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

Iron Man
QOTD: do I like Rhone Rangers? yes, Gary. I do. I like fat, flabby, low acid, high alcohol wines with tons of fruit and extraction and hardly any secondary nuances unless they come from the candy counter of a convenience store. “like twizzlers that came alive and beat the crap out you!” that my friend will garner an easy 94 from the man RP himself. Gary what’s 84 all about???

Disclaimer: I have not tried the Bad Habit.
September 6, 2007

Del Lasoul
Go Jets!
September 6, 2007

Sangio
QOTD – the best was a 2001 Topolos Rhone Blend from the Russian River. The winery had been sold and they had a Rhone field blend at closeout. The wine was tasted in the middle of a long day of tastings. It was very good and priced right. One in our group found out the blend included Alicante Bouschet and was very big on the wine. I split a case with a friend. When I got home and later opened the first bottle, it was awesome. I ended up drinking all 6 bottles within the next month – couldn’t put it down.

I have been searching ever since for a replacement, it was a perfect mix of sour cherries and spices.
September 6, 2007

JC
Ravenswood Icon eh
September 6, 2007

Roland Zahariades
The best, I repeat “best” rhone rangers that I have had, are both from Paso Robles. Edward Sellers ( both his syrah and cuvee de cinq) will make you cry!
Also, Terry Hoage (syrah/grenache and syrah) will open your eyes to this area! Roland
September 6, 2007

bradylite
Do you really want paragraphs? Started in the early 70’s with French wines and all the old Ridge field blends (fantastic bargains back then) and after years of Rhone loyalty (CDR’s/CDP’s mostly – good Hermitage was too dear/other village wines not readily available) my first RR experience was 15-ish years ago w/Bonny Doon Cigare de Volante – faithful replica of good CDP at a better price then, which became a fave (label’s humor didn’t hurt). Also dug their Old Telegraph. CDV’s style had drifted from tradition more recently, but I’d taken to Tablas Creek wines by then (though tried many others) – though prices were no longer favorable by the mid-late 90’s. I have forsaken most RR’s now in favor of the real things again – prices have reached relative parity re QPR, and both my wallet (and yes, belly) are a little fatter now anyway. Helps to be in a major metro area (DC) and a shipping-ban-free zone to get to all sorts of product. Rhone red blends are still one of my fave standby wines for cooking, and usually very compatible w/ varied foods. I was relatively late to the party on the whites – over 90% reds in our house – but have developed fondness for Tablas Creek’s blends – as well as the French. When it comes to Syrahs though, most domestics I’ve had (and I practically boycott Australia) are too extracted/overblown to my taste – CA and WA both, though exceptions (if only rarely values) do exist – Macrostie Wildcats come to mind, though I like mountain wines in general. Grenache is a grape vastly underappreciated by Americans, it seems, though it’s usually best blended IMO – really liked a Neyers recently though, and Spanish versions. In general – I think it’s important to be faithful to your mate, but you should be promiscuous as hell with wine – so I’ll try almost anything at least twice…
September 6, 2007

Wino4Life
qotd
v disappointed with Thackeray Pleiades xv or was it xvi recently…we didn’t even finish btl
can’t even think of a truly great cali syrah – possibly Ojai?? their pinots are some of my faves – 02***
from washington, l’ecole 41 syrah 02 was good
Cayuse & Dunham 01/02 are very very good, but they are not Rhone Rangers….!!
September 6, 2007

nolongeralurker
QOD: I’ve had one of Beckman’s syrahs before and liked it a lot.

Hey Gary, thanks for keeping the episode a little shorter today. Also, it was funny to see a little objectivity about your Jets! It’s OK to be biased about football….we only need your unbiased opinions when it comes to wine.
September 6, 2007

Gretchen
Hey Pablo, if your reading…
QOTD: Use to drink mostly Alban, but now Alta Maria and Native9
September 6, 2007

de Las
Fo’ real. Truchard 03 Syrah. Tastin so f-in good right now folks. Fo’ real.
September 6, 2007

Lawrence Leichtman
Didn’t see anyone mention the original Rhone Ranger of Justin. Have combed Paso for the best and had some good, some bad and some indifferent. Keep wanting to like Garretson but so far no sale. Tablas and Bonny Doone seem to do well but for the price none of them beat Rhone itself and most of the aren’t even close but I can go to Paso every year and can’t seem to get to Rhone.
September 6, 2007

Colin
QOTD: I’ve not had a RR – so thanks for the intro yo…
September 6, 2007

wayno da wino
Yooo, Gary, take no prisoners!!!!
Thought you was ’bout ready to punch
somebody out after slurpin’ dat Austin
Bad Habit wine!! But good advice,
“Why buy something for $36 when you can
get da same flavor profile for $10 to $15.”

