John: A blend, definitely, perhaps a chateau-neuf-du-pape
Paul: A Burgundy
George: A red Bordeaux
Ringo: A Sauternes

great show. VERY interesting to hear your combined comments on Jancis. I've been drawn to her tasting notes more and more on the Farr Vinters website (London company). She seems more genuine and certain of herself. Parker appears to hedge his bets a bit more.

Q
John - DRC
Paul - Palmer
George - barbaresco
Ringo - grange

QOTD: How much time do you think I have??

Cool guest! I think it is interesting that people trust him with pretty large sums of money for wine investments when he doesn't seem to have that much knowledge about fine wines. But, it is all about "connections" sometimes...

QOTD... pretty funny! I would have to say that John Lennon is a Napa cabernet, a little full of himself, a little self-important, but quite a likeable fellow... Paul McCartney is a Super Tuscan, pretty lively and spicy, lots of fun, yet absolutely serious and a force to be reckoned with. George Harrison is definitely a K Vintners syrah... a little funky, very smoky and mysterious, but as deep as the ocean. And Ringo... Ringo is a nicely chilled bottle of Arbor Mist... it will do "the trick" in a pinch, but no one takes it seriously... Cheers!

Funny that I should be listening to APC's rendition of Imagine today.

The Beetles were never big in my life, so unfortunately I can't answer this QOTD. Which sucks because it is an awesome QOTD and would've been very fun. Can I do Led Zeppelin?? ;)

Sorry for the late comment guys. Anyway...what a great qotd! I have been loving reading everybodys responses! I am not ahuge Beatles person..but here goes,
QOTD: Paul: He seems very familiar and comfortable..like a Mosel Riesling.
John: He seems a little too hyped up and adored...maybe like Napa Cab.
George: I dont know enough about him... kind of like South African wine.
Ringo: He just seemed liked a lot of fun...like a Brachetto d'Acqui.

qotd: I think of the beatles more as strawberry wine.

The latest issue of Wine Spectator just arrived, and James Laube's editorial is about his own cellar experience and what to take into consideration...it sure seems like he is only in it for the drinking too, no mention of investment.

Incidentally, Matt Kramer's piece about everybody being a wine expert these days, and what it actually takes to have capacity for good 'judgement'...tasting a lot of wines is not enough, he says.
Hmmm, I can't tell if he is taking a subtle jab at someone we know...

Vayniac ?otd: Is there any place that covers what vineyards and wineries Parker is invested in? Since he can move markets, is this something that we should be concerned about?

I liked the guest, but overall the show was a very distant overview of the title topic. The takeaway message pretty much seemed to be: If you want to invest in wine, be really, really good at second-guessing Robert Parker. It seems to me there must be more to it than that.

QOTD: I don't like the Beatles much, I'm afraid. For me, the whole lot is like a mediocre Sangiovese: Lots of promise up front, but in the end, not enough depth. I'm sure many, many people totally disagree with that, but that's my (musical and oenological) palate.

Ringo: Shiraz
Paul: Vouvray
John: Cote Rotie
George: Champagne

Cool question. I liked the guest, but I don't think I'd take investment advice from a guy that doesn't really know how to taste wine.

Would surely love to know what you thought of the NYT article, which sort of seemed a little like a hatchet job-- the NYT has to be loyal to the high-brows I guess.

John: Organic Single Vineyard Cabernet from Santa Cruz Mountains
George: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - exotic tropical flavors
Paul: Gewurtztraminer, too sweet for some people but a real winner overall
Ringo: Peruvian Pisco

Why can't we just drink the stuff? Seriously... it is partially because of this whole concept that I will likely never have a chance to taste a classed growth Bordeaux - cause it is too damn much money! Maybe next time the Chinese economy collapses some of the newly mega-rich over there will be looking to offload their truckloads of Petrus for pennies on the dollar?

c'mon gary you gotta be in the mood to do a show after a big JETS win?

Adrian Lenegan was a great asset to this episode. Terrific knowledge an approachable info for those looking to start collecting. I have a feeling that we are on the verge of a terrific collectors vintage (2009).

Let's be specific:

John: Chateau Le Pin - When on its game can make you cry
Paul: Stag's Leap - Was great, but now no one knows what's going on
Ringo: Charles Kruh - Constantly overshadowed but likable
George: Clos des Papes - Underappreciated greatness

Interesting introduction/overview to the wine as investment topic...content was a little thin, but hey, Adrian makes his bucks for sharing strategic info with clients.
With Mr. Terlato's recent question about moving buyers into higher price wine, this topic takes the discussion even farther out to the edge of "marginal" wine purchasing. Sure there may be a relatively high average cash per case going into it, but what percentage of all wine sales is investment class?
Again, this is a pastime for those with the disposable income to support it, and it is certainly not a primary investment strategy for anyone (or at least should not be). Even though new collectible wine pricing has been pushing up, recent auction data over the last couple of years has been showing a general price slide downwards. (I'm probably never going to invest in wine for profit, but keep an eye on since I am certainly interested in why other folks do it).

That said, I do invest in wine for future savings...
Buying by the case and laying down something that you will not otherwise be able to easily lay hands on in a few years, without serious searching or price increase is not a bad idea. For those that enjoy wine for its consumption potential, we can do really well by cellaring even moderately priced wines that will improve with time and show up at several times the cost on a nice restaurant's list. There is plenty of nice stuff in the $18 - $30 range that fits this category, and after several years of doing this I can attest to the rewards it produces. The only "special" stuff I have is a few vintages of the Concha Y Toro Don Melchor, that I started picking up at birthday time, and I am certainly looking forward to cracking into that some time in the future.

