What Would Gary Recommend To You If You Stopped By - Episode #492

June 24, 2008

Today Gary gets visited by Vaun, one of the 1st winners of a contest on WLTV, the 1st widget contest back in December. He’s here and here we go. Let’s taste some wine.

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Comments on this episode(181) Leave a comment ›

  • “Wow, this show was awesome. Vaun rocked it, especially his Oak Monster…” by MattUD
  • “Awesome job, Vaun, way to represent the Vayniacs! I really enjoyed th…” by JayZee
  • View all 181 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Valli Waitaki Pinot NoirNew Zealand Pinot Noir play review at cork'd
2006 Alamos Seleccion MalbecArgentine Malbec play review at cork'd
2004 Killibinbin Cabernet/shiraz Cellar Release The Blend #2Australian Red Meritage play review at cork'd
2004 Robert Karl Cabernet SauvignonWashington Cabernet Sauvignon play review at cork'd

Links mentioned in todays episode.

181 Responses

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  1. about a month ago

    MattUD

    Wow, this show was awesome. Vaun rocked it, especially his Oak Monster, that really caught me off guard.

  2. about a month ago

    JayZee

    Awesome job, Vaun, way to represent the Vayniacs! I really enjoyed the show. Good vibe and Gary is great with guests (at least since the first 100 episodes or so). Actually, some of the best shows have been with fellow Vayniacs. Hey, how about a Vayniac of the Week on Laid Back Fridays or something like that? :-)

    QOTD1: Believe it or not, a nice cru Beaujolais is a great transition from sweet and white wines to red wines. If someone doesn’t like wine, I’m not sure what I would suggest for them to try first. If they are from America, you have to overcome the whole “soda pop” thing which usually means start sweet.

    QOTD2: Gary looked terrible with the “Play-Off Beard” so I cannot envision much for him in the way of facial hair. I think Gary’s face with a mustache would pretty much say “70’s prn star”. ;-)

  3. about a month ago

    ChiroGuyDC

    Cycles Gladiator Merlot 2006…my personal favorite. First had it at the California Grille at the Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World!

  4. about a month ago

    Daniel O

    QOTD 1: start with something sweet, like Asti Spumante, Brachetto, Moscato D’Asti, or White Zin, and then slowly, over time, reduce the residual sugar level. :-) As Gary says, people are seduced by the sweetness of dessert wines, so maybe an ice wine or botrytis affected wine with dessert would work too.

  5. about a month ago

    Kenny Dion

    Funny how a big guy like him loves wine.

  6. about a month ago

    dakotapaul

    This was a FUNNY show. Gary and Vaughn rock. A great combination. Loved it!!

  7. about a month ago

    Dan-o

    Really enjoyed the show.
    Vaun seems like a laid back guy who knows more than he is letting on about wine.
    QOTD
    - white - Gavi (thanks GV, had my first one on the road and it was nice)
    - red - a light Beaujolais (not nouveau) with the Gamay grape

    QOTD 2 - just say NO to facial hair!

  8. about a month ago

    IPv6Freely

    GO LEAFS GO

  9. about a month ago

    Serge Laporte

    ..Eurghh.. they are actually called “”snowbirds” .. not snowflakes”" Vaun.
    Btw, great episode and a cool, relaxed vibe, and a good guest.

  10. about a month ago

    Newman

    Trying to catch up on a week of WLTV, oh geez…

    Nice to see a fellow Canadian on the show. I concur on the matter of pricing, but I can’t buy wine south of the 49th parallel anyways (i.e. see drinking age), so I guess I can’t complain.

    QOTD1: Mission Hill Chardonnay, or Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Obviously I have to choose a white wine if it’s someone who’s new to wine. Both these have good flavor, aren’t too acidic. Overall I just really enjoyed them.
    QOTD2: Surprise me.

  11. about a month ago

    conscious

    Awesome job, Vaughn. Way to represent us Canucks (or your Stamps as it were). BTW, aren’t those who travel south in the winter, “snowbirds” or are they called “snowflakes” in Calgary? Gary you do a great job with the guests - I enjoy the mix.

    QOTD - I’d agree something sweet to get someone in the door. Moscato d’Asti, Riesling, Port, Icewine, etc.

    QOTD2 - 70s Porno ’stache.

