Rhone Rangers – Episode #308

September 5, 2007

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

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the Quicktime version.

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

Pages: « 7 6 5 4 3 [2] 1 » Show All

September 5, 2007

cgatesman
Dang it, Gary! Those better be boobies, and not what I’m thinking it is! Haha!

QOTD: I have not had a Rhone Ranger, but I’m sure up for trying one like all the other wines I haven’t had! I’m putting the Beckmen Cuvee Le Bec in my “wishlist”. It sounds very interesting!

Great show!

-Chad
September 5, 2007

Augustus
In my opinion nobody does Rhone in California as well as the wineries in Paso Robles. Paso is producing some really fabulous stuff in the Rhone style and some of it can still be found on the cheap. But, there is also plenty of good boutique juice to be had if you are willing to pony up the money. Cass does amazing things with Grenache and Mourvedre. Denner makes a Grenache so good that it makes the hair on my arms stand up – and their Ditch Digger blend is wonderful. Anglum has an amazing best barrel Syrah, cut with Viogner, right now. Even Robert Hall puts together a pretty nice Rhone blend for about ten bucks that works as a great everyday/dinner at home bottle. Though, old world lovers beware. Yes, these are Paso producers using Rhone grapes, but all done in a fairly new world style (which, by the way, equals DELICIOUS). In addition to the wines mentioned above, Adelaida, Edward Cellars and Tablas Creek (the Tablas 100% Counoise is amazing!) do fun things with Rhone grapes as well. Enjoy! Gary, have you had the Tablas Creek Rose? Best Rose in the US right now.
September 5, 2007

BW
QOTD – Rhone Rangers Rock !

I’ll admit, I am a huge New World fan, so there are a lot of Rhone Rangers that will make the New World fan happy. I especially like the Paso Robles region, where I have some connections, so it has a soft sport in my heart.

Personal favs -

Villa Creek Cellars – Favorite bottle is Avenger (65 Syrah 25 Mourvedre 10 Grenache). Also a super interesting bottle is the Mas de Maha – not a pure Rhone – tempranillo with Grenache & Mourvedre.

L’Aventure – A hybrid venture of bordeaux & Rhone grapes. Winemaker is from Bordeaux & could not make these blends in France (illegal to combine Rhone & Bordeuax varietals – GV – Can you do something about that?, you known, changing the wine world & all of that) – so came to the Paso Robeles region to do his thing. Love both the Estate cuvee & Cote a Cote (a true Rhone – about equal parts Syrah Grenache & Mourvedre)

Denner Vineyards – Try the Ditch Digger – 43 Grenache 23 Syrah 23 Mourvedre 8 Counoise. Owners are from Denver (my home town) so I have to give them some props! Seroiusly though, this is good stuff.

Linne Calodo – Sticks & Stones my favorite pure Rhone 62 Grenache 14 Syrah 24 Mourvedre. They also do some cool blends using Rhone grapes with Zinfandel (how very California !) favorite is Leone’s.

Tablas Creek – Really like their white Rhones – esp. Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc (mostly Roussanne) – don’t forget about those white Rhone Rangers!

Saxum – Finally, if you can get a hold of anything from Saxum & you are a new world fan, do it ! Very limited production & very hard to get a hold of but man is it good stuff! If you can’t get a hold of it, I have something for you to be looking out for in about 2 yrs. Saxum winemaker Justin Smith is collaborating with on a new project – 1st crush for commercial production will be this fall, so 1st release will be in about 2 years – Look for Epoch Estate Wines at that point. No garuatees, but they also a have winemaker from Harlan involved in the project & the land originally was part of the Paterevski (sp?) estate, which back in the early 1900’s was world famous for it’s Zinfandels. Anyway, look like they have a lot going for them. Big difference is they will be largely unknown when they come out, which will give everyone a chance to get on their mailing list before it fills up, as most of these high end , limited production outfits do.

GV, you requested paragraphs & essays, so I delivered ….
September 5, 2007

Kevin K and Amara
QOTD: I have had a few Rhone Ranger wines, but my favorite so far was a Saxum Syrah that was super tannic. -K
September 5, 2007

Norcal
QOTD: Love the Rhone Rangers. Feeling Jeffrey on the Twisted Oak (is that El Jefe in disguise?), also Unti makes great Grenache blends. Some of the blends from Tablas creek are nice too, and just tried their single-varietal Counoise (pretty nice, much lighter in body than I would expect from a rhone varietal). Beckmen, Domaine de la Terre Rouge, hmm…

Oh, and Pax. My goodness.

