Bringing the Thunder – Episode #240

May 22, 2007

Today Gary brings out some serious wines and shares some thunder with you.

Comments on this episode(184) Leave a comment ›

“I love this episode Gary!

“Bam! 40 bones! Gone!”

“So don’t p…” by John D.
“One of my favourite episodes to date, it’s just an enjoyable episode a…” by richardvinifera
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2004 Roger Sabon Le Secret Des Sabon Chateauneuf Du PapeChateauneuf du Pape Rouge
1999 Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Riserva Ripe Al Convento Brunello Di MontalcinoBrunello di Montalcino
1995 Vega Sicilia UnicoRibera Del Duero
2003 Chat Leoville PoyferreSt Julien

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184 Responses

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May 22, 2007

Brad
Quit wasting your money on crappy Jets Jerseys…especially w/ that pricey-ass NY rent/mortgage to content w/. Definitely concur on the Poyferre; my note from Executive Wine Seminars in Febrary blind:
Leoville Poyferre 2003
A boatload of Indian spices (such as curry, cumin and chili powder) filled the air so vividly, I assumed Cos d’Estournel due to it’s distinct spice profile. Flowers, rich cassis and mocha spice were present in copious quantities, clearly stamping Poyferre’s place on the ‘big time wine’ category. The loads of dark fruits and bitter chocolate simply wouldn’t quit as they sailed on the ripened-to-perfection tannic backbone. Unreal…just wait 5 more years and then see what happens. 99 points.
May 22, 2007

Justmarsh
Can anybody say NJ WLTV Tasting & Transformers showing? Sounds like the kind of event WL should be hosting… I’m in! Details, I need details GV.

QOD:

I think food and wine pairing is still pretty difficult. I always feel like I have do the classic style combo like pinot & salmon, spaghetti & Italian wine, cabernet & steak, etc. I guess I don’t feel comfortable experimenting.
May 22, 2007

Marc
QOTD: How can the Rhone and Spain and Chile grow the vines, tend the fields, pick the grapes, make the wines, load the ships, send them to the US, pay the tariff (are there any?), mark up the price at every point where ownership changes hands, and still make very good wine for $10 a bottle. Especially with the French stuff, considering their labor laws are every bit as strict as ours if I’m not mistaken.
May 22, 2007

Pauly
wine… TWO things that confuse me: the 100 pt rating scale and same varietals that essentially taste so different.

I don’t like the 100 pt rating scale, because the score essentially tells you nothing about the wine. What the score tells me is that the taster like that wine, and not necessarily me! I prefer the WLTV scale, like the ones we watch every (week)day. We learn the flavor and the essence the wine has and that is most important. It’s like the difference between reading a book or getting the “yellow notes” of the book.

It amazes me how the many Cabs can be so different from each other. How an Aussie Cab, essentially the same type of grape, can taste so different when it is grown and pressed some place else. Shiraz is some of my favorite juice but some California Cabs have come very close to tasting like Shiraz/Syrah’s. How? Why? Why ask why?
May 22, 2007

wolfie
qotd: state laws that govern distributors/retailers, and as a result govern the wines that are available to the consumer.

i want to know why there are restrictions on what i can purchase.
May 22, 2007

Chris
Great stuff Gary! New to winelibrary-tv.
May 22, 2007

vivaitalia
Awesome episode! Thanks for doing the frescobaldi brunello, I really want to try it and now I have a better idea of what i’d be getting into. I’m like the fourth person to ask but it’s been bugging me since the first episode I watched, what happens to the rest of the wine after you taste it? Does Eric get hammered? If so he has the greatest job in the world. QOTD: the appelation systems of any country, especially France. It’s like you need to to serious research just to really know what you’re looking at in the wine shop. Also how to know when a wine is ready to drink without having to open a bottle. I LOVE PICKLES!
May 22, 2007

Garret Nagle
Hi Gary,

Thanks for treating us today to a top notch episode. My QOTD response would have to be French regional wine designations.

(tangent topic)
When I went to one of my favorite wine stores two weeks ago, I purchased a Cotes du Rhone for 9.99 and a Louis Jadot Cote de Nuits Villages – Le Vaucrain 2003 for 20 BONES!!!

In what was my first entry into Burgundy, I was astounded at how polished and controled pinot could taste, compared to the Santa Barbara / Sideways in your face style of New World Pinot. I’m kicking myself for not buying two or three bottles of this stuff because I’m probably never going to find good Burgundy at that price again.

(This is the part about my question)

That being said, when I opened my Cotes du Rhone, I could see how people would enjoy the wine, because it was well made, but it was very light bodied, and was about 80% Grenache (insert sad face for my palate that wanted a more full bodied wine). To me, French wines are sooo hard to understand because they don’t usually say what the varietal composition is. Unless I ask someone, there’s really not a way for me to know if a Rhone wine is a see through Grenache, or a more full bodied Syrah.

I drink a lot of Old World wines, but I think I’d like to see more education on WLTV about how to read bottles from different regions in France…. because it’s not easy at all. For example, within Rhone, there is the north and south sections, and sub regions within, each having a different style of wine. Because I like to research bottles before I buy instead of just showing up at the store and saying I need help, it’s hard to know what to look for on the internet.