  12. about a month ago

    Tommy Vernieri

    QOTD: How about the 2006 Beringer Vineyards Alluvium Blanc? It was nice and agreeable but also had a good amount of complexity going on. It might work to get non-wine drinkers started thinking, “hey this tastes good” and then by the second glass realized that there’s more going on there besides grapes and alcohol.

    QOTD: No soul patches please. I’m all in favor of bringing back a Jets beard though.

  13. about a month ago

    boegemann

    QOTD: Prolly Yellowtail Chardonnay
    QOTD2: Mutton chops

  14. about a month ago

    Colin

    QOTD - St. Emilion QOTD2 - FuManChu baby.

  15. about a month ago

    Steven E

    Hi Gary,

    Big-Time lurker here. Just started watching less than a month ago and am now ripping through the archived episodes. Loved the Torrontes episode (Jan. ‘08)- I am from Portland, OR to answer that QOTD. Loved your guest, and Canada for that matter.
    QOTD- It depends on what they drink, if a beer lover for example, I would start them off with a bigger red, Cab, Syrah, or something Italian. If they drink booze, lemon-drops or gin & tonics, I might try to get them to try a white, like a pinot-grigio, sauv-blanc, or even a torrontes! Its all about their palate.

    PS- You mentioned you are coming to portland (beaverton) on July 3rd. I am assuming the book signing is at 7:30 at powell’s, BUT a friend mentioned you might be at the World Market on the same day? Is this true? I am tasting wine at my restaurant that evening, but would love to pay a visit if you are at the World Market during the day. Thanks again for the show, my new favorite thing about the web.

  16. about a month ago

    Karl Laczko

    Good show indeed, although I’m ashamed to admit wondering too much on why Vaun didn’t wear something with longer sleeves? Good cork flick!

    QOTD1 - For a white I’d go to something from Alsace, one of their drier Rieslings or Pinot Gris. Difficult for a red, a non-wine drinker wouldn’t necessarily appreciate the tannin/acid in the same way, so I’d say something fruity and easy drinking, maybe a Sicilian Nero d’Avola or blend, or a good Rhone Varietal blend, how about an Australian Grenache?

    QOTD2 - Can’t see it myself, but hey, why not?

  17. about a month ago

    Von P

    How ’bout having another Von (I know he spells it differently) on the show I’ll do it any time!!!

  18. about 2 months ago

    M Knudsen

    Q1: Moscato D’Asti
    Q2: A Goatee would work

  19. about 2 months ago

    Cuse Wino

    AWESOME JOB VAUN! Great to have another pallate on the show-
    QOTD1- Zinfandel might be the best converter wine
    QOTD2- Rollie Fingers Moustache please

  20. about 2 months ago

    Jim in Atlanta

    Interesting to get the opinion of others who have different tastes than Gary. QOTD - A friend who is just starting to drink wine likes Australian Shiraz and sweeter Vouvray.

  21. about 2 months ago

    Sassodoro

    Good job, Vaun!

    QOTD1. I think Moscato d’Asti would appeal to many non-wine-drinkers. I have a friend who is French, who drinks no wine and eats no cheese. (And he is French! Is that allowed?) Once in a while he’ll try wines I suggest, and the only ones he actually seems to like are Moscato d’Asti.

    QOTD2. Yes. Maybe a little on the chin.

  22. about 2 months ago

    Pastafari Pirate

    Great show! Nice job Vaun! QOTD#1: Probably a Malbec - how about the rockin’ Terrazas de los Andes Malbec. QOTD#2: Naw, he’s better off clean shaven.

    It was fun to meet you Gary, at the Maryland B&N. Unfortunately, I was running low on sleep and worked 4 12 hour days that week already. Sorry for being a bit flat that evening. Caw! Caw! Caw!

  23. about 2 months ago

    YoungDave

    QOTD 1: For sweet cocktail drinkers: Moscato di Asti or a Riesling Spatlese or even Kabinett.
    For beer drinkers: heavily oaked Astralian Shiraz fruit bombs.

    QOTD 2: Two words- mutton chops.

  24. about 2 months ago

    French Wine

    Rob, wait until your French wine class. You’ll hear Gary’s pronunciation of Meritage there refering to a French blend.

  25. about 2 months ago

    Hugh

    Sauternes

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