The Pinot Noir Episode – Episode #317

September 19, 2007

Gary Vaynerchuk explores some Pinot Noir’s from different parts of the world.

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Comments on this episode(230) Leave a comment ›

“If you like Mayer-Nakel Spätburgunder (pronounced with a long-A, by t…” by Bonn Professor
“Good show. I’ll try a pinot in the future and try to dig it (hopefull…” by Dessert Wine Nerd
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Castle Rock Pinot Noir SonomaSonoma Pinot Noir
2006 Coopers Creek Pinot NoirNew Zealand Pinot Noir
2005 Ghisolfi PinayLanghe
2004 Meyer Nakel Pinot Noir AhrGerman Red Wine

Links mentioned in todays episode.

Gary on Conan

230 Responses

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September 19, 2007

Grapedigger
As much as I love good Pinots, I do hate their high prices…It’s rare that one come across a good Pinot for less than 20-25$!!
Cheers.
September 19, 2007

Michael
QOTD: I think the popularity of pinot noir and the rapidly rising prices has allowed some other wines values to emerge. So I guess I am not really mad.
However, my local wine merchant recently reduced the stock of all their other regions and varietals and quadrupled the size of the pinot noir section.
I used to be able to depend on them for at very least a great selection of italian wines. But, Hollywood is now determining what they stock.
September 19, 2007

Tom (vtjones)
QOTD: Mad is maybe over the top but it is unfortunate when the media pushes something beyond itself.
September 19, 2007

GR8Wine
I am mad, but not at Pinot (it’s not Pinot’s fault). In most wines there’s a rough linear relationship in quality to price point. Sideways created a hole between $10-$20 in Pinot. Pinots under $10 just aren’t very good normally. Any decent wine that would sell for $10 or more has pumped up over $20. Just my observation. I’ve found a few exceptions but my observation seems to hold in most cases.
September 19, 2007

Bigsigar
QOTD: I am not mad at Pinot. How could I be?

Pinot has suffered the same way many great cigar brands have since the boom of the early/mid 90’s. Top notch brands (i.e. Arturo Fuente) of cigars, that before the cigar boom were 2-5 bones a stick jumped to close to 10 bucks a pop. Limits had to be placed by retailers on quantitiy per person and some retailers cashed in by gouging on the prices. Quality became a factor as fly-by-night outfits began making cigars and luring away experienced rollers from the established brands with more pay. Crap brands hit the market at super-premium prices but were total dog rockets (imagine the visual). Then people got fed up with paying the artificially inflated prices for the top brands (and many of the fly by night ones)and the crap brands brought a bad name to cigars in general. The boom ended, the fad died away and things went back to normal, or pretty much so. The prices never came down quite as far as the pre-boom for the established brands, but availability did improve.

I expect the same can be said for wine to some degree. Look at the whole Pouilly-FuissÃ© craze/boom/bust of yesteryear and the Pinot predicament of today.
September 19, 2007

Tgatesman
QOTD: I would have to say that I’m a little upset with Pinot noir, but can you really be upset with it…it’s not its fault it is so good!
September 19, 2007

leatherpalate
no i love pinot.
September 19, 2007

winelover4ever
Lenny the movie to watch is “Sideways”…… It’s not the greatest movie…. but sure enjoyable ..specially if you watch it drinking some pinot noir…..lol
September 19, 2007

Amar K.
QOTD: I’ve never really had pinot noir, so I suppose I can’t be mad at it yet.
September 19, 2007

wannaBconnoisseur
Yes, a little mad at pinot, gotten so pricey for everyday that I find myself buying a lot less of it.
September 19, 2007

Matt the Lurker
QOTD – not a day goes by that I don’t give my Pinots a beating. Damn Pinot! You were all adopted! Now got to bed without dessert.
September 19, 2007

flippy
QOTD: Not mad at Pinot, no. Not really even mad at people who jumped on the Pinot bandwagon. When I worked in a local wine shop and the craze began, I recommended many Pinot Noirs in a variety of price ranges, being sure to explain the lighter body, earthier, complex flavours, etc. Most people still didn’t get it, or just didn’t like it.

