us. THANKS!
May 8, 2007

ken
Nice episode. I have been singing the praises of Portugal table wines for a long time now. These are wines that I will have to seek out. In the meantime, a nice lower priced wine from Portugal is Quinta de Roriz, Prazo de Roriz. This wine DOES need some time and is not really ready for consumption now unless decanted at length. WL does not carry this wine but you should look into it.

I could be wrong about this, but I did not think that Mark Squires wrote for the Wine Advocate. However, he does run the ebob website which is a part of the Robert Parker Empire. As a non-subscriber to TWA I could easily be wrong about this â€“ Iâ€™m not wrong often but I could be wrong about this? Pleases let me know. Squires does write his own reviews which can be seen here:

http://marksquires.com/

QOTD: I am one of the most technologically savvy people around but it does concern me when people rely too much on the internet and other forms of technology with the belief that they will be able to accomplish everything that they want to Also, many of the new cars rely too much on complex electronics. In the future, the police will require you to go to a checking station where they can download stats about your driving habits and thus, write speeding tickets retroactively. Overall, technology is a great thing and makes life much easier.
May 8, 2007

Tom T.
QOTD – an Orwellian micro-chipped population.
May 8, 2007

RedLoverJim
QOTD: As things get faster and faster, I’m afraid that as a society we’ll lose sight of the things that can only be appreciated at a slower pace, particularly personal relationships with people.
May 8, 2007

D Banks
QOTD: You practically picked my future thesis topic! I’m concerned about an immediate turn to high-tech as the answer to all of our problems. We assume a linear progression of technological innovation when really we’re constantly picking and choosing from a multi-directional assortment of possible directions that we can follow. The result, is we get in a technological rut. A rut where a single bad idea can propagate itself and we build upon that mistake making it worse. As a society, we are afraid to return to earlier methods because we have the conception that if its in the past, it can’t possibly help us in the future.

Our energy crisis and climate change all come back to our suburban land development. We look to high-tech inventions and miracle fuels to deliver us to a carbon-free future, but we’re just putting band-aids on broken arms. We need to reach back to traditional neighborhood development so we don’t build our human environment to the scale of cars. We need human-scale neighborhoods with public space. Otherwise, these comment strings will be our last vestige of civil discourse.
May 8, 2007

wayno da wino
Gary, Great Episode (as usual)! Sounds like
another worthy place to explore!

QOTD: It’s a little MUCH. Thank GOD dis geezer
was born when he was. Comment #91 pretty much
summed it up!!
May 8, 2007

Takilma Kate
QOTD: It’s waste, trash, poisons. Let’s use this genius we have to design a clean system. I have no doubt we can, we just aren’t motivated to. What a shame. Plus I like being unreachable: get this: I have no TV and no cell phone! AHHHH! I’ll be sending you all good thoughts as I gaze across the flowering meadow at the high Siskiyou peaks out my window. (It’s a good thing Oregon makes great wines because this is a long, long way from anywhere else!)
May 8, 2007

Lb in KS
Nice ep, G.
Not sure if I should be concerned or not… I guess maybe I’ve actually got used to people scambling for their gadgets…so I guess the BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ…. didn’t annoy me? Love tech when I need the info…. learned to dislike it very much when people want ME. me thinks we all need our alone time….as I “fondly?” remember me 1st cell phone….. the one I carried in a big heavy fabric bag to carry the huge 2 lb battery, ah….those were the days
May 8, 2007

JimVarney01
That buzzing phone would absolutely drive me nuts…

Nice ep, good idea with twitter. I just don’t care to be bothered by it that much.
May 8, 2007

Acousticdoc
Gary,
I say bring back the weird tasting glass. You would get less heat than you are getting with Twidder.
May 9, 2007

Louisiana George
only problem i have had with viddler is that if i have to pause it, most of the time it won’t restart (freezes and won’t restart); i have to reload the page, start it and then move the cursor to where i left off.

