Rhone Rangers – Episode #308

September 5, 2007

Gary Vaynerchuk focuses on the wines that are making Rhone style wines in California!

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Comments on this episode(171) Leave a comment ›

“Sad Gary? Sad Gary is no good. This is no good! I always hate it ( …” by Dessert Wine Nerd
“Cline Cashmere is a nice Rhone Ranger for $15……” by NateO
View all 171 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2003 Garretson “g”Other California Rhone Blends
2005 Beckmen Cuvee Le BecOther California Rhone Blends
2005 Michael Austin Bad HabitOther California Rhone Blends

171 Responses

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August 11, 2008

Dessert Wine Nerd
Sad Gary? Sad Gary is no good. This is no good! I always hate it ( for you, not me. Id still try a wine ) when you bust out a new type of wine for WLTV, and overall the show is a let down. I know youre trying to expand our palates and its sad when the wines dont bring it. That being said Im sure to try one in the future, which leads me to the…… QOTD!!!!!!: Ive yet to try one.
October 22, 2007

NateO
Cline Cashmere is a nice Rhone Ranger for $15…
September 15, 2007

Vinacull
QOTD: Like DumbPhase’s comment, I’ve never had an Alban Estate I didn’t like. Sometimes Le Cigare Volant is very good. Same comment for Tablas Creek. The problem is that there are so many Rhone wines to try that are interesting and generally cost less. The Beckman description for nose and palate in this EP was intriguing and will definitely seek it out.
September 11, 2007

MtnCharlie
QOTD: I am very interested in the Rhone Ranger wines and look for these. I was particularly interested in this episode because of the Beckman. I had bought a Purisma Mountain Syrah of theirs and really enjoyed it a lot. Seems we are on the same page. I found the Beckman very complex and not over the top fruit wise.
September 10, 2007

JayZee
Great show, Gary. But the Jets suck! The only team worse is my Browns.

QOTD: Rhone Rangers? Well, and this is ALL Ian’s fault, but since my trip to Paso Robles, I have been big time into the Rhone Rangers. I agree with you on the Garretson “G” Red, but most of Mat Garretson’s other wines kick butt. I love the Aisling Syrah, the Bulladoir, the Luascain, and don’t get me started on the fantastic Reliquary Red. Plus, his white wines are also really excellent. I like the Roussanne a lot and his Viognier is outstanding to me. The Marsanne is so-so. I also like his Grenache and his Mourvedre bottlings as interesting varietals.

You cannot go wrong with Tablas Creek. Neil Madrone, their winemaker, is doing great stuff. The Esprit de Beaucastel Red is very much like a fine CDP. His Rose’ is very nice as well. The Grenache Blanc is crisp and tart and really goes well with a lot of dishes, especially seafood. Nice acidity. I tasted a Counoise as well which I had never had by itself and it also was quite tasty and different.

Adelaide Cellars has some nice Rhone wines as well. I like their G-S-M blend and their Syrah. In Santa Ynez, you cannot go wrong with anything from Beckman. Their Syrahs are top notch and really bring the thunder. Carmody-McKnight also has a couple of decent Syrahs and one nice red blend.
September 10, 2007

Russ J
Another kudo to joeboo for pointing out that the Rhone Rangers are wine makers, not wines so unless you “know” some of them in the Bibilical sense, have you really “had” a Rhone Ranger?
September 9, 2007

wannaBconnoisseur
Great show!

Q: not had any rhone rangers that I can remember.
September 8, 2007

chenin
Never had a Rhone Ranger, except Languedoc/Roussillion and Provence wines.
September 8, 2007

Jeff Cleveland
QOTD: Don’t recall having one.

What the heck was on the chalkboard?????
September 8, 2007

Jim in Atlanta
I like Rhone varietals. Cline makes good, reasonably priced Rhone blends.
September 8, 2007

Andrew
Hey Gary, thanks for another good episode.

QOTD: Australia has a heap of ‘Rhone Rangersâ€™; I suppose you could probably call them ‘Rhone Bushrangers’. Apart from all the Shiraz Viognier blends we do well (Clonakilla and De Bortoli are my favourites), there are also a heap of GSM produced in the Barossa and the McLaren Vale. My favourite would probably be Charles Melton’s ‘Nine Popes’, though I think it’s only a Grenache, Shiraz blend.

