Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Challenge

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Challenge – Episode #688

June 11, 2009

Gary goes outside and deals with the foggy, muggy, ugly day to taste 2 very respected Pinot Noir’s from the Anderson Valley in California.

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“The weather brings back memories of a dismal June. Catching up several…” by Dan-o
“Fun show, like the change of scenery. We had a fun drive up through A…” by Will Gosling
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Claudia Springs Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
2007 Black Kite Kites Rest Pinot Noir

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

222 Responses

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June 12, 2009

Phredd
Fun show. I love the head-to-head with similar wines, and even more that you went back. It can make such a big difference to the “set” of your palate. Very nice.

QOTD: Nope, I am cursed with being a sugar junky. If I have dessert, I don’t want anything more sour than a sauternes after it.

QOTD2: Cookie dough. I used to live right up the street from the Dreyer’s/Edy’s world headquarters and would have to drop in for a couple scoops after a hot day at work.
June 12, 2009

Agnieszka
Hi Gary,
Cool show (not only because of the weather). I would love to try some of the wines from Anderson Valley, but I guess it’s pretty impossible to get them here in Europe ( at least I haven’t found them yet).
QOTD2: couldn’t decide for just one so here it goes: campari ice-cream and mango ice-cream.
Cheers,
A
June 12, 2009

castello
Is Black Kite a picnic bird whine? I’m all whined up now.
June 12, 2009

Eric Z.
Hey Gary:

Great show, once again. Love that you’re being casual and flying solo and focusing on the wine.

Would love to see a show of Anderson Valley sparklers sometime: Roederer, Handley, and Scharffenberger.

Also would love to see a brown-bag tasting of either: cool-climate pinot from all over or cool-climate Syrah from all over (put up a Sonoma Coast syrah vs. Crozes-Hermitage).
June 12, 2009

@kraziegolf
sorry, meant to say 10:55 in, you dun did it… you cursed lol
June 12, 2009

@kraziegolf
Gary, I thought with the addition to your family (baby Misha), you weren’t going to curse any more? 13:31 in… you dun did it. Congratulations to you and Lizzie! Giovanni Calabrese: @kraziegolf
June 12, 2009

apj_bobswineguy
QOTD: Coney Island Waffle Cone!
I would eat almost a pint most nights after work & pass out. Turns out I was diabetic (haha).
I feel like a junkie everytime I walk thru frozen food section, eyeballing all those flavors of ben & jerry and haagen-daz or whatever (blue bell). I swear I get the shakes just thinking about it.
June 12, 2009

the unknown chef
Gary:

I was so glad to hear your revised take on Claudia after tasting Black Kite. ANYTHING we taste before tasting wine affects the wine, and in your case, even another wine. I’m really careful about not skewing my palate when tasting wines for work. But as far enjoying wine as a pairing, I really love to support what’s already in the wine with flavors that don’t change the wine’s profile but do play them up.

QOTD: Vosges’ Naga Curry ice cream.
June 12, 2009

my2cents
Now I thought they were getting plenty of notice up the road in AV. But in these times any and everyone needs a boost.
Very nice change of scene today. I wish you’d had more wines to try though.

My all time favorite of ice cream is coffee almond fudge! In about 1982 I used to make milkshakes with it and had friends lining up. We of course always used a big ass glass!
June 12, 2009

OldVinesJim
Good show today. Like all the different scenery lately.

QOTD #!: I definitely have to “reset” my palate after ice cream or other dessert. I usually go for a few chip, nuts or crackers though. Pickles only occasionally. It’s more about the salty than the bitter for me.

QOTD #2: Dulce de leche
June 12, 2009

David Mark Horowitz
Sac State? Come on, give Sonoma State a little McLovin!

http://www.roedererestate.com/ is making rip your face off sparkling there.
June 12, 2009

downtnmark
My favorite flavor of ice cream? Are you kidding me? It takes me 1/2 an hour to pick somethnig at Baskin & Robbins! That’s like asking someone with a big cellar what is their favorite wine.

Dude, if you do go to Anderson Valley, I would be glad to ditch work for a day and join you. Just give me 2 days notice.