Some great Aussie ones that don’t taste overly New World-The Torbreck Juveniles is a great value, no oak, very unconventional for Australia. The Rosemount GSM is great too. Washington state, good times…

I’ll stop now. Enjoy my old state, GV!
September 5, 2007

Taylor
To give my 2 cents about the upcoming games Saints-colts, im hoping colts eat it hard and the saints win by 14, but more imoortantly that the pats end the weekend with a Big V, in this case its for victory, sorry Gary the v isn’t for vaynerchuk.
September 5, 2007

TheDumbPhase
QOTD:
I have yet to have an Alban that I didn’t like. The Seymour’s and the Reva Syrahs are really standouts. Shafer Relentless and Stolpman Hilltops are another couple of favorites. Have yet to drink a SQN. Some that I don’t like? Some recents I was less than thrilled with- Garretson Craic, Phelps Mistral & T-Vine Napa.
September 5, 2007

aktormedic
QOTD: Yes….I drink the RR all the time. However, you left out (IMHO) the BEST of the bunch, and a founding member of the Rhone Rangers (Which is actually a growers group here in california – http://rhonerangers.org/ )

Where were the Edmunds St Johns Wines!!! They have to be some of the BEST Non-French Rhone Varietal wines around, with aging potential galore! Throw them up on screen sometime if you have a chance!
September 5, 2007

KAHUNA
Any chance on tucking those few chest hairs back in the shirt for next weeks episodes-
September 5, 2007

Jeffrey
Where’s the Twisted OAK love!?
September 5, 2007

Piper
Ha ha ha – I had reviewed Beckman Cuvee last month:
http://www.corkd.com/wine/view/34095-Beckman_2005_Cuvee_le_Bec
I’m sticking with what I wrote, but it was great to hear your take on it!
QOTD: No paragraphs. No thesis. I’m keeping my answers bland from now on.
But I like some CA rhone varietals… Eberle makes a good one.
September 5, 2007

TommyBoBo of WI
LOL!!!!!!!!! CHECK OUT 4:21 ON TODAYS EP AND SEE HOW GV CAN MAKE HIS COLLAR DANCE WITH THE GREEN TANNINS COMMENT!! THIS MAY BE AS BIG AS THE SNIFFY SNIFF TALENT HE SHOWS…..
September 5, 2007

corkdork
I love the GSM!!! Low end to high end they all work for me. Marquis Philips and I will second the Langmeil comment. These grapes work together so well to give a well rounded tasty taste. Love it!
September 5, 2007

Bossman
Are you sure that NJ armpit sniffy-sniff emanated from the glass? The Mottster and I have declared a truce so I’m not insinuating anything (hey, this is YOUR third straight taping, right?) You never know, just sayin’.

Okay so the wine sucks but give Bad Habit some credit for trying to overshadow the lack of quality with an imaginative label and winery notes:

“Michael Austin grew up in a monastery on the outskirts of France. He was raised by a pack of wild nuns who taught him how to live on a strict diet of wine, cheese and real estate investments. Today, he is religious about only one thing – making great wine.” -Winery

Unfortunately, you can’d drink that crap, can you?

Okay putting my football picks in. always the fan of the underdog so I’m taking the Jets in your honor (but there’s no way in hell I’m taking them for the survivor pools THIS week.

QOTD:
1) No, can’t say that I have.
2) See #1
3) See #2
4) See #3
September 5, 2007

JimVarney01
QOTD: Rhone ranger… I had a Kunde… Valle De La Lune, it was alright, definitely a pretty decent blend of old/new world characteristics. That’s all I can remember about it though. Probably leaned towards new world more. I got it from Woot wine and it came with a Claret also… Claret was MUCH BETTER!!

Man, haven’t posted here in a while. Feels good to leave a comment that doesn’t say ‘first’ or ‘top 10′
September 5, 2007

Darrell T.
I’ve had many Rhone Rangers, the Beckman you reviewed 2002 vintage, Saxum, Alban vionigner and syrah, Rosenblum,Beaucastel,Copain and Radio-Coteau.
I enjoy the fruity spiciness of Rhones that compliment food so well, especially during the grilling season.
September 5, 2007

David Canada
What have you got the Thundercats doing to your boblehead….damn….
QOTD – Don’t think I have ever had a Rhone Ranger…..I am always scared about getting one like the bad habit and having to put it down the drain and waste $40…. I know….they are not all that way so I’ll give it another shot.
September 5, 2007

BiggRigg
Big game this Sunday.
Let’s Go PATS
September 5, 2007

Sassodoro
Top 25? Wow, you guys are fast!
September 5, 2007

Brandon
Great episode, Garretson and Beckmen where the producers that got me interested in Rhone wines. Any of the Garretson is definitely new world fruit-bomb, but Beckmen does some amazing upper end syrah and grenache from Purisima mountain. Two other rhone rangers I regularly enjoy, Andrew Murray and Rusack. Sometimes a little fire on the finish is good.
September 5, 2007

AmandaM
QOTD: I actually bought one yesterday and enjoyed it quite a bit last night.
September 5, 2007

Jeremy L
All about the rhone! had the le bec before and have enjoyed previous vintages. the paso robles and sb county rhones both have a lot to offer! completely different characters come out in the wines from the two regions. imagine blending the two! thats sneaky. my favorite rhone blend is the cuvee jeanne marie from foxen in sb county hands down. take it easy gary
September 5, 2007

Brandon M
Rhone Rangers?………..MY favorite!
September 5, 2007

BK
QOTD: Yes. I am not much of a wordsmith
September 5, 2007

MonkuWino
Why does he have a drawing of a bra behind him? And winking at people, no less.