I’m starting to get an idea about what somelliers are learning about in school…..
May 22, 2007

dublin
Good show, I love the episodes that have you tasting wines I usually wouldn’t buy due to cost. I say this because when you taste $10 wines I know I can just run out and buy one on my own, but when you taste a $200 wine it’s a great service to me for when I want to buy that special bottle I have a better more informed idea as to which wine I’m going to chase. Thanks Gary, I really do appreciate it when you open sick bottles like today, it’s fun and insightful. Cheers!
QOTD: Probably how different yeasts affect the taste of a wine, not sure how many there are out there and what each one does to the wines flavore profile and/or texture. I always thought that it didn’t do much since non of the reviews I read ever provide the yeast info, unlike many beer reviews (especially Belgian) provide yeast info.
May 22, 2007

C.W. Miller IV
Maybe this topic / question has been covered before but what is the difference (generally) between and 95 point wine that costs $250 and a 95 point wine that costs $15 besides the price tag? Why would I pay more for a wine that is rated the same, say, by Robert Parker?
May 22, 2007

Jess Schload
Hey, great show, and my first time commenting. Hate pickles but love good wine. Most confused about the nose. I seem to miss so much of what you discribe. I will keep practicing. Thanks
May 22, 2007

JJW
QOTD: Burgundy wines. The classification system makes identifying grand crus v. premier cru v. village wines difficult (even with a map in front of you).
May 22, 2007

1855class
captivating episode!
question of the day for YOU, gary: what do you do with all the bottles left over after you tape the show? i happen to know this guy who really likes to drink wine…

qotd: i would love to learn more about the grapes used to make wine. how many different clones of pinot noir are there and what are the characteristics of each? another topic of personal interest is yeast. you seldom read or hear about yeast but i understand this can make a profound impact on the end product.
May 22, 2007

Matty Matt
So whats the something for the TV shirt. I should be doing something work related like building a model but took a 20 minute break to watch WLTV. I love pickles as does my 21 month old son. I have a picture of him with a pickel in one hand and an ice cream bar in the other. He was alternating bites.

QOTD – I find France the most confusing. Not that the wines aren’t approachable but some many regions to learn and not just Bordeaux vs. Burgundy vs. Rhone but within each region there are so many appelations. Then you layer on top that I have never heard of any of these places, all of the wines have names that are not familiar and sometimes hard to pronounce correctly and the lack of labeling and well you get my point.
May 22, 2007

Treegs
Most difficult: describing in words the nose & flavors of a wine. I don’t know how you do it…. but I can tell your comments come from the gut. nice episode.
May 22, 2007

Jonathon M Chicago
gary, you just cost me another grand!!!!!!!!!!!!

QOTD: Italian wines scare the crap out of me!
May 22, 2007

RuralTom
Greeting Mr Vaynerchuk,
Fascinating episode… From description alone I got a perfect snapshot from your tasting of what makes some wines deserve the REALLY high ratings and corresponding price tags. Indeed, I should have a wine this weekend that reminds me why I fell in love with wine. It’s a toss-up whether the wine of Burgundy puzzles me the most or is just the most frustrating; my luck turns up more Vega than Leoville Poyferre. Hard to gamble on my kinda budget.

Thanks
tom
May 22, 2007

Lb in KS
QOTD…Regions. How can one part of the world make grape juice different from another using the variety? That, and pickles. Pickles confuse me Question…no I don’t get pissed when you rinse, but, what happens to those bottles of vino after the show? I know none have been overnighted at a humoungous (sp?) discount to my doorstep…oh yeah one more thing, actually it’s one more word. how do you spell sylvulization?
May 22, 2007

Karl Laczko
2 rinses of Vega Sicilia, now that’s classy. Interesting to see that it’s not as good as it’s price and reputation suggest (I’d still kill for it though).

QOTD – confused about why Frnech wines confuse so many peaople, a couple of hours with a map and a half-decent wine guide clear up most of the problems (although Burgundy is still a maze when you try and break it down too much).

How does tuning into WLTV half a planet away workm fot the T-shirt thing?
May 22, 2007

yowens44
Gary- really into the episode, must have been a pleasure to try those 4 heavyweights. Confusing about wine: Burgundy. Everything about it. Whats up with the pickle shirt? BTW- saw the oak monster tee and my girlfriend and I love it. We’ll be in for two.
May 22, 2007

Dan G
Great show as usual Gary..

QOTD – Still trying to learn all the different regions in France and what they grow the best.
May 22, 2007

JustinD
Great episode, makes me want to buy a bottle of Chat Leoville.
QOTD: I agree with Neil above.
May 22, 2007

Neil
QOTD: The thing that puzzles me the most is the 100 point scale used in evaluating wines. Let’s say for an example, a ‘01 Ch. Pichon Baron scored 91 points. The 2005 vintage is currently in the 92-95 range. Are they both based on the exact scale or are they compared in light of the vintage? Both would exhibit characteristics that were similar (wine making style, etc.) and characteristics that were different due to the weather/climate. The 2001 retails for 69.99 and the 2005 is 114.99/bottle – on futures – and will probably be more on release! The wines’ scores vary by +/- 4%, whereas the price varies by 64%. Wine spectator blind tastes their selections several times before issuing a score. All things being equal, it would follow that the 2001 is a relative bargain comparatively.
May 22, 2007

wineSmith
Awesome show, makes me want to run home and grab something great from the cellar.

I am sanding on one leg while juggling knives. Do I get the shirt ?
May 22, 2007

John Blue Label
GV,
HUGE ENEGY SHOW!! Lots of fun. I agree we need to treat ourselves on occassion. It is so much fun to keep exploring the world of wine. QOTD: I get confused by Bordeaux: I know that certain areas tend to mix a higher percentage of a certain varietal in their wine, so I am not yet clear on where to look for the wine with the highest percentage of cabernet sauvignon, etc.

Anyway, rockin’ episode. Keep em coming.
JW