As far as your wine comparrison, I don’t like one-on-one comparrisons which cross vintages because there are too many variables. The weather in 2006 burnt its mark into most of the 2006 vintage (zinfandel liked it, pinot suffered) and your complaints about the 2006 pinot are the same ones I have about the vintage in general. I had the 2006 Kite’s Rest and loved it, so much of this comparrison is also about style. The Kite’s Rest is more consistent year-to-year it would seem.
June 12, 2009

KevinK
Gary,

Anderson Valley does have some killer sparkling – Navarro and most especially Roederer Estate. Check out Esterlina in the hills for some great wines and Lazy Creek for Gewurtz. Husch and Anderson Valley Winery also good. Stay at the Boonville Hotel and eat there if you can. Great place.
June 12, 2009

GerryV
Great show Gary and I completely concur how the taste can be influenced.

Off topic,
Did I see holiday lights on the railing? If you’re going to leave those things up all year, you might as well use them next time.

QOTD1: During elementary and middle school I was known as the guy who ate his cafeteria desert before his lunch. Not because I wanted the desert more. In fact it was just the opposite; I wanted it least and was simply saving the best for last. Grew out that as soon as I stopped buying school lunches where they did not serve both dishes at the same time.

QOTD2: Vanilla

Salud
June 12, 2009

Alex from Montreal
GARY, I love the pickles after pie play. One of my all time favourites is pickles on my peanut butter sandwich. It’s awesome on rye with caraway.

QOTD 1) The dessert has to be ridiculously sweet for me to go with the bitterness of pickles, I often suck on lemons after dessert though.

QOTD 2) Its a toss up, I am a vanilla guy, French Vanilla all the way, but green tea ice cream is an up and coming challenger.
June 12, 2009

Carl Vidnic
Gary, I eat a lot of ice cream but this one is it: Licorice ice cream, White Restaurant, Hilton Hotel at Princes Wharf Auckland New Zealand. The best I ever had.
June 12, 2009

JOEYdaMUSH
chocolate chip mint…no doubt

the white….NOT THE GREEN
June 12, 2009

ValS
Anderson Valley is a gem. Gorgeous redwood forests, phenomenal rugged coastline, unspoiled and grateful producers. This place is worlds away from Napa. If you go there, you will almost always taste at the owner’s or winemaker’s house. You will get to know his kids as well as his dogs. Try Toulouse, Breggo, Londer, Phillips Hill or a very small producer Demuth. Claudia Springs is actually a much much stronger Zin producer. GV, Roederer (California) is based in Anderson Valley. Schaffenberger is another champagne house in that area. So they got you beat.
June 12, 2009

Lindsey N
Ironically my job title is assistant manager at an ice cream and pie shop.
QOTD:Mesh Green Tea and Cookies and Cream together and that would be it.

I bought a half gallon of blue raspberry sherbet today, for my mom. She’s really having a hard time since my grandfather’s funeral last week.

- Gary, If you could give a shout out and wish her well it would really mean a lot.

Thankyou,
Lindsey
June 12, 2009

melbourne rob
being from australia i have never come across anderson valley wines in any stores here so this was great to see what they are about. gary you seemed more at ease and less the showman today
someone commented before and i tend to agree – i liked the realness of today’s show

QOTD: might be “boring” but classic vanilla made from REAL vanilla pods.
oh and there is a place in melbourne that makes lemon, lime and bitters gelati – incredible on a hot summer day
June 12, 2009

sasha m.
Wined Up! Love it..

QOTD: Thai/vietnamese kinda play. had a Banh Mi sandwich today with catfish sweet relish and spicy jalepenos/ siracha sauce..delicious. pickles after pie.. not so sure

QOTD2:Mint chocolate chip
June 11, 2009

SacramentoCharlie
Taking down the forums to try and get us to watch more episodes ?
Nice Try !
June 11, 2009

@AndrewSansone
G – Oh, no! Are you one of those peeps who leaves the Holiday lights up all year round? Check the balcony…
June 11, 2009

@AndrewSansone
Like the new set! Ah, I love the city noise. Whenever I leave NYC for the burbs, I have trouble sleeping in quiet places. Cool episode.
June 11, 2009

Earline
So glad to see Gary giving Anderson Valley its due. There’s some terrific wine being made up there. It’s gorgeous country as well.