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
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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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September 6, 2007

YoungDave
QOTD: I’ve had some pretty good real (Cote du) Rhone wines, and one Australian GSM (that was WAY too fruit driven without the tannin structure to back it up), but I have yet to try a Cali Rhone blend. I clearly have my work cut out for me…the exploration never ends.
September 6, 2007

wildebeest
Dang. When I saw that Beckmen bottle, I nearly went through the roof. For a minute, I hoped it meant that you’d gotten more of their 2004 Block 6 Syrah in stock. But I quickly realized it was an entirely different Beckmen wine. Oh well.

QOTD: Dude, I live more than 200 miles from civilization. Where do you think I’m going to find a Rhone Ranger around here?
September 6, 2007

OldVinesJim
QOTD: Cline is one of my favorite producers and they are one of the original (OG!) Rhone Rangers.
- I love their Ancient Vines Mourvedre every year, which has a great mint/eucalyptus quality on top of dark fruit and dark chocolate.
- They use to release another Mourvedre called Small Berry Reserve that I also liked but I haven’t seen it in a while.
- On my last visit, I really dug their Los Carneros Syrah (smoky woodland aromas, muscular fruit).
- They also produce a Carignane that I’ve liked.
- And a GSM they call Cashmere (though I think it’s actually an MSG if you’re trying to represent the grape proportions accurately). It’s got nice mouthfeel and fruit, but doesn’t seem very Rhone to me.
- They do Rhone whites too – a Viognier and a Rousanne – but I haven’t been a big fan of these.

Check them out. They are New World, but not over the top in my opinion.
September 6, 2007

Travis G. Snyder
You are such the Darth Vader of the fruit bomb. DIE! DIE! DIE! evil one. I still kind a like your opinion though, cuz I hear it, yo.
September 6, 2007

Mike H
QOTD McCrea baby from Washington state. Doug McCrea is making some killer Rhone wines like Rousanne, Viognier, Mourvedre wow. Great wines to seek out.
Mike
September 6, 2007

jason
I am a big fan of both sides of the rhone, north and south. north being 100% syrah and the south being CDP can be any of the 13 grapes. these seem like a buffet style wine. it is the thing about american cooking too, it takes from everything and puts it together the way it wants. sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. maybe ranger is the key word here.
i am going to have to search some out here. the Beckman sounds good. i am really not into the Technicolor fruit though.
thanks for the show. good and informative. is anybody making a 100% syrah or a little 90% + some of that beautiful white wine?
QOTD: no “Rhone Rangers” in my cellar and none that i know of at the resto, but i have plenty of “rhone” wines… CDP, gigondas, vaqueryas, hermitage, crozes – hermitage, st. joseph waiting on the side.
September 6, 2007

Robin C.
That must be Randall Graham’s Rhone Ranger mask behind Gary. Last I heard, Randall Graham sold his Big House label and moved to the Rhone to do that organic farming where you bury cow’s horns by the light of the full moon, and then pick your grapes. And everyone was worried that he was going to make a joke of the biodynamic organic (or whatever it’s called) approach. I thought it was supposed to be something of a joke. Wouldn’t it be fun for the Vayniacs to have a French connection – those who would like to could harvest like Druids in the dark. I’ll bet that Randall could be talked into it, but face-to-face, real-time, not by Iphone or fax. Good excuse for a French vacation.

QOTD: we don’t have any Rhones at home. We’re working on drinking down the cabs. I like wines with grenache or granacha but I feel a little intimidated when I read a list of blends that I’m not familiar enough with to know what the individual taste is of each and every grape. I never order rhones at restaurants because the server never can tell me anything reassuring about them and I don’t want to get stuck with an overpriced boring wine. That said, I’ll try a Rhone (French if possible) the next time I go out, but it will be you-know-who’s fault if it’s not a success. (Jut kidding. I don’t hold grudges.).
September 6, 2007

Happy Wine Guy
QOTD: I like L’Adventure and Saxum. I like Garretson too but it seems his wines are not very consistent.
September 6, 2007

vivaitalia
I much prefer the GSM’s from Australia. You can get some stellar wines for great prices there. Most of the Rhone blends i’ve had from Cali have ended up smelling like bacon or some other meat that’s been left out for a few days. I’ve really been digging Vaqueras. There are some great values to be had there. They also offer a great balance of old vs. new world flavors. Much love for taping for us all week gary, the amount of time you invest in WLTV and emails is incredible.
September 6, 2007