Australia is also starting to successfully produce the Rhone white varieties as well. The obvious example is Tahbilk in central Victoria who have produced a fantastic, age-worthy Marsanne for decades. I actually think they have the World’s largest planting of Marsanne grapes. This wine is a cracker and can usually be bought in Australia for less then $10 a bottle (US $8). From the same region is another producer Terra Felix who produce a Shiraz Viognier, a Mourvedre and a Marsanne Roussanne blend, all of which are again great value.

D’Arenberg in the McLaren Vale makes a huge selection of wines, but is an expert of the Rhone blends. It produces a host of great Grenache based wines, but again also produces some excellent whites. The ‘Hermit Crab’ Viognier Marsanne blend is a favourite, but their straight Roussanne and Viognier are also pretty good.

The list goes on and on, but I would expect to start seeing a lot more straight Viognier coming out of Australia â€¦

Cheers Andrew
September 7, 2007

Matt the Lurker
Never use ass and crap in the same sentence!

QOTD – I’ve had Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant. That’s about it.
September 7, 2007

Matt the Lurker
:O
September 7, 2007

Andrew
Agreed on the Beckman.

There’s gotta be some confusion about Rhone Rangers and how they differ from field blends. I mean shouldn’t an RR be limited to Rhone grapes (of which Petit Sirah is definitely not). If you expand the QOTD to include non-Rhone grapes, I’d add:

Owen Rowe – Abbots Table blend changes yearly but always seems to includ Zin

– Morgan – Cotes de Crow

– Justin – The Orphan
September 7, 2007

mudshark
Great episode. The rant at the end was spot on, methinks. Keep up the good work!
September 6, 2007

DARREL LAS VEGAS
“FRUIT BOMB NEW WORLD WINE ”
Maybe America’s just not OLD enough for the “OLD WORLD” flavors!
September 6, 2007

David
Thanks so much for taping these shows in advance. Great show.

QOTD: I have had quite a few Rhone Rangers when I lived in L.A. and went up to Santa Barbara wine country pretty often – Andrew Murray, Rideau and Zaca Mesa are a few of my favorites.
September 6, 2007

James Roscoe
Steve Edmunds and ESJ wines. Beginning, middle, and end of debate!
September 6, 2007

Shad
Man, I hate playing catch up….OK, I’ve never had a rhone ranger, but I am always willing to give a rhone blend a chance.
September 6, 2007

GR8Wine
QOTD: As well drunk as I am I don’t think I’ve ever had a Rhone Ranger. I always try to go for the real thing. But I congratulate CA winemakers for going for something other than straight varietals or Bordeaux blends
Nice Ep and thanks for the heads up on the fruit bomb. The Beckmen sounds interesting; might have to give it a whirl.
September 6, 2007

MarkFarrell
QOTD: While I haven’t tried any California Rhone Rangers, I have had quite a few Australian. My favorites in rank order:

1) Kaesler Stonehorse ($20) – great wine year to year
2) Langmeil Three Gardens ($20) – right up there with the Stonehorse
3) The Stump Jump ($13) – good wine for college crew. I would rate 87-88 pts.

I had a bottle of the Kaesler Avignon which was hailed by Robert Parker as a great wine, but it came off super hot to me. The alcohol made me think I was taking shots as opposed to enjoying a glass of wine. I suppose it could be used for body shots!
September 6, 2007

flippy
QOTD: Had some nice RRs in Paso in June… we get some Rhone Rangers in my neck of the woods, but not a ton.
September 6, 2007

sharon
QOTD: maybe, perhaps, I don’t know, it’s possible.

Although some berry is fun, some chocolate is fun, Kool Aid is not. Your Beckman Cuvee le Bec sounded like it was right up my alley. Basil. Olive oil. Yum.
And after reading the New Yorker article about wine fraud
there is no way I am ever spending more than $20 on a bottle of wine. Especially if it tastes like licorice.
September 6, 2007

Beau Warren
Kudos to joeboo’s response….he got to my point before I did. Let’s not forget the pioneers of this movement, maverick winemakers tagged as “Rhone Rangers” after Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon wore a lone ranger mask at a photo shoot for a magazine. These guys paved the way for everybody else and actually ignited the rhone style wine craze we are now in.

QOTD—-Le Cigare Volant I enjoyed…especially the label and story on the back.
September 6, 2007

Ricky G
Been a big fan of Garretson wines for a few years…Rhone varietals …very big and new world. Garretson’s G Red is perhaps the
entry level red..their more substancial Cote Rotie-styled, age-able offerings
are the Bulladoir, and Mon Amie. Love thier Viognier as well.

Rg