Gary, I was surprised that you would have a wine in your stock that was not very good, as you described the Frogs Leap. Don’t you have buyers who taste the wines before you buy them? I would expect all the wines in your stock to be drinkable, just that some are better than others.

Ronguy Frogs Leap is a HUGE winery and name and many people ask for it…we have to carry what is in damand at times.

Really enjoying your show. Just thought I would mention (and maybe others have already?) how inconsistant the lighting is between episodes (sometime almost yellow, others dark, some light). You might want to experiment with using more lighting. Also, the box of books and stuff on the side looks cheesy. Great show, keep them coming. Would love to see a broader sampling of California Zins next time.

Gary on your next california zin tasting why not include some of the wineries that have taken that wavy ride you spoke about over the last 10 years such as ravenswood and rosenblum?

I like your comment Scotty.

Gary- this is why you are a revolutionary— thank you for paning some wines carried by your store… every store in the world carries bad wines, bar none! Keep up the natural reactions. Also, If you recommend for us to look around for Zins under the $20 range, how about some recommendations.

Greg S, good observation on the lighting. If I had to guess, the camera isn’t being properly adjusted for white balance. This is what I notice when my videos sometimes appear yellow or dim. Gary, maybe your camera guy can check that setting out. The usual practice is to use a white card or paper and manually adjust this setting on the camera. It might also help show the wine’s color more accurately. one decent reference – http://www.photoxels.com/tutorial_white-balance.html. Keep up the great work Gary.

Great episode. I’m looking forward to your next Zin tasting. I hope you’ll highlight those in the $15-$20 range you mentioned. I agree with the lighting comments, but I don’t agree with the “cheesy” comment. These episodes are refreshingly straight-forward and apparently honest (you really appeared to be taken by surprise with the Frog’s Leap). I’d start to worry about your focus on keeping things honest if the production was more professional looking, and less “cheesy.”

We like “cheesy’

Gary,

Great episode! I appreciate your honesty. If the Frog’s Leap zin is so bad, whay is it a “Staff Selection”? Does that mean it is recommended by the “staff”?

Wpacker this is something we will be fixing on the site ASAP! We need to fix the wording we use on wines that we just put reviews on!

Thanks for the reviews Gary. I am a HUGE fan of Zinfandel. I noticed Brown Estate years ago in an article in Wine Spectator. I thought it was intriguing because you don’t hear about that many black-owned vineyards–let alone one that is putting out 90+ rated wines. Keep it coming, your reviews are great!

There was a great article in Napa Sonoma Magazine a few months back about African American Winemakers / owners. Mac from Vision cellars was in the article. I got to meet him in Bodega Bay a few months back at Gourmet Au Bay. It was a lot of fun seeing someone you had just tasted with end up in an article about African American wine trail blazing!

Vision is starting to get good scores for their Pinot Noir!

This episode just reminded me of it!

BTW..all the Frogs LEap I’ve had lately has SUCKED..it used to be so damn good. 🙁
B

I tried a few red zinfandels a dozen years back or so, and I wasn’t that in love with them then. I tried them again a few years back after they got “big” and oh what a difference it is. Although I don’t like some of the over the top super jammy 16%+ alcohol zin’s like Rosenblum and some others, I do like where the California style zinfandels have evolved to.

I’m a definite Red Zin novice……I keep buying them in the 20$ CAN area and get underwhelmed…. I need to look at a higher price point I think…..

Another classic episode that made its way into “the” classic episode. “Completely undrinkable” shows up. AWESOME.

GV- still working thru the archives and enjoyed the show- hadnt heard of brown before but will seek it out.

I haven’t had a zin in years. It’s good to get reintroduced to it again. I remember when my parents used to drink it all the time.

I find Zin is an easy transition for anyone who has been drinking a lot of OZ Shiraz. Great ep.

Still not changing the wine world after 25 episodes huh? I am a fan of Frogs leap because John Williams is the wine maker (my Dad’s name)

Gary said it was 15+% alcohol, “so you’re getting a lot of wine for your buck.” No, I’d say you’re getting a lot of alcohol for your buck!

word 25 in my 500 word review, one comment at a time…

“He”

Gary – Frog’s Leap is a great wine. So you had an off bottle. It is too bad you could not quantify your initial reaction with a comment about off bottles. Have you tasted since? I haven’t missed a vintage since 2000 and they haven’t missed a beat.

Good episode Gary. Nice to see how you rate those wines. Where I may have tried the Frog’s Leap zin due to its name recognition, and because it may have proven itself in the past with other wines in its portfolio, such as their sav blanc. Now I know to try other 2 first, as opposed to wasting my money on the Frog’s Leap, which is pretty much playing off of its name. Really appreciate those honest reactions. Also goes to show that if a winery makes a good wine out of a certain a varietal, that it doesn’t mean all their other wines are good. Whereas, I’d probably go with an esteemed winemaker when picking out a Burgundy, that obviously doesn’t apply here, or alot of other places. Something I have to let my guests know quite bit, and remind myself once in a while.
Would love to see you do this with a charbono tasting, and see how the different versions stack up. Especially the lesser known wineries turnouts vs. the better known wineries.

Love Zins, have had the Brown Estates before and enjoyed it, St Francis Reserve Zins, Baxter, Ridge, The Prisoner, and Linne Calodo are some of my favorites. http://www.winelx.com

Zinfandel is fun to talk about at my job because people still think I am trying to push them on white zin, and they want nothing to do with it. Then I bring them a taste of 7 deadly Zins, or Opolo and they lose it. Zin has characteristics that occasional wine drinkers generally enjoy, unless they don’t like big bold flavor that is. Thanks for ANOTHER fine episode Gary V.!!