ChrisR
Rhone Rangers? Thackrey, Thackrey, Thackrey. Who else blends 15 varietals so profoundly
September 6, 2007

mikeyrad
QOTD: So why should I buy a “Rhone Ranger” when I can buy the real thing at a similar price point?
September 6, 2007

TROC
Thanks for the honest Fruit Bomb review. I drink them now and then, but a memory they will never be. If I want Rhone style wine, I go buy a French one, Guigal is alway good.
September 5, 2007

AndrewB
I’d prefer a hoppy beer any day over a Hi-C, skittles, splenda, Rasberry Punch wine beverage any day, but that’s me.
September 5, 2007

ChuckD
What wine goes good with someone backing off their prediction that the Jets will win and now expecting a loss ?!? Hope you have a good vacation.
September 5, 2007

AndrewB
QOTD: No Gary, why would I waste time with a New World Rhone ranger that cost $15-40 when I can pick out any REAL French Rhone for what $6-$whatever amount who cares, they bring the thunder 95% of the time, I’m gonna be a bitch and only invest in old world until someone lets me taste for free a new world rhone ranger that shows me any thunder. California wines are OVER-priced and O-VER-ra-ted, except a couple pinots and we all know what happened to the price of those. Gimme a Spanish Monastrell, Hey Gary, do a MONASTRELL/JUMILLA Episode for cryin outloud! Rhone, Burgundy, Loire, Italy, thats where the thunder is folks. Old World fans! Who’s with me???
September 5, 2007

TWofPasadena
GV-

Garretson rocks! As do numerous wines in PASO!!! Bring us more!
September 5, 2007

Pastafari Pirate
QOTD: not yet, I haven’t. Hope to change that soon. Caw! Caw! (sept 16)
September 5, 2007

Vinsant
I have enjoyed a few Cigare Volants, but Randall is now in WA making Riesling.
September 5, 2007

t_moderne
woohoo top 200!!! again. Wow. On a roll!

QOTD – yes yes yes. Bonny Doon Le Cigar Volante, Beckmen’s, Qupe, Rosenblum, and others. Always thought of the Rhone Rangers as the rebel winemakers making blended wines using various of the Rhone varietals. Now it seems that any syrah based wine is called Rhone Ranger. I’m not sure if that is appropriate, even while recognizing that Syrah is one of the predominate grapes.
anyway – good episode. Nice to see the passion.
September 5, 2007

joeboo
Gary,
Background on “Rhone Ranger”, this term was coined to decribe a group of maverick winemakers and not the wine. This term refers to a group of men who pursued rhone varietals both in planting and winemaking in California instead of the more popular Cabernet and Chardonnay of the 1980’s.

“Rhone Rangers”:
Steve Edmunds (Edmunds St. John ) being a key member.
Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon.
Bob Lindquist of Qupe.
Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat.
Gary Eberle of Eberle.
Adam Tolmach of Ojai.
Bill Crfawford of McDowell Valley Vineyards.
Joseph Phelps of Phelps.

The current list of “Rhone Rangers” is longer, but these are the “founding”
members, early in the promotion and propagation of Rhone varietals in California.

See ya’

Joeboo Sanchez
September 5, 2007

JamesN.
QOTD; I enjoy rhone style wines, I have seriously enjoyed a 97 California Cardinal meritage, and the 97& 98 vintages of the Rosemount GSM was always nice.
September 5, 2007

Harley Stan
Gary, Interesting episode.
QOTD- I have had grenache from Australia, but I like the real thing from Rhone much better, just for the record I did not like new coke back in the eighties.
September 5, 2007

malbec maniac
Gary,
I’m all about the real deal. Right now I’m going through a Chateauneuf du Pape phase and have not found a California Syrah or Grenache based blend that could even come close. Depth of flavor trumps all! There’s just too much fruit in many Rhone “inspired” reds. Thanks for the great episode!
September 5, 2007

Grapedigger
Never had a Rhone ranger and I am not in a hurry to try one…I’ll stick with the real Rhone! Cheers..
September 5, 2007

hiliner
GV you bring donwntoearthedness to the wine atmosphere. i love this show? how about an ep on caspian sea vino? there are some serious wines coming out of eastern europe that get very little play. do it, and i would have to say OCHEN PREKRASTNO!