Hope Ellen is/was (?) fantastic!
September 19, 2007

winelover4ever
Pinots are really getting out of hands now a days. A little bit mad about the rocketing prices lately, yes I am. The fact is that is hard to find a good and enjoyable pinot for under $30. I’m more concentrated in US pinots since I see producers are focusing in making better and better pinots. This wine is not meant to last for decades, and yes they mature a little in the bottle but not for so long. In other words you can not take advantage of long cellaring, however prices in the US market go up by the days. I have had exceptional pinots from Pisoni, Rochiolli, Littorai, William seylem, Kosta Browne, Siduri…. but look up the prices….. waoooo some of them are sold like a fine bourdeaux…… simply ridiculous ….. why ??? they simply don’t justify the price….The bad side of this…. I love pinots….So I have to keep searching and learning frorm guys like Gary before I get broken….. Jejejeje
September 19, 2007

lenny
Ok I give up. What movie made Point’s so popular??? I am not a movie buff, so I am clueless. I prefer books most of the time.
September 19, 2007

J Crazy
QOTD: J Crazy not mad. Not mad at Pinot. Not mad at Noir. J Crazy mad at 1996 Condado De HAZA. Smell like poo. Taste like s*&^.
September 19, 2007

jimbo rambo
I’m only mad because they left out this line in the movie:
“Oregon pinot is crap. Don’t drink it. It’s over priced unsophisticated swill.”

I truly miss the days when I was the only person on the Pinot isle.
September 19, 2007

christhegreek
Have to start by saying this is the first time i have ever been moved to leave a comment in a forum. What is happening with wltv and the ethos behind it is truly spectacular.
QOTD: Can never be mad with a grape that can show such a varitey of flavours, style and all round fun to be had. Every different bottle will offer a change to what has been experienced b4. Sideways brought a lot of people to wine which can only be a good thing, shame its such a hard job now to get people to try a merlot. More for us I guess
Could not stay a lurker for long
Bringing the thunder from the UK baby
The Greek
September 19, 2007

Martini
Mad. Yes. A little. Many people fail to appreciate the multiplicity of the Noir’s character. Some decry the Syrah-like heavyweight Noir from Cali as un-Pinot Noir or un-Burgundy, or decry Burgundy as too “earthy”, “austere”, or “light”, instead of appreciating how the Noir morphs from place to place (like Riesling) creating a diverse and beautiful population of unique individuals. The Noir exposes our palate and our (ever-changing) style preferences, and then those preferences expose things like our desire for status, respect, (believed) intelligence, among others.
September 19, 2007

Martini
Mad. Yes. A little. Many people fail to appreciate the multiplicity of the Noir’s character. Some decry the Syrah-like heavyweight Noir from Cali as un-Pinot Noir or un-Burgundy, or decry Burgundy as too “earthy”, “austere”, or “light”, instead of appreciating how the Noir morphs from place to place (like Riesling) creating a diverse and beautiful population of unique individuals.
September 19, 2007

laposte
QOTD:
Not mad at Pinot but somewhat at consumers who can be so easily manipulated by Hollywood.
September 19, 2007

Kid Winomite
Sipping on my first P N as we speak.

Mirassou P N for 8 bones and my untrained palet says it rocks so I ain’t mad
September 19, 2007

Piper
QOTD: I am in love with Pinot Noir, now and forever.
September 19, 2007

jcbphd
Enjoy your time with Ellen tomorrow, GV. All of this talk of sod is giving me flashbacks of my excessive sod-laying experiences this past weekend. That is some hard work!

QOTD: How can I be made at PN, when I love it? Sure I wish it were cheaper, more consistent, and easier to figure out which ones will knock my socks off, but that is also part of what draws me to PN. The mystery and the struggle make me crave it all the more. And when I do discover a PN that blows me away (like the Du Mol or Belle Glos) it makes me all giddy inside.
September 19, 2007

Subby
Ok, so you whine about lurkers not leaving their $.02 But what have I got to add? I’ve been watching for about a month, I’m 15, I can’t even taste wine, I’ve no opinion on how these all these wines taste, or smell, or cost, or their reputations. Nothin’ doing. Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t find the shows entertaining or the entire concept of wines and wine tasting intriguing. So, seriously, are you going to shove me, and people like me under the category of unresponsive, annoying lurker? If so, hey, give us something to comment on.

P.S. Yeah, I’ve seen the building your palette episode.
September 19, 2007

Scott S
Whoops sorry , typo—- Burgundy