New Zealand and Australian Wine Tasting – NYC Week Day 2

New Zealand and Australian Wine Tasting – NYC Week Day 2 – Episode #727

August 26, 2009

Gary Vaynerchuk continues NYC Week by putting New Zealand and Australian wines to the test.

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Comments on this episode(191) Leave a comment ›

“Tohu Reserve Riesling…” by Ben Bradley
“I had The Stump Jump the other night with pizza, and it while it wasn’…” by GavinF
View all 191 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2007 Allan Scott Riesling
2008 Giesen Sauvignon Blanc
2007 D’arenberg The Stump Jump RedAustralian Red Blend

Links mentioned in todays episode.

The “Crush It!” announcement page

191 Responses

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November 15, 2009

Ben Bradley
Tohu Reserve Riesling
November 1, 2009

GavinF
I had The Stump Jump the other night with pizza, and it while it wasn’t too bad, it did seem to be like a Rhone clone. It only cost $10AUD so not bad for the price. I didn’t mind the flavour, and I might even try another bottle just to check.

QOTD: Best Australian Wine I’ve had (that I can remember the name of): Penfolds Bin 389, 1989 vintage
Best New Zealand Wine (I haven’t had a whole lot): Wild Duck Pinot Noir.
October 31, 2009

PeterB
QOTD:
Australian: Step Road 2005, NZ: none yet
September 3, 2009

Timothy Lusk
So, I just watched this episode on iTunes and even though it’s probably weeks old, I wanted to say that the 2004 Hawkes Bay Red Square Pinot Noir is my wife and my favorite New Zealand wine. It’s actually from our first date, but it’s unbelievable.

I hope others can enjoy it too.
September 2, 2009

stump
Lady in red. Wow.

Mott, turn the room mic off when Gary is talking. I thought I was having an acid flashback at the Giesen.

QOTD: Still relatively new to wine. When I started at it seriously about a year ago, I was amazed by Molly Dooker’s Blue Eyed Boy, whichever vintage it was that was released last fall. I’m sure my palate has since changed.
September 2, 2009

Heather
QOTD: Langmeil The Fifth Wave. Not sure which vintage – likely ‘05 or ‘06
September 2, 2009

JayZee
I could have done without the annoying echo and I still couldn’t hear the guests very well. The show was still interesting, though.

QOTD: Glaetzer Godolphin
September 1, 2009

Dana
QOTD:

Aus – Leasingham 2007 Magnus riesling For Andy W, a good dry riesling for $11 in PA so probably cheaper elsewhere

NZ – Kim Crawford SB a few years ago.
September 1, 2009

AMM3RD
2006 Staete Landt Pinot Noir (New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough) 6/15/2009 AMM3RD 91
91-92 Pts. This wine is super enjoyable. Bright red fruits with depth and balance. Fresh acidity, this wine never disappoints. Medium/Full flavor without being heavy. Medium/light color. Recommended in any vintage. Drink over the next 3-5 years…AMM
September 1, 2009

Benj
QOTD: NZ – Felton Road 2008 Riesling. I’ve had a few Rieslings out of Central Otago lately and liked them all. Also Saint Clair Godfreys Creek Reserve Gewurztraminer. Beautiful, beautiful stuff. Tastes like an Alsatian GC.

Aus – Torbreck The Factor 2000 I had last week, that was exceptional. I’m also a huge fan of De Bortoli’s “The Noble One” botrytised Semillon and all of Stephanie Toole’s wines at Mount Horrocks.
August 31, 2009

Andy W
Too bad these didn’t show better. I really don’t like Reisling much, but no one here seemed to complain about the sweetness, so maybe it’s worth a shot.

QOTD: We used to drink the bargain four emus shiraz. Wasn’t bad don’t drink enough from NZ or Down Under to know better.
August 30, 2009

Snarf
QOTD: tossup between 1999 Elderton Command Shirz and 2002 D’Arenberg Deas Arm Shiraz
August 30, 2009

Phredd
Gotta agree on the audio. You guys continue to do poorly in the road show audio. Study up, Mott. Gary has the scratch to get you whatever sound rig you need.

The lady in red is famous, now. She’ll be part of the WLTV culture for awhile, I’ll bet.

QOTD: Buller & Son Caliope Rare Muscat. Smooth, toffey, caramel, raisin. Delicious. Pricey, but worth it – once.
August 30, 2009

ChrisR
Gary, I love the concept of NYC week, and I wish I were enjoying the shows more for what they are, but the Mickey Mouse audio is somewhat ruining it. Not going to dissect what’s already been dissected in the comments, but just want to throw in my vote for using a boom mike. Or, if you really wanted to “Crush It”, you could individually mike each person. Hopefully tomorrow and Friday’s will be better.

QOTD: I’ve been pleased with a lot of wine made by Yalumba, from their inexpensive Viognier to their pricier Centrenario Grenache. I’d love to see you do another show on high end NON-shiraz Aussie wine. I really think that, much like every other new world wine region, year-to-year variation is huge, and you can’t knock a place based on a single vintage.
August 30, 2009

Neil K
A while back Gary, you said you were intending to come to New Zealand, is this still in your agenda?
If so, here is a must do list
1 Go to Kaikoura and get a fresh cooked crayfish at the roadside caravan.
2 If the weather is fine sit at the table by the carpark, looking out to sea.
3 Get some Griffins original snax crackers, and some Pams thousand island dressing.
4 Crack open the crayfish put some on the cracker add some thousand island dressing, take a bite.
5 Pour a glass of Kim Crawford 2005 Riesling, (not chilled) and drink.
6 Then tell me about paradise !!!
August 30, 2009

leiby
I know you didn’t mean to, but all the different explainations of things people were tasting on the D’Arenberg made me kinda want to taste it!
QOTD: You know me! Die hard Kim Crawford SB fan.
August 29, 2009

bigsemi
The chick in red was hot.