QOTD: hmmm that is some question...given how each of these guys evolved over time, it might take more than one wine for each.

I want to be the number 1 comment on the next show - Gary, please e-mail me to let me know when I should log on (UK time) to make sure I;m number 1!

Great episode. I've been thinking about it all weekend and decided to write my first comment ever on your site. I thought it was particularly interesting to learn more about the UK wine investment market, which is not something we get exposed to often (so thanks!), and compare Provenance's experiences with that of our own. We own a US-based internet wine store that specializes in rare wines, so we serve primarily customers looking for investment grade or special occasion wines. We notice that most of our clients buy with the intent to "hold and drink", but that they end up with more wine than their cellar can hold and seek to sell some of it off. Perhaps a more objective, investment-only attitude is something that will catch on more in the future in the US. This thought has now motivated me to research the history of the UK to understand how and when their society turned to a more investment-focused wine culture. I'll let you know what I find out.
Cheers, Karen
PS - love the QOTD, and i agree with many of the comments made below.

Gary, this gentleman had a lot of knowledge and information to offer us, and I think we didn't receive half of what we could have. Why? Your interruptions. Please -- please! -- allow your guests the respect and courtesy of completing their answers. When you have a guest, the show becomes about them, not about you.

QOTD:

John: Astringent, difficult but ultimately magnificent Bordeaux.
Paul: Big, fruity, bombastic California red.
George: Red burgundy, without question. Subtle, introspective.
Ringo: Australian shiraz. Simple, lovable and kind.

I would love to understand even more how people invest in wine... interesting indeed.

this is a great topic gary, fantastic show.

QOTD:
John: Burgundy
Paul: Bordeaux
George: Rhone
Ringo: Brunello

Nice show.

QOTD:
Paul - Blue Nun
John - Way too young Burgundy
George - Loire White
Ringo - Cali Chard
George Martin - Santa Margherita
Billy Preston - Bourbon
Julian Lennon - Yellow Tail shiraz
Yoko - Sake (aw terrible sterotype)

Wine as an investment is a sick and twisted mindset. Wine should be for drinking.
This is just another example why Capitalism is going to collapse.

John: a funky, mushroomy Pinot Noir
Paul: Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay
George: a claret
Ringo: Night Train

I like the topic and idea of the show. However, I would have liked a little more in depth information about wine as an investment, the "do's" and "don't's", the pitfalls to avoid, the inside track to better collecting. Should someone be collecting what they like or something that has more value and that has the potential of increasing? What about some resources for some of the beginners out there? When I started, it took a lot of time trying to find reliable information.

Overall, it left me a little flat at the end. Not to mention this guy is across the pond and really doesn't deal with US collectors (I'm sure is the majority of your audience).

GV, I think you can revisit this topic and (with your knowledge) add a lot more to it.

drip

@Wooden Palate. Thanks, that makes sense.

@ Castello: "She'd be reluctant, though, wouldn't she, right?"

This was a very good episode. Adrian certainly made clear the issues wine as investment.

I was very impressed with your interviewing with this episode Gary. I think you did a very fine job.

QOTD - I have a hard time with questions such as this, and will need to dwell on it for a while.

John: Right Bank Bordeaux
Paul: Burgundy
George: Loire Whites
Ringo: "No,no,no he don't do it no more, he's tired of waking up on the floor..."

Great guest... checked out his web site... now, I only need $$$ to invest... ;-)

Great episode - I thought the guest brought an interesting perspective and I love that you brought the wine knowledge at the end, putting the "wine as investment" angle into contact with the "wine as product" reality. A crappy wine would make for a crappy investment, after all.

Paul - Bordeaux
John - California Cab
George - Riesling
Ringo - Sauvignon Blanc

paul - DRC, no further explanation necessary
john - california cult wine that actually lives up to its expectations, not an opus or silver oak, but a caymus special selection or harlan that you go into thinking this can't possibly be as good as its price point commands and then you taste it and you're like wait a minute... maybe it is
george - a serious borolo
ringo - some under the radar southern rhone or loire valley red that just blows you away

most fun qotd in awhile

Great Episode. I am trying to build up a cellar of keepers that I hope will gain in value over the years. My goal, however, is to then drink them. I am planning a 2005 Bordeaux late next decade.

Thanks Gary,

Giulio

Yoko Ono = Franzia :)

That is one cool English dude.

Extremely Interesting & Informative Episode!!! Moooochoooo Thanx, Guys!!!

qotd: We're talkin' Domaine de la Romanee-Conti !!!
John's a Romanee-Conti, Paul's a La Tache, George's a Richebourg and
Ringo's a Grands Echezeaux....!!!!......

Look Gary I appreciate your show is off the cuff and "real" and I do enjoy what you are doing but please please please for heaven's sake stop placing poducts and objects infront of your guests. Coming from a tv background I cannot stand to see how esthetically off-putting it is to watch a guest speak behind a giant wine glass. C'mon Mott do your job man, make the shots esthetically pleasing. It's all we ask. thanks

Very refreshing show. I've been investing in wine for 30 years, but I have the perpetual dilema of evaporation!!!

AotD:
Paul: Vodka.
John: Bourbon.
Ringo: Tequila.
George: Scotch.

Great question, Adrian. Some different answers in my book, *hic*!

I really enjoyed this episode. There are SOOOO many aspects of the wine world and tasting and being a critic (yes, Mr. JM, Gary is a critic and *wait for it*...a retailer too) reviewing wine is only one and I know there are many viewers out there that are stoked when you do rad episodes like this one.

QOTD:

Peter: Monterey Chardonnay
Paul: German TBA
Mary: Argentinian Chardonnay.