QOTD: Haven’t had a Rhone Ranger in a looong
time. Last one was probably something by Zaca
Mesa Winery & i don’t even know if they exist
anymore?!
September 6, 2007

paul
QOTD Had lots of rhone blends from elsewhere. Recently I tried Pelican Ranch Trois Amis (KenP), which was enjoyable but a bit pricey. I am quite enamored with Core Wines. David Corey makes a variety of blends, some with traditional Rhone varieties. All have been very good.
September 6, 2007

Bobby
Gary,

I have enjoyed several vintages of Morgan’s Cotes du Crow for a value Rhone Ranger. Then stepping up in price Tablas Creek Esprit du Beaucastel in certain vintages can be very nice. High end I would say the L’Aventure wines are killer especially Estate Cuvee.
September 6, 2007

wlburk
QOTD: HAven’t had one, yet. But I will, I am young yet.
September 6, 2007

Deano
Hey Gary I hope you are having a good vacation. Good episode I will seek some of these rhones hout I saw you the other day when I was watching the mojo channel. I saw you on uncorked with billy merritt. Looks like you had some fun with him at your store. You are all over the place now Gary you are “da wine man” haha. Congrats on getting on his show I enjoyed seeing you on there.

QOTD:
-Havent had one yet
September 6, 2007

Johnn A.
Yo, Gary,
GREAT,great,great review and performance on the Rhone rangers..Yeah,agreed that the $$ Calif. hype machine and high price points make it maddening when there are soooo many good Aussie and even,I might add, S. African bargains out there. Goats Do Roam? It’s one of my daily go-to house wines that is a bargain of bargains at 6.99 on sale right now in the Boston area.And Pillar Box Red,another good one from Aus.is big and fun. Keep up the good work.
Yeah, Man.
Johnn A.
September 6, 2007

JerseyGirl turned CNY vayniac
QOTD: Sorry, haven’t had any Rhone Rangers that I can remember. But I have had a few real Rhone Merlot and Syrah in the $15 ranges. I didnt care for the Merlot (2000 Crozes-Hermitage) – way too much action and spice in the finish which you’d probably love, but I didnt care for. I did like the Syrah though (2000 Guigal Syrah) – it had good fruit, smoke and a surprising crispness on both the pallet and tounge. Good stuff, but I’d be interested to see what Cali can do with those grapes.
September 6, 2007

MetalDave
BW

It’s actually not illegal to combine Rhone and Bordeaux varietals in France. In fact, there was just such a wine made blending the wine from a well-known Right Bank oenologist and Syrah from the Cote Rotie. It was sold at a charity auction for a lot of money. Wines like this are legal to make, you just can’t use the regional classification, it must be labeled as “vin de table.” If you could use any varietal you wanted in the Rhone and call it “Cotes-du-Rhone” then the phrase “Rhone varietal” wouldn’t mean anything. If I bought a Nuits-St-Georges and when I opened it tasted a Cab/Merlot blend, I would be pretty pissed off.
September 6, 2007

MetalDave
I’m with you AndyB!
September 6, 2007

Dr. Dan
The only Rhone Ranger that I’ve had, I think, is the Adelaida Cellars Rhone Style Red, which several of us reviewed on Cork’d (http://corkd.com/wine/view/1829-Adelaida_2003_Rh_ne_Style). Again, Gary, I would suggest that you give their wines a try. Adelaida has four labels: Schoolhouse (mutt wine, 82-87 mostly), SLO (early maturity, 86-90), Adelaida (standard label, 88-92), and Reserve (just what it says, 90+). adelaida.com.
September 6, 2007

MetalDave
QOTD:

I had the Qupe Syrah a couple of days ago that I purchased in Dublin. I though it was very nice and reminded of some Crozes-Hermitage that I had. It wasn’t rediculously fruity, oaky or alcoholic. It went perfectly with our roast chicken dinner. I pain â‚¬22 for it which I felt was good because it was better than some of the cheaper Crozes that I’ve had. Plus I was very happy to find any decent American wine in Ireland – a true scarcity.

Many months ago, when I last visited home, I had a rhone blend from Stags’ Leap. I don’t remember what it was called, only that it cost about $45. I don’t know if it was because I was tasting several fruit bombs that night, but I remember it being very good indeed. It was definately New World, but certainly not an Old-World-Fan-Leave-the-Room wine in any sense. It was expensive, but considering how much better it was than a Rosenblum Petite Syrah I had, worth it on the occasion. I have a Stags’ Leap Petite Syrah that a friend brought me from Detroit that I will be trying soon.
September 6, 2007

luvgrapesqeezings
Good EP Gary!”….licorice on steriods” that’s a rich one.

QOTD: Had a bottle of the 2004 Joseph Phelps Le Mistral earlier this summer. Good full mouthfeel, ripe tannins, some length. There is too much vanilla (oak critter) covering blackberry and raspberry flavors though. To me, it is NOT a good value since it’s priced in the mid-thirties.
September 6, 2007

bpsancho
How bouts any vintage of McCrea Cuvee Orleans out of Washington.
Aside from being some of the nicest people int the bizz, they make kick
ass Rhone wines. Put that in your big olde glass and drink it.