Love NZ SB’s. Can’t go wrong with a good ol’ Kim Crawford.
August 29, 2009

Vinacull
Gary,
I blasted the last EP, so for fair balance I’ll comment on this one because an effort was made to correct some things.
1) Still too many guests. Six seems like it might be more do-able and still give a representation of people from different walks and experience levels, if that’s what you’re intending.
2) The sound was better, but as noted by many others, was still mediocre. Although the reverb was annoying for approximately half the show, what bothered me more was that I had to turn up the volume to hear the guests, and even then I couldn’t hear some of them very well. For future EPs (most likely beyond this week) please follow the viewer comments on getting a boom Mic.
3) The orientation of the camera throughout the EP was clearly to your right (thanks Mott?), and when combined with her (gorgeous “Lady in Red” – like the 80’s song) leaning toward you on a number of occasions, was both entertaining and distracting.
Overall this EP was WAY (way) better than the last because each guest really did have something to contribute, and Gary your detailed descriptions were very helpful. Regarding the Stump Jump, we are big D’Arenburg fans, but the last one we tried was the ‘05 and I was hugely disappointed.
QOTD: For AUS, it’s like trying to pick a favorite child. Back in ‘95 we drank an ‘82 Grange, but I wasn’t WOW’d because it was still too young. Top 3 would be: 1) ‘02 Torbreck Descendant (sublime, ethereal after 18 hour decant) 2) ‘02 Integrity (Truly liquid sex in a glass. Much better than OTT MollyDooker COL’s, IMO) 3) ‘01 Clarendon Hills Romas (world class grenache)
August 29, 2009

monden
Hi Gary, nice set-up in the hotel. Nice energy with the group. One bad comment. I work in sound… The sound quality is really bad. we don’t hear your guests!!! And we hear you with a delay after the first wine, on your voice, The mic on the table is useless. Use a boom mic with a boom operator for the guests. At least, fot the recording of the show. I know i can get technically anal, but that’s my job!!! I’m totally into wine and actually am seriously right now considering moving to a wine region 2 hours south of Toronto, Canada in about 5 years, when i’ll be 55. Anyways, to make it short, like you always say, the importance is content. But after the first wine, i stopped watching, because i could’nt deal with the sound quality. It got better when you got to the stump jump red. The white version is actually pretty good. We pay 16$ for the white version. But, still if you have guests, please make sure we hear them, out of respect for them and your viewers. Thanks Gary. I still think you’re great and if you ever need a sound guy…. Lol!!!
August 29, 2009

DF
NYC women are the classiest dressers in the land. Nice show. Fun to see ordinary drinkers do a kind of focus group.
August 29, 2009

Howard
QOTD – I am a NZer so watched the show and read the comments with interest. NZ is cooler climate than Australia so can produce more nuanced, varietal wines than Australia, eg reisling an pinot varieties, but struggles to ripen Bordeaux varieties (particularly cab sauv) outside of limited areas such as the Gimblett Gravels and Waiheke Island. Te Mata Coleraine is the blue chip NZ Bordeaux-style wine and the vintages mentioned – 1998 and 2005 – are excellent – as is the 2007. We produce excellent pinot compared to the price of good Burgundies. I like Central Otagos – Mt Difficulty and Felton Rd rather than Amisfield or Gibbston Valley – but prefer the longer established Martinborough area – eg Escarpment, Dry River, Martinborough and particularly Ata Rangi. Syrah is the NZ rising star, more in the Northern Rhone model than Australian shiraz. Man O’ War, Dean K, is a good pick, but anything from the Gimblett Gravels is worth a try eg Craggy Range, Stonecroft, Esk Valley etc.

The Australian wine industry is also excellent with what they do well eg the Penfolds range and Amon Ra.
August 29, 2009

Patrick Horn
QTD: I’ve never had top shelf Aussie or NZ (ie Grange or Hill of Grace…)I do collect and drink more than my fair share of Aussie and my favorite for its combination of fruit, complexity and balance was the 2005 Parri Estate Shiraz (also some Viognier in it if I remember correctly). Fruit was sourced from the relatively cool Fleurieu Pennisula in S. Australia. The complexity on the nose jumped right out of the glass and I was in the Northern Rhone, but the fruit took me back to Australia. All this for around $15!
August 28, 2009

M
BTW the Matua Sauvignon Blanc is on sale in PA Aug 24-Sep 27. Good price and I may try it. I’m not a huge Sauvignon Blanc fan but I may ‘give it a whirl’.
August 28, 2009

Jeff R
Gary -
It’s all been said in prior comments – audio was poor for guest comments, the guests were a hodge poge – no idea if they were serious wine fans or not (didn’t care for that – prefer other non-NYC tastings episodes), echo all the lady in red comments posted.

Overall, fair show – somewhere in the middle or later end of the pack … you didn’t “crush it” with this fan. That’s o.k. … I don’t expect perfection.

QTD – Killakanoon Oracle 1999. This was the total package – strong but classy, powerful yet graceful. That was back when Oracle was their flagship, highest end wine and was available in Ohio – probably in the upper $30’s or low, low $40’s. Second choice was 2001 Marquis Phillips S9 – totally powerful – could see how many would not like the MP’s brand.
August 28, 2009

M
I’m a few days behind and trying to catch up.

QOTD: Amisfield Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand