Washington vs New York Riesling Taste Off

Washington vs New York Riesling Taste Off – Episode #440

April 9, 2008

The Thunder Show is on the road! Coming to you today from Qwest Field in Seattle WA, Gary Vaynerchuk has a taste off between Washington State and New York State Rieslings. Does the home team hold the field for a victory or do the visitors come in and take one on the road?

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Comments on this episode(236) Leave a comment ›

“qotd: living in vancouver been there a couple of times, the drive down…” by Weston
“Howd you like our Seahawks ( our pathetic Seahawks with our backup QB,…” by Dessert Wine Nerd
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Herman Wiemer Semi Dry RieslingNew York Riesling
2006 OS Winery Champoux Vineyard
2006 Dr. Frank Dry RieslingNew York Riesling
2006 Long Shadows Poet’s Leap Riesling
2006 Sheldrake Dry Riesling
2006 Chateau St Michelle Eroica RieslingWashington Riesling

236 Responses

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April 10, 2008

Sleak
Great show, GV. Looking forward to future offsite shows. Too bad the ‘06 Eroica disappointed because some of the earlier vintages I’ve had have been quite good.

QOTD: My grandfather lived in Queen Anne so as my family traveled flew from Omaha to visit him every summer from circa 1980-1994. Some of the best memories of my life are in Seattle. Its also the site of my first tasting at a winery. We always would visit the beautiful grounds of Chateau Ste Michelle and have a nice picnic lunch and feed the coy fish.
April 10, 2008

sev
awesome show! I would love to see you at soldier field, go bears.

QOTD: I have never been to Washington, but I would love to visit either wine country or Seattle sometime soon.
April 10, 2008

pawncop
Good show.

Have never been to Seattle and it has been a long time since I have been to the west coast.

Recently tried a very dry Australian Riesling last week and it took a while for it to mellow out a bit.
April 10, 2008

Tony
QOTD: I was in Seattle last summer – if your in town, have dinner at the “Wild Ginger” great Asian dishes served family style – good wine selection as well. I also went to Mt. Rainier – very, very cool…especially being from NJ and never really being around mountains.
April 10, 2008

Kelly
Yes I have been to Seattle and loved it. There is a place downtown called “The Tasting Room”. Great place to go tasting lots of Washington State wines. Also enjoyed Pike’s Place market, the fish throwing guys and the Original Starbucks.
April 10, 2008

Jennifer
QOTD: No, but I have cousins who live there. Great show, GV.
April 10, 2008

SarahB
Never been to Seattle.

If you make it to see Weimer than you should check out Dr. Frank as well. I know you weren’t that impressed with the Dry Riesling, but they make some fabulous wine there. Look out especially for the Rkatsiteli.
April 10, 2008

DAveA
I am into Rieslings since my trip to Germany in November. HOGUE makes a great cheap one! Good show, liked the train! I’ll check for the local high school football field to see if they’d let us host you. Good show!

Loved the thunder (wind) noises, made me feel like I was in Tampa during summer storms. smile.

Horseradish covered clams, ugh? I must ponder…
April 10, 2008

Mike L
Great show, Gary! I’ve been on a Riesling kick lately. Yum yum!

QOTD: Went to Seattle once. It rained, I was on a business trip. So my first impression was meh but I’m hoping to go back for some personal/fun time soon.
April 10, 2008

TimCub
I have been to Seattle, and although it was several years ago, my favorite part of my visit was performing for the GALA Choruses Regional Festival at Benaroya Hall.

Great show, Gary, and keep it up!
April 10, 2008

MtnCharlie
Really like the location shows. Liked the Riesling head-to-head.

QOTD: Love Seattle. Almost as much as my home town San Francisco
April 10, 2008

Travis
Please get a lapel mike or something to cut the wind. Annoying!
April 10, 2008

Valentin
I’ve never been in Seattle but I will surely visit it when I’m in the UK next time.
April 10, 2008

TonyMc
Great show. Love the posting that notes that Seattle covered the spread. Wish I had thought of that.
April 10, 2008

Alan E
Just too excellent of a show to stay a lurker Gary. Just wanted to say how amazing I find your ecstatic passion about wine and this show still at such high levels after more than 400 episodes. I doff my hat to you sir.

QOTD: Flew into Seattle on my way to Vancouver and had a two day layover. What I miss the most is the salmon sushi – that sweet, succulent, supremely buttery slice of fresh fish that I have yet to find anywhere else.
April 10, 2008

CindyW
Awesome show, GaryV — almost as good as the one you taped the day before with all us Vayniacs.

QOTD: Too many favorite places to list here, but I think that if I ever move there will be two special things I’ll miss. 1. Riding ferries in the Puget Sound. 2. Wine get-togethers with the Seattle Vayniacs.
April 10, 2008

cgf
Great episode GV. I have been lurking for awhile, but wanted to come out and say hi. A wiemer riesling will do that to me.

I have had all those FL rieslings, and the eroica. We match up on our assesments. I have always been underwhelmed by eroica. I can’t believe you have not been to Wiemer yet. It is a great place. Hermann recently passed on the torch and sold his winery to his longtime assistant winemaker Fred. I hope to see the quality continue under his stewardship.

I have found that winemakers had more success with their gewurtz’s and semi-dry’s in 2006. It seems you do too. You were tough on Hermann’s 2006 Dry riesling awhile back, but I think rightfully so. The 2005’s, both from Dr. Frank and Hermann, rocked it in the dry style however.

Hope all is well. God luck with the other stadiums.
April 10, 2008

PA
I’ve been to Seattle, although I spent most of my time on the absolutely stunning campus of UW. It’s a really beautiful place, and the rumors of constant rain are planted by natives to keep people away IMO.
April 10, 2008

Derek F
Awsome show bud!!!!

QOTD: Never been there…sorry.
April 10, 2008

Cookiedds
QOTD: I am heading to Washington for the first time this October, 7 days in Walla Walla tasting through the offerings to stock my cellar.
April 10, 2008

Karl Laczko
Fantastic show, and to think we get this stuff for free!! The backdrop was stunning, the sound effects were great (especially all those trains!), and to top it all you do Riesling, and lots of them – very cool.

QOTD – No to either part of that question, maybe one day….
April 10, 2008

bigmay
Apologies if anybody else pointed this out but it looks like the WA wines covered the 8.5 point spread with a final tally of 268 points to NY’s 254.

QOTD: Only ever had a layover at the Seattle airport. Need to get out there and spend some time.
April 10, 2008

Steve B
QOTD: Not only have I been to Seattle and Washington many, many times, the last time I was in Seattle I chatted up Gary V at Taste Washington. Favorite part of the state? Probably the High Cascades, followed by the beautiful high desert country beneath the Blue Mountains, which also happens to be the site of some of Washington’s best vineyards.

The Poet’s Leap is truly extraordinary wine, by the way. You gotta try some!
April 10, 2008

Steve B
QOTD: Not only have I been to Seattle and Washington many, many times, the last time I was in Seattle I chatted up Gary V at Taste Washington. Favorite part of the state? Probably the High Cascades, followed by the beautiful high desert country beneath the Blue Mountains, which also happens to be the site of some of Washington’s best vineyards.
April 10, 2008

RnD
I love the head to head shows. The Eroica Riesling is one I’ve had in the past and always enjoyed. Haven’t had any 06 though, but your tasting has made me curious. Will definitely look for the Poet’s Leap. Keep up the good work.

QOTD: Been to WA twice, but never got past the terminal at the airport. They make some damn good wine though.