Louisiana George
May 9, 2007

Freddy
interesting episode, too bad all the wines have sold out so quickly.
May 9, 2007

97brunello
i agree with the previous poster. When are you going to be getting more of thes?!!!!. I love Portugese wines.
May 9, 2007

Julius
Since the set is still too dark, I must assume that you don’t really care, otherwise it would have been fixed by now.
May 9, 2007

sharon
It’s just my opinion but the TWITTER is really annoying. I’d prefer not to hear it or be distracted from the real reason I’m watching your show…information on wines and wine tasting.QOTD: As far as technology goes it is way WAY overrated…Love some things but a Luddite needs down time from all the racket. Slow is good if not better.
May 10, 2007

kirk B
QOTD:emails are a half duplex communications technology. It is a giant leap backwards in technology. In the dark ages of computers, you would dial up a server on an acoustically coupled 300 baud modem and the machines would take turns talking. You can accomplish so much more by picking up the phone and having an interactive, full duplex conversation in real time. Use Skype if you want to throw technology into the conversation. IM’s are like talking with walkie talkies. Talking with these technologies is like talking at someone, not with someone.
May 10, 2007

Elliot Essman
The Twitter is interesting, but make it a once-a-week resource, otherwise it will take over.
May 10, 2007

nougat
Love the non-fortified Portuguese reds…today’s show not so much. The distractions were a pain and Gary’s commentary suffered too. Still a huge fan, albeit a lurking-hermit.
QOTD- Viddler, skype, twitter – man, there aren’t enough hours in the day to take advantage of all this sh**.
May 11, 2007

aaronT
Our favorite moment from this episode

cameraman: sniff sniff “mmmmmm”

Haha! Not sure why, but that slayed me!
May 12, 2007

TSchampaert
Great new design Garry! Kudos… . But, can you make it Mozilla-friendly? The page is all over the place. Need to do smth about your CSS place markers.
QOTD: I love new tech, especially telematic and domotic things, but I’m afraid that instead of bringing people together it is too often used to replace people. That’s smth I hate.
May 14, 2007

eatapc
I have a (mild) concern about the exhibitionism that the new technology enables. It’s creepy and unhealthy.

I love my computer but want my phone to be a phone and no more. (Well, maybe a PDA plus phone.) Twittering with a phone? What a waste of my life! (I do enough wasting of my life without adding that distraction.)

As to Twitter, I don’t get it. Seriously don’t get it. I didn’t like the idea of it but I registered on Gary’s recommendation. But I don’t understand what to do with it after that. I can’t figure out how to add Gary as a friend — all I see is a way to invite friends to join up by giving Twitter their e-mail addresses. That’s not gonna happen. I wouldn’t do that to friends.

Twitter seems like a cheesy, crappy, badly designed site. Like I said, I don’t get it.

On a positive note: Winelibrary TV is becoming very cool and full-featured. Great work, Gary!
May 18, 2007

Elliot
Great wines under 8 bones? Reallllllly….. Lay one on me.
December 21, 2007

No Face
Hello Wine Lovers! I have a bit of an off-topic question for everyone: Does anyone know of a website or a something that does exactly what Gary does except for Pipes and Pipe Tobacco? If anyone has heard of anything like that I would love to know about it. I’ve always thought the two went very well together – Wine and Pipes. Very classy. Mm-hmm.
July 6, 2008

Dessert Wine Nerd
Nice. Who doesnt like a mouthful of silk? Moss Man? You remember so much about your childhood its amazing. QOTD: I think its eventually going to get to the point where most people wont go out and do anything (beach, hiking,etc) because we will have far too much time spent wasting on useless technology. I actually know some that already do. Ha.
January 14, 2009

mdb
Accidentally crashed with this site!
Very nice Gary,!! but I could not help laughing when I eared “Douro, the next Napa Valley”
In terms of quality, everybody is entitled to his opinion, so I won’t make comparisons, but there is an historical issue:
Wine making was introduced in Portugal by the Phoenicians between the X and the V century before Christ was born, the Douro marked region of origin was the first one to be declared in the word, by the Portuguese king D. José I. in the year 1756.

regards
February 7, 2009

Robin C
I will definitely be looking into Portuguese wines.
QOTD: I tried Twitter, but it said that it would never send me a text message. No explanation. I have privacy concerns, but they are outweighed by the enriching ability to access so many areas of information and to become familiar with people such as Gary V.
September 9, 2009

Kalimahxo
What can twitter do for you?
October 21, 2009

dcpatton
Been doing twitter for a long time. Love it.

Great episode. Would love to see a new one on Portugal in 2009 discussing the different regions and where the value is now.

@dcpatton, @palatematch

Portuguese Douro Wines – Episode #232

Wines tasted in this episode:

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