Alentejo, a Wine Region in Portugal

Alentejo, a Wine Region in Portugal – Episode #679

May 19, 2009

Gary Vaynerchuk tastes three wines from Alentejo and discusses the varietals found in this underrated region.

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Comments on this episode(342) Leave a comment ›

“Gary, PLEASE never do another Alentejo special. This wine region is on…” by Fabricio
“No to the mike, you sound great without it. Use it when you are on the…” by Rich
View all 342 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Cartuxa Pera Manca WhiteAlentejo
2006 Esporao Reserva RedAlentejo
2006 J Portugal Ramos Vila Santa RedAlentejo

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

342 Responses

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May 24, 2009

YoungDave
PORTUGAL!!! Absolutely agree 100% about the potential here, and I’ve been bringing in more and more inexpensive Portuguese wines on my list. The quality per dollar is straightup stupid. Can’t wait to hear about the baby!!!

QOTD: NO. I don’t see a need for it unless you go out on location because the acoustics in the thunder saddle room are fine. PLUS it would scratch up against your shirt like crazy throughout the entire show with the way you move!
May 24, 2009

Weston
qotd: Mic… I hear you fine, I hear Mott Fine… If the Mic takes away Mott then don’t do it!
May 24, 2009

Jon Regan
Hey Gary – QOTD: YES please!! Mic it up! Especially for the live audience shows. The background noise is almost bad enough to make me want to skip the episode (I know, unthinkable!). For me, much more of an issue than sunlight on the flipcam. In the office – the camera mic can be useful if you want other people’s comments picked up easily (Mr Mott, friends of guests, passers by). GV mic plus ambient mic.
Content is king – so I’m only worried if I can’t hear you!
THANK YOU for enthusing me about wine for the last couple of years.
May 24, 2009

Dave Lawlor
Hi Gary,
I have a 1 Pint of Genuine Port Correa Ribeiro.
The label on the back of the bottle says Port of t he 1937 Vintage
This rare Port was stored in oak casis since the time of the vintage and bottled in 1968. How would I find out its true worth.
May 23, 2009

Rafael
Hey Gary, I´m a new fan (from Brazil) of the show and was very happy to see you taste one of my favorites (Esporao Reserva). Great coments on that. But I got confused when I saw in one of older shows that you gave 89 points to La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino and gave this 92. I´m gonna have to ask you, do you give your scores based on price, quality or both? Cause for me La Gerla is much more weel made. Anyway, I´m a big fan of Alentejo. You should try wines from Cortes de Cima winery. They are big ones!
May 23, 2009

*/^_^\*
QOTD: i dunno. i am not an expert on these matters.

you cannot get much of the color with the white paper unless there is a thin ‘edge’ to see through. since i would imagine it would be a pain to lift up the camera and get an overhead shot with the glass tilted to the side, a more efficient process might be giving the glass a few swirls while holding the paper behind it. that ‘might’ work.
May 22, 2009

Gareth
never tasted anything other than port from potugal and after this show cant wait to try new things, loving Carmenere at the moment there is something about it to me.
May 22, 2009

thirstygreek
Great Show, you turned me on to Portugal and I have not looked back! Love it and agree the best bang for the buck I have tried so far. Thanks GV! If you read this keep your eyes peeled for an email from me (ya I know you get 1000s)

peace
@thirstyrgreek

QOTD : NO!! KEEP IT REAL!
May 22, 2009

monden
The Qc paradox: I agree with Dr Edwardo. In Quebec, this wine is cheaper than BC, i noticed that BC is really pricy when i was there in 2004 compared to here in Quebec but it’s still 11$ (26$ can.) more expensive here. And we do drink a lot of wine, espacially french wines here. I would buy it and probably will but to me, this is a price barrier where i drink this kind of wine once every 2 months or every month on a special occasion. But at least, we can find it here! Most of the wines i see on the show, we don’t have here. The Vila Santa is a bit cheaper, but still 24$ can. We have the same kind of monopol government based and owned liquor board, i think they really kill us with the prices. My consolation is to think that some of the profits are reinvested in goverment funds, like health care, wich is quite decent here, not perfect, but totally free. Anyways, my biggest disapointment when i watch your show is when i get excited when you talk about a wine and then when i look fot it here, it almost never is available or twice as expensive if it is. I still love the show. Keep up the good work.

