We had a Maycas Chardonnay when we were there in 2008 and really enjoyed it…crisp and mineral. Maycas is another one of Conch Y Toro’s focused projects.On the way into Ovalle from the pan american, there is a great little place called Valle Encanto which is an oasis quebrada of sorts that was inhabited by indigenous peoples, and now a national monument. It has numerous petroglyphs and tacitas and just has an amazing vibe. Great stop on your way to the wineries…great local ice cream in Ovalle too.
My father in-law lives up in the Elqui Valley and has worked at the Tololo observatory for 35 years…area is best known for its Pisco grapes, wine grapes are starting to replace some of the older plantings. Vina Falernia is the first real standout…we can’t get it here that easily (except via luggage), it goes mostly to Italy and the UK. Worth looking for… Go far enough up the valley to MonteGrande ( birthplace of Gabriela Mistral ) and check out the pisco makers at Los Artesanos del Cochiguaz.

QOTD: Pumped for the start of Husker football camp. Otherwise very excited to have the Special Olympics here in Lincoln this month.

seconded! His nose and palate are definitely developing quickly. Maybe GV should run the camera and Sasha should do the interview 😉

Glad the 2007 Rhone is kicking ass. I have made it a mission to grab a hold of as much 2007 Rhone valley wines as possible. I have yet to try any whites from the area recently, mostly because I am not a huge marsanne-rousanne fan. But maybe I'll just hold out to see a really good one and try one again down the road.

QOTD: I'm watching it right now: the Open Championship at St. Andrews. Any “true” golfer loves the British Open and it has, this year, come back to the original home of golf. Its fun watching professional golfers struggle with the elements during this tournament, it really shows who is the true champion at the end.
Heading with some friends to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Bought several rooms for my friends and plan on having a bad ass time relaxing and partying down there for an entire week.
All my best friends have come in from out of the country and out of state back to Texas for numerous reasons and we all are planning on a weekend river float down the Guadalupe River as a celebration of their homecoming!

oh, I have spoken. Not to mention that is about two or so weeks into harvest (depending on what you are harvesting).

BRING THE PARTY TO WC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAALLLLLL RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGHTT, Rhone Vino in daa HIIIZZZYYY!!!!!!!!!
Lookin' forward ta watchin' this one……

Way to keep it real GV – another informative & interesting show. With such great red wines in the Rhone (I'm more partial to the south but do appreciate the Syrah based reds of the north as well), it's not too surprising how under the radar the whites are. All in all, I think it's a good thing though – it helps to keep the prices down (although $35 for a Saint Joseph is not “cheap”). QOTD: No events on the horizon for me but as long as there's WLTV, I have something to look forward to everyday 😉 Cheers!

QOTD … Abby will be 1 on Saturday!

QOTD…. trip to six flags on a BOGO coupon during a weekday.

QOTD: Next Friday, my girlfriend is coming from Korea to see me, and we will be spending a week together in NYC. Of course, I will be bringing along a few of the best bottles from my wine collection for us to enjoy at the hotel and some BYOB places 😉

Love the Rhones. I wouldn't mind seeing more of them on the show.

QOTD: Going to a kick ass wedding in the North Woods.

I just read up about that region lately and I so want to try some of that stuff.
Qotd: I'm looking forward to getting back to school and getting my masters. I've been floating around the last few months and I'm eager to get back on track.

Funny, would have thought you loved people.

Gary is all in DC July 26th!

This is getting better and better.

Gary, again a very, very good show. I loved it.
I also would love to come to the party once, but, since Belgium is not really a neighbor …..

QOTD: Yountville getaway with cutie pie later this summer.

So far so good … they are only 6, 4, 2 and 0 years old !!! Just can’t wait when they’ll hit the 15 mark… humm….. Bah… a bottle a day and i’ll be ok !!! 😉

QOTD: Learning golf and drinking wine and mai tais in Hawaii with the girlfriend.

More Rhones please! They are the perfect wine for a starving grad student; satisfying, complex and affordable!

One of my favorite categories…The Rhone Valley, so many great “off the beaten” path wines.

QOTD: Looking forward to the new Patriots season…sorry Gary!

QOTD: Le Tour de France of course!

Love the wine facts….love to learn.

QOTD: Enjoying family weekends and thinking about taking up croquet (flunked golf). Naples Kathy aka Champagne Lady.

QOTD Jack Johnson, ALO and G. Love in Kansas City in August!

More Rhones!!

Woohoo! Rhones are delicious!
QOTD: My 9th anniversary is next week and we're headed out with another couple (also celebrating their anniversary) to Orson, Elizabeth Falkner's restaurant.
There's a special menu that night: Beasts & Booze, so we'll be having rabbit sugo, bacon-wrapped wild boar and something else as a substitution for the eel. There will also be both cocktail & wine parings available. I'll be sticking with the wine this time since the last time I mixed the two was nooooo buenooooooo. Also working SF Chefs.Food.Wine in August and maybe Family Winemakers as well. Volunteer at events = Free entry & wine! : )

Le Tour de France! Hopefully Thor Hushovd can get back in green. He's such a badass.

I am NOT a fan of waking up at 4-5 am.