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 23, 2007

Fiorentina!
Hey Gary-
It’s been so long since I’ve had the opportunity to watch your show, I almost forgot how good it is!
QotD- I have a hard time with Germany’s QbA and QmP. However, I have no idea what is going on in China, Japan, North Africa, India or Bulgaria.
May 22, 2007

Ben Lee
Very good episode, Gary. I probably will never be able to afford these wines, but I still like to watch episodes about them. Great energy. Miss the tie in’s with stuff from our childhood. Remember, we’re the same age. Glad you brought the Transformers in on this one, Optimus Prime.

QOTD: For me, it is still two things: flavor profile and what makes a “good” wine. I still can’t seem to pick out very specific flavors and smells from the wine like you can. For the other part, an example would be what makes wines from Harlan Estates or Insignia great wines over something like a Greg Norman Cab-Merlot, which I love? Never had a Harlan, just using them as an example. What does it take to make the jump from an 89 point wine to a 96-97 point wine? What are you looking for?
May 22, 2007

ChrisR
wow what an ep. i’m fighting the urge to buy that 98 pt St. Julien beauty. Saving my money for the Benefit for City Harvest on June 20th.

QOTD:
Ok, well I’m totally confused by the Loire Valley. Chenin Blanc, Chinon, any varietal that starts with a “Ch”
May 22, 2007

PeterL
Gary–Great show. I still haven’t received my 3 bottles of 2003 ChÃ¢teau LÃ©oville PoyferrÃ© ($60) future–can’t wait. Thanks for the preview. The most confusing thing about wine these days is Italy. So confusing, in fact, that I mostly just stay away. I know that being an ‘old world’ guy that it’s my #2 region after France. But right now I’m studying all the subregions of Bordeaux and that’s already filling the little space I have left in my head. Maybe if Bordeaux would STOP having great vintages year after year I could spend my time and $ elsewhere.

Keep bringing the Thunder.

Peter
May 22, 2007

E
OK, so that’s what that question was about! Fair enough.

Perhaps some Bordeaux then, in honor of unity through Bordeaux, which sounds like a wonderful idea. Or perhaps something in honor of my dad who all of a sudden can’t drink wine anymore for health reasons, which is really a damn shame. So, to your and everyone’s health with the May WOTM.

But: I don’t think that cork’d link to the Sabon is quite the same wine. I’m just sayin’.
May 22, 2007

Alos Diallo
The thing that I find most confusing is the lack of relivent information on some french wine bottles, also how the wine is imported.
May 22, 2007

NathanN
Thanks for trying the Roger Sabon Le Secret Des Sabon. It was cool seeing you tasting a wine that I can only dream of tasting.

QOTD: What is in a bottle from Bordeaux? Is it going to be Merlot, Cab, Cab Franc? Are they all blends? Are some regions more Cab than Merlot? I can’t figure it out. I also don’t understand Burgandy are they all Pinot Noir?
May 22, 2007

ciaobarbara
What area am I confused about? as far as location goes…Southern Africa (besides the whole French scene). As far as topic – different grape varieties – vitis vinifera, lambrusca – making different grape varieties through grafting. etc.

Did you forget to tell us how to win the tshirt?
May 22, 2007

PeteC
Out to dinner with friends tomorrow. I think I’ll bring along a ‘97 Brunello we brought back from Italy in ‘02. Why wait for the weekend!u QOTD- just trying to recognize different tastes and aromas in wine.
May 22, 2007

Jon B.
Great episode that is huge, one day I’ll uncork a four bottle lineup like that… but for now i’ll settle for a little less.Looking forward to the weekend will for sure crack a few nice one’s now that you got me all fired up.. great show keep it up…QOTD french wines got my head spinning
May 22, 2007

KenP
bluescientist,
Malic acid, rather harsh, is converted into the softer Lactic acid.
Read this: http://www.winecaveinc.com/resources/wine/malolactic.htm
Someday you may be a scientist. Can’t cure you of blue.
May 22, 2007

glenn
i got “buffered” 20 times before you even got the Sabon to the screen. what gives?
May 22, 2007

Gareth
Greetings from the Cayman Islands! (Well at least from a born and bread Caymanian)

What happens to all those nice bottles of wine after you get done tasting? what about the bad bottles? You should do an out-take show of nothing but that.

