Ruffino Gold Chianti Challenge

Ruffino Gold Chianti Challenge - Episode #251

June 7, 2007

Gary tries two Ruffino Gold wines, one from 1999 and the other from 2003.

Comments on this episode(154) Leave a comment ›

“Qotd - 2008! But if I was going back in time - 2001 or 2002 - Sophmor…” by thefanjestic
“Interesting - Vinum, Europe’s biggest wine magazine scored the 2003 Du…” by Valentin
View all 154 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

1999 Ruffino Riserva Ducale GoldChianti Classico
2003 Ruffino Chianti Classico Ducale GoldChianti Classico

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the Quicktime version.

154 Responses

Pages: [7] 6 5 4 3 2 1 » Show All

about 2 months ago

thefanjestic
Qotd - 2008! But if I was going back in time - 2001 or 2002 - Sophmore and Junior years at Texas A&M! Whoop!! Class of 2003!
about 4 months ago

Valentin
Interesting - Vinum, Europe’s biggest wine magazine scored the 2003 Ducale Gold Riserva 16/20 points which is very good. I have to buy a bottle and check it out.
about 9 months ago

Sam I
Oh one last thing because I feel like I’m coming off too negative with no suggestions on how to have improved the episode. I would have like an episode on why the 1999 vintage was so different than 2003.
about 9 months ago

Sam I
I’m not a huge fan of these head to head episodes really only because you did an episode on how vintage can affect wine earlier. I’ll let you go though because you toughed out all those tapings for us and I’m sure there are some new Vayniacs who haven’t seen the other episode.
about 10 months ago

Mike Erdely
Congrats on the cholesterol! I need to lower mine as well.

My favorite episode by far! I love Chianti and would love to do a similar taste test.

QOTD: I think my best year is 2007. My wife (10 years this June) and I are happier than ever. I’m happy where I am in my career and so is my wife. Ask me again next year.
about 10 months ago

JayZee
Nice little show, Gary. Congrats on your cholesterol triumph as well. Your LDL was BAAAADDDD. I’m guessing your HDL was pretty decent with all of the red wine you must consume.

QOTD: My favorite year? That is really tough. 1999 was a roller coaster of a year. My dad died in January, but I got married in May to the most wonderful woman on the planet. While the former event was sad, the whole experience was cathartic and I guess it is still the most monumental year of my Earthly existence to date.
about 11 months ago

Clifford J
Thanks yet again GV! Nice shootout, fun AND informative.

QOTD: Yup, like so many others, RIGHT NOW is the best time, and I hope that it is always so!

Hope you’re having fun wherever you are!
about 11 months ago

Jeff
I LOVED the episode! More mini-vertical tastings would be fun. I have only done a vertical tasting once (and it was only two wines) so I would really enjoy that.

QOTD: 2006 - I got remarried and my two children stood up with me. It was the best day of my life.
about 11 months ago

MtnCharlie
QOTD: I have to agree with so many people here. Right NOW is the best year. There have been many in the past and all with their ups and downs, but life is what you make. Kind of been forgeting that lately. Thanks all.
about 11 months ago

Michael H
QOTD: Two answers — (1st) 2006, b/c we had our first son and through a bit of initial adversity, he just turned one yesterday and he gets more and more awesome by the day. (2nd) 1989, b/c it was my first year in college and I met some of my best friends and partied like a rock star 7 nights a week.
about 11 months ago

bcyde
i loved mr. wizard! lol
about 11 months ago

Oregon Sipper
I would have to say that this year has been pretty rad. A new daughter (first child), found out I love wine, and I moved back closer to my parents…can’t complain.
about 11 months ago

thkorent
QOTD: definitely 2001. I spent that year in Italy - was my penultimate/ultimate year of highschool. Turns out it was also a really nice vintage in some of my favourite places like Napa, Tuscany and Argentina, so my cellar’s packed with 01s
about 11 months ago

Shad
QOTD-best year of my life…gosh…2000 was great because I met my wife and life just seemed to be more enjoyable all around…as far as wine goes…and its doesn’t seem like much, but I had a Peachy Canyon Zin that year also that showed me just an inkling of how fun wine can be.
about 11 months ago

Kirk
QOTD: What was the best year of my life…I almost feel wrong saying that it was 2001. Everything in my life was going well that year with the acception to 9/11. Even as large a tradgedy as it was it still could not overshadow the positive aspects of my life that year. Military promotion, Travel to Thailand, seeing Tool in concert for the first time (When are we going to see Maynard on here again?), meeting the woman that was a very special part of my life that year and still now as a friend…it all came together for me that year. It was also arguably the best year Cali has seen in wine since 2000-present. I have very few 2001’s left in my collection (Spain, Italy, California) but I treasure all of them as I treasured that year. Thanks for a trip down memory lane….it’s been fun for me.
about 11 months ago

Wine Lush
Each year keeps getting better and better. I was digging the late 20’s though
about 11 months ago

Grapedigger
Best year for me was 2000: 1) got my postgraduate degree, 2) my first daughter was born, 3) and Bordeaux produced a GREAT vintage…
Cheers,

Grapedigger - Montreal
about 11 months ago

Kathleen Lisson
Gary,
My best year is THIS year of course! Life keeps on getting better, I am in love, I enjoy my job, I get to help people and I got to travel to a few vineyards and meet a few totally awesome people.
Being an adult is way better than being a kid. I went to the wine bar tonight. I get to foster dogs. I get to fly to San Francisco. I can eat ice cream for dinner and I have no bedtime.
Kathleen
Albany, NY
about 11 months ago

tarheel17
I like to watch all the episodes, of course, but I especially like it when you ‘change it up’ a bit. Thanks!
My best year was. . .well, any year. Pick a year. I’ve had a blessed life. That is, any year except middle school. Uggh. That was no fun.

Megan
about 11 months ago

Billman
Congratulations on the cholesterol reduction, that is pretty remarkable. Is your diet/exercise program posted on the blogs somewhere?
about 11 months ago

patrill
Best year for me? 2007, and hopefully 2008. But for wine, 1988.
about 11 months ago

TagWorld Brian
QOTD: What age was my best age? Right now. Seriously, every age has tradeoffs (less responsibility, more free time, less free time, less money, more money, younger body, older body)… But things are all looking up right now (knock wood), so I wouldn’t trade for anything.
about 11 months ago

mcj
QOTD: Most of them have been pretty good, hopefully the best is yet to come.
about 11 months ago

Ben Daniel
QOTD: at almost 39 I’ve had a lot of really wonderful years, but I hope the best is still in my future. When I was in high school the father of a friend of mine would come to football games drunk, talking about the good old days when he was in highschool, when he was a star football player, and I vowed, from behind the mouthpiece of a French Horn and sitting in the pepband, never to look back, whishing I was still younger and living the good life.
about 11 months ago

Dusty
i’m going off of the school calendar year, because that’s what i’m used to since i’m only one year outta college. I’d have to say two years ago, my senior year of college was my best. still in school so not many responsibilities. house just off of campus. fun stuff.

i really do like the head to head tasting. i have tried it, but only with wines that differ by only a year, not 4 or 5. probably taste more of a difference with the greater difference in vintages. pretty antsy today GV, lookin forward to the next few. never know what to expect.