A Master Sommelier From Germany Stops By To Talk Wine

A Master Sommelier From Germany Stops By To Talk Wine – Episode #605

January 7, 2009

Master Sommelier Hendrik Thoma from Germany stops by and chats wine, german wine and shows us his great personality.

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Comments on this episode(423) Leave a comment ›

“I missed the favorite song question at the end there. ,…” by Bob78
“Terrific episode. Great guest, great Bulava video tacked on at the en…” by Daria Kushmelyn
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Wines tasted in this episode:

1992 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Spatlese RieslingGerman Riesling
2007 Cartagena GewurtztraminerOther Chilean White Wine
2006 Becker Pinot NoirOther German Varieties
2006 Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling AusleseGerman Riesling

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

If you want to contact Hendrik

423 Responses

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January 9, 2009

Laurie in VT
Fantastic guest and episode. Thank you!
QOTD: Yes, possible, but not consistently so.
The collected clips at the end were hysterical. Mott at the end was just tops.
January 9, 2009

jonomck
God I love your shows like this.

Please, Gary, for the love of God

YOU HAVE A MASTER ON THE SHOW!!! LET HIM SPEAK!!!

That is all
January 9, 2009

Zinfreak
Hi Gary,
I’ve already commented on how monumental this show was. Bring back Hendrick!!!!!

But I can’t contain my glee because Banknote Wine Co just won Best-of-Class in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition!!!!!!

Its going to be a great weekend!!!!!!
January 9, 2009

pete C
Great episode. Welcome to Hendrik. Does he know Brian Julyan, another MS from England? Had the pleasure of meeting and dining with him and his wife on a cruise this summer.
January 9, 2009

Kevin K
Nice remix. I Love the Mott-ster at the end.
January 9, 2009

Kevin K
QOTD: I don’t think so. At least I haven’t had one.

P.S. Hendrik is perhaps my favorite guest so far. He seems so fun.
January 9, 2009

Doug
One of your best episodes ever, for sure! Please bring Hendrik back soon; you guys are great together.

QOTD: Only by accident; a great wine is inherently worth more than $8.
January 9, 2009

randyshakes
QOTD: Maybe

I like soccer. Can England take Beckham back now?
January 9, 2009

Pierre
Great show guys!

QOTD: It should be possible to do so in less known regions
January 9, 2009

JJ
Really enjoyed the show! Great guest- makes me want to be a master sommelier!

QOTD: No way, but you could find enjoyable wine at that price point
January 9, 2009

CABDRINKER
Great episode Gary – I really liked this one.
January 9, 2009

SoCal
Great Show!
The chemistry of this show was the best guest episode yet.
QOTD: NO
January 9, 2009

Dr. Dan
Great guest. Were you guys separated at birth?

QOTD: Perhaps, if you don’t want to make any profit.
January 9, 2009

Robyn
Sehr gut! A good drinkable wine under $8 is possible. I have no shame in going for Rosemount Shiraz and enjoying it. A complex wine under $8, I don’t think so. You guys are great. Gary, please keep this German dude around at any cost!!
January 9, 2009

Ray Barnes
One afterthought – the Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Spatlese is a superb wine and definitely a great demonstration of the ageworthiness of fine German Riesling. While I have not tried the 1992, the 1994, last spring, was delicious stuff indeed. Over the Christmas season we uncorked a 1959 Rheinhessen Auslese, which was still very drinkable, if a little past its best.
January 9, 2009

Ray Barnes
I wish you had let your excellent guest talk a little more, but overall it was an excellent show. I would suggest in the same kind of situation to let the guest give the names of the wines. That vignette at the end was fun and Chris’ final shot was well done too.
January 9, 2009

Michael Schoonmaker
Best. Episode. Ever.

I’m gonna leave a loooong comment, ’cause this episode has that much to love in it. A little context first – I’m a video game developer.

As far as a rating system goes, Gary, I’d be interested to see how the “Scrum” system would fare. In scrum, you try and give an initial rating to each task you have ahead of you on a scale from 1-21 of the Fibonacci Sequence. That is, you rate small tasks (or pazzzzzzz wines) as a 1, then comes 2, 3, 5 (medium), 8, 13, and a 21 is that 94 pointer from this episode – something that shouldn’t be missed. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a wine rated at 10 points, but it’s pretty easy for me to think of wines that would deserve a 1, and I’m tasting a wine right now that I think would deserve an 8. Again – the really special wines have a special category: 21.

QOTD: Yes, yes, and again yes. If you have a little extra time, check out indie game development. These developers are creating video games with the same quality as the $50-60 commercial titles, but selling them for $5-20. What fills in that gap? Passion. I find it impossible to deny my gut feeling that someone who is PASSIONATE (with my best Gary impression) enough can’t create truly spectacular wine and sell it for just enough to be able to follow their dream. If that person was that passionate, you’d see that wine at that price point or just above. Granted – not as many people would be able to enjoy that wine, sadly, but I think it would be a spectacular effort nonetheless.
January 9, 2009

Joel M
Way to mix it up GV. Hopefully, there will be more shows featuring people with other points of view about the goings on in the wine world.
January 9, 2009

J Crazy
QOTD: Sure.
January 9, 2009

J Crazy
RIGHTEOUSNESS!!! This episode, top 10 at least! I loved it, “Do you get soap?”

Answer: “No!” That’s a guy who trusts his pal.

The video at the end was f’ckin hilarious.
January 9, 2009

Lois and Greg
Absolutely a great episode. Good info and a lot of fun. Two guys you would enjoy hanging with, talking wine.
QOTD: Yes
January 9, 2009

Benj
Amazing show, with a fantastic guest! My LWS has like half a dozen of Donnhoff’s wines so I’m definitely going to be checking a few out (as soon as I raise the funds!).

QOTD: $8 is just under £6 at the moment I reckon. I have definitely had very enjoyable wines at that price point, but to me ‘great’ implies the possibility of legacy, and for that it generally needs the ability to age. That said, few people age cheap wine so maybe we just haven’t given them a chance yet! So I’d say good: yes. Great: perhaps, but very unlikely.
January 9, 2009

EricB
One of the best ever!!!
loved Hendrik, loved the wines, loved the video at the end! all classic
QOTD: maybe a once-off “accident” but not consistently.
January 9, 2009

John
Please nominate this show in the “best episode ever” category.
January 9, 2009

Rick D
Fantastically fun show. Really enjoyed Hendrik. Love the energy and the knowledge.

Once a month – absolutely a great idea.

QOTD: I have my doubts, but if someone could I would like to try it.