Tasting Some Bubbly At Blue Ribbon

Tasting Some Bubbly At Blue Ribbon – Episode #370

December 13, 2007

Wrapping up the NYC wine tour Gary Vaynerchuk pays a visit to the Blue Ribbon Wine Bar.

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the Quicktime version.

Comments on this episode(224) Leave a comment ›

“QOTD: Oops, forgot Boekenhoutskloof’s ‘The Wolftrap’ Syrah/Mourvedre/V…” by richardvinifera
“QOTD: One of the best syrahs I have had is the Gemtree Tadpole Shiraz …” by richardvinifera
View all 224 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

Gaston Chiquet
Pierre Peters Cuvee ReserveFrench Brut Nonvintage
Jean Milan

224 Responses

Pages: « 9 8 7 6 5 [4] 3 2 1 » Show All

December 13, 2007

onemore
Ha! I knew champagne would be the feature of one of these on-location episodes. And thank goodness, because as I mentioned in yesterday’s ep comments, I’m far from highly knowledgeable on champagne. I’ve begun to ping wine shops for two of the three you tasted. I’m also putting champagne near the top of my Things To Research list for 2008 (”research” = “try lots of ‘em, probably several at random, research what I bought, jot down tasting notes, repeat cycle”).

QOTD: The 2003 Guigal Cote-Rotie Brune et Blonde is my favorite syrah.

I have three bottles of 2005 Amon-Ra (one I bought, & the other two were gifts). I plan to open one this weekend, then wait a few years to open the other two. Who knows, maybe this will be my favorite by Monday—but I doubt it. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blanket-hate Australian shiraz wines. (I like several of them, actually.) But it’ll be hard for any shiraz to win out over my favorite.
December 13, 2007

Joel M
Berrys Bridge 2004, kicks serious a$$.
December 13, 2007

RichE
Favorite Syrah:
Well for this week it’s the
2004 Nicholson Ranch Las Madres Syrah.
December 13, 2007

billyg
I enjoy Carina Cellars 7 Percent (7% Viognier).
December 13, 2007

The Fanjestic
QOTD – I think my brain exploded. I love Syrah and yet I can’t think. I would say Lnagmeil Shiraz but that’s not right.
December 13, 2007

Dominus
$10-$12 a glass! Now you’re talking, especially hitting the 90pt mark!

THIS is a good show. Thank you

QOTD: The NY sommeliers seem to have a fetish for Syrah? Actually, during my last summer’s “Sideways” tour I really enjoyed the Fess Parker Syrah. Yep, ole Daniel Boone makes some pretty good vino.

Cheers!
December 13, 2007

StockJockey
Great show, those guys run great restaurants in the city. Love the original Blue Ribbon.

Best Syrah? Justin Smith’s 2001 Saxum Bone Rock was incredible. This is some funky terroir:

The section of James Berry which produces the bulk of this wine (and gives it its name) consists of terraces constructed in 1990 on a very steep, rocky hillside composed of layers of shale. The â€œsoilâ€ is actually layers of rock, which are easily sheared, and this fractured composition allows the vinesâ€™ roots to go deep, and also provides excellent drainage. The name comes from prehistoric fossilized whale bones (left) found on the site, as the entire region was at one time the basin of a shallow sea.

I only had one bottle, but it was remarkable.
December 13, 2007

Michel Dugas
My top syrah up to now was Incognito 2001 from Cortes de Cima in Portugal

MD
December 13, 2007

Saubrey
Been meaning to broaden my champagne palette lately. I think I may have just gotten the motivation to do it.

QOTD: Not a big Syrah fan, but then again most of the Syrah I’ve had have been the “fruit bombs”. Planning on taking a browse through the Rhone options that have been mentioned.
December 13, 2007

Mandy
Such fun shows this week. You should come out and do the same in SF!!
December 13, 2007

Boozer
What an episode, keep trying it all. I really love reds but always have room for a white or port. The sparkling wines; an entire dimension to the wine experience and if you don’t explore it well you are missing out.