Looking forward to getting into some good wine.
May 22, 2007

Michael
Gary, we got the whole family involved in this episode out on the patio, enjoying some very cheap wine. Your contrast was quite entertaining. My son Leo is a Vaniac, and at 9, its probably abuse, but since he eats nothing but cereal, he sees the world ahead of him in enjoing fine flavors. I gave him some wine to sniff and try, but to be honest, he enjoys the spitting more than anything. I’ll have to do a video, you’ll be proud.
QOTD: I think the relationship between price and quality, that’s the biggest mystery in wine, as always, does price mean quality?
May 22, 2007

Dave Canada
Gary, this was the best episode yet…right up until the part where you said that Patrick Ewing was better that Jordan…How many rings does Ewing sport (that one finals appearance was brilant??!?), how many MVP’s? Ewing is GARBAGE…….get a new team…the…..Knick…..BLOWWWWWWWW! DO you get the message.
Anyways, back to the show. this was vintage buddy!! This was why I watch, the love the enthusiasm, the keeping it real. I love it!!!
QOTD – I gotta say the scoring….it is all so subjective and I have had so many wines that were scored 90, 91 that I thought were complete garbage….If anyting these expereinces have taught me to follow you mantra, TRUST MY PALATE!
You are rockin’ it Gary, keep up the good work.
May 22, 2007

E-Rock
I love it when he brings out the big guns. Nice show I was disappointed in the Vega I thought it would show better than that.

QOTD = The most confusing thing about wine… Is those who love to make it more difficult than it has to be………
May 22, 2007

JoeinLA
Awesome Episode! NOW we’re gettin’ somewhere. Most of us can afford to buy an inexpensive bottle, risk it and taste on our own….and toss it if we don’t like. This kind of episode is great because these price points are a little more risky…and your review goes a long way. I had the Castelgioncondo reserva in my hand last night to buy but didn’t. Now I may go back and get one.

QOTD: I’d like to know more about declassifying grapes in poor vintages…and then which bottles get them! For example…02 Brunello grapes going in to the 02 Rosso?
May 22, 2007

njbabs
Ahhhh it kills me to see so much dumped out, even for the sake of humor.

If I could only afford these… maybe I need to change career paths…

QOTD: naming systems in the different regions of France
May 22, 2007

Harold
GREAT EP! I love when Gary tastes the good stuff but I have to admit that I’m jealous of the bucket. I’ll never be able to afford what was dumped into the bucket today.
May 22, 2007

geespot
Hey, amazing ep, I think the bucket was smiling.

QOD: I’m baffled by the merchanting/pricing of wine. There are plenty of great wines that come from small yield vineyards and end up reasonably priced. Yet, there are producers that can make thousands more cases and charge an arm and a leg for products that are only marginally better. Is it all marketing or is it middle-man markup? Are we, the customer, getting the short end of the stick when it comes to these ‘big name’ wines? More importantly, are the people that tend the vines, pull the weeds, pluck the fruit, climb into the tanks and scrub them…are they benefitting from the from the huge-normous sticker prices, or are the fat cats just laughing it up all the way to the bank?
May 22, 2007

Matthew Dunn
Gary, super show! I really like the message of gratitude you started the show with.
May 22, 2007

Wave
Gary,Rhones are my absolute faves.What CDP’s do you recomend in that $25 dollar range? Vacqueras or Gigondas as well.Help me out!Thanks in advance. Dave
May 22, 2007

Patrick
Gary love the podcast and found you via Diggnation.
May 22, 2007

amgryger
Holy crap Gary!

Great episode and I appreciate you tasting these wines for us. I too watched my yearly wine budget go into the spit bucket today.

Never had a Chateauneuf Du Pape so maybe the special wine this weekend will be one.

QOTD: I have started a tiny collection for aging and I am most confused about knowing when to drink these wines, and also, when tasting a wine how to know whether or not it has aging potential.
May 22, 2007

bluescientist
Great show,

I’m a scientist so I want to understand (but do not) the malolactic fermentation process. My friends who make wine tell me that this is the time they sweat: waiting for the “malo”. What is it and why is it so important?