QOTD: I don’t really care about the mic issue, and i work in sound. What i do care about is getting good sound and in the case of the great one (gretzky) show, the wireless mic might have saved it because the sound quality for that show was bad. Great show, bad sound. Still enjoyed it. Would have more with better sound.
May 22, 2009

Smalls
QOTD No mic in the office, i think it gives the show it fantastic character
May 22, 2009

DrEdwardo
The BC (British Columbia) Paradox:

Apparently, BC’ers, along with Quebeckers, are the highest per capita consumers of wine in North America; yet we have (probably) the highest prices.

The Esporao Reserva Red that sells for US$15 (~C$18) at winelibrary sells for C$36 (~US$29) by the state-owned quasi-monopoly retailer: http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/906446 . Almost twice the price!

Go figure
May 22, 2009

David Dadekian
QOTD: On location – DEFINITELY. In the office there you sound perfectly fine, but I’ve had a hard time hearing you and guests when you visit places.

White paper helps but the angle needs to be correct or you get a ton of shadow behind the glass which defeats the purpose.

In general things are great and the content rocks. Thanks!
May 22, 2009

CareyD
Yes Gary, now that you guys have figured out how to set up the mic for good sound (without clipping), it is much cleaner and better. Just make sure you can handle multiple mics and mixing them right when you have guests.

Best wishes with the imminent arrival of the new baby! So exciting! That was me just 3 years ago, recently added number two (and final!). There was so much excitement and prep with the first child, I was able to manage and still do pretty well running my entrepreneurial business, but since adding the 2nd kid it’s been orders of magnitude more challenging. All worth it though!

As far as the show goes, continue to do the show, even if you scale back the number of episodes. I wish you every success in your many endeavors, but in today’s relationship-driven new media culture, you can’t really succeed without maintaining your base, or core audience. That’s key. I know that’s hard, and goes against ‘conventional wisdom’, but this is the new media/celebrity culture, not the traditional media of old. I know you get that, but don’t lose sight of it. You’ve done a good job to date!
May 22, 2009

innA
Interesting show as I like Portuguese wines, but I know very little about the areas. One thing that confused me was how you said they were like ‘Vin de pays’ – yet one of the bottles said ‘DOC’ on the label?

QOTD – I think you need to show both options on one show, otherwise it is hard to distinguish the differences.
May 21, 2009

Norm O'Genski
Love the last 3 episodes GV! Faster paced than usual… I think anyways.
Famous quotes like “a cow just dumped on the vineyard and “hippy it out” are exactly why I tell all my wino friends and clients about the show.
Also I would not like to see the show go commercial. It would be like late night TV with the ” for only $19.99 you get this, but wait, that’s not all.” Please, no Shamwow!

Keep it up and we’ll keep watching.

cheers
Normski

P.S. Don’t sweat not being able to answer all the e-mails. You’re only one guy…. now with a family. We understand.
May 21, 2009

Eric Holm
As an elder stateperson who saves a little from the SS check to try a bottle every now and then, the mike is a definite YES!!!!!!!!! You are clearer and more destinct and much appreciated KEEP IT!!!
May 21, 2009

Judee
Love the show!!! No mic. Sounds great
May 21, 2009

Deano
GARY GREAT episode…I hope i can find those last two wines for sure.

QOTD:
-No mic unless you are at a live show or somewhere that the camera is far away.
May 21, 2009

NY Pete
are you a daddy yet?
May 21, 2009

BillC
QOTD-
In crowd- yes, use a mike.
No crowd – no mike.

Will look for the Esporao.
May 21, 2009

Ricardo Venancio
Ohh… When you want to learn the pronuciation gimme a call… but very good effort
May 21, 2009

Ricardo Venancio
Loved the Show… I’m From Alentejo and i Say… There are many many wines to explore…

But i Loved your energy..
May 21, 2009

AT
no mic, unless you are in a big crowd.
May 21, 2009

Kevin
Still no baby news? Waiting…
May 21, 2009

Lawrence Leichtman
Love the mike. go with it. Had the Esporao Reserva Red 2005 at the big tasting and it along with 1 other Esporao were my wines of the cruise but I did not know how inexpensive they were. Even better. The Chrysea Douro was also very high on my list.