QOTD: My favorite Syrah had so many good one but in keeping with the theme of the episode … my favorite Sparkling Shiraz is Rumball from Australia.
December 13, 2007

Rock n Roll Andy
My favorite Syrah is the Garretson Bulliador Syrah. I think I spelled it wrong!!! It’s a new world wine. BIG fruit , and 16.7 alcohol. If you decant it , it drinks great. You can find it for about 60 BONES!!! This Syrah can handle my favorite, BONE IN RIBEYE’S. PEACE!!!!!
December 13, 2007

Capt M
Classy, classy, very classy string of shows these are. What a treat! Thanks Garyvee. Congratulations on a super job. This is a better end-of-the-year treat than free shipping. QOTD: Rusack Syrah, Santa Barbara, CA
December 13, 2007

Whipple
Social Projet Brian: ah-ah-ah-ah! Quelle si drÃ´le!
December 13, 2007

jason
love blue ribbon, drank some champagne last night with my wife for her big day. i guess i can say i am still learning my way to realllllly taste champagne. it is almost more about mouth feel for me.. way more than still wine.

QOTD: first off , love the question. it is starting to be syrah season. alain graillot is making some kick ass crozes hermitage.i have a bottle of the 05 of his son too, maxim. some wine geeks say he is making better syrah. i just bought a bottle of 05 CH from chapoutier. i had a bottle of talloulah 04 over thanksgiving. the US of A was impressing me. if i had some big pockets. i would buy a bottle of la meal 05 from chapoutier for a roasted lamb leg in 15 to 20 years. i still need to taste an older bottle (15 years +) of hermitage to see what it is all about.

great episode.
December 13, 2007

David Grega
Great show GV….I think you hit on a great topic…marketing!

How about Cognac…I have really been getting into Cognac and have noticed the huge difference between the big money big advertising Cognacs and the little guys you never hear about….perhaps there will be a Cognac ep? just a thought!
December 13, 2007

BobbyTiger
Nice show Gary! Don’t drink too much Shiraz, but I do enjoy the blends. Really enjoy the Callia Alta Shiraz-Melbec 2006 from Argentina. It is not a very complex wine, and find it very smoooooth for most occasions.
December 13, 2007

chenrys
O.K. so you got us thinking seriously about what to drink for New Year’s Eve. Great show BTW.

QOTD: We have so rarely had Sirah as a varietal. We drink blends, GSM is a favorite. So now we have to seek some out. We’ll be monitoring the responses from other Vaniacs to get some good selections to try.
December 13, 2007

sky
where’D MY HEAD go??? help me catch it!!
December 13, 2007

wine-ot
QOD – AMON RA 2005…99 pt. nose after 5 hr. breathing…thanks for the reccomendation on the 2004 amon GV…never bought it but its why i have some 05′!
December 13, 2007

sky
around here we have to make do with cava because our budget doesnt allow fr the extra money(tranzlashun)
December 13, 2007

sky
QOTD;LUCA without a doubt!! lovin tha growers tasting.’round here we haf ta make du with cava causin are budjets donte halaw forign tha extre monedas
December 13, 2007

Social Project Brian
Gary, if you were stuck on a desert island… just kidding.

QOTD: My favorite syrah? Really? After all that boutique champagne? Well, I love the Aussie Shiraz at all sorts of price points (Pillar Box, Marquis Philips, Two Hands, R Wines, D’arenberg blends… no, haven’t tried Penfolds Grange yet). I enjoyed the Koehler syrah from Santa Ynez (2004). I dug the Majella sparkling shiraz (got a couple bottles after GV’s review – great stuff! huge crowd pleaser). Also have some interesting little syrahs from Couteaux du Languedoc. I dig syrah.

By the way, here’s the newest online wine accessory, USB Wine. Check this out, it’s pretty radoolishious: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3jwe0_usb-wine-telechargez-vos-vins-en-di_fun.
December 13, 2007

Robert F
Amen on the champagne. Screw moet and clicquot!

QOTD: For me, syrah is all about the rhone. Guigal cote rotie is where it’s at
December 13, 2007

Palmer
QOTD: Failla ‘05 Estate