Today’s episode gets an 89. Good balance (two good, two not), but lacking in the signature WL surprise and humor which have been the standard since the TV offer. Watchable, but not memorable.

Most beloved bottle, something of a splurge from WL, Moret Nomine Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Garrenne 2004. My wife and I have been married 26 years, and our first big date was to a great restaurant in New Orleans, Le Ruth’s. We had a marvelous Puligny Motrachet then, but as the years slipped by, the prices rose. Last week I decided to jump back in and grab the old style that blew us both away years ago. We’ll probably have it next summer for #27.

Hey Gary,
I am another wine newbie that really enjoys the vblog. It has been very educational and I like the fact that you are global, not just California/France. I’m assuming that when you are tasting wines that your comments are for people with a well developed palate to handle big, bold wines. What about us newbies? What wines would you suggest for us to try? Shouldn’t we learn to walk before we run?
Thanks, Bryan

Oh yeah, an 89 (I missed the Q&A)and so far, a 2004 Gudolphin… smoother and more drinkable than other reds I’ve tried.

Gary, good info on these SA reds. Rated 85.
My most cherished wine is a 1999 Silverado Cab. The only wine my Dad (not a wine drinker) said he liked. Shared a bottled on each of his last few birthdays including one on the night he passed away. Brings a smile and a tear at the same time.

This episode: 90.
Most cherished wine: Grange 99. Maybe not the greatest vintage, but it is the only one I currently have and this wine – on the 6 or 7 occasions I have had it in my life – has changed my life every time. No other wine I have ever experinced (and yes, that does include some first growth Bordeauxs and a couple of top-flight Napas) comes even close!

I have a question for the community. I’m going to be going to a conference in Rochester in October and would like to visit the Finger Lakes. I’d like recommendations on the best wines/wineries to visit. I’ll only have two days to trip around.

I dislike most whites with the exception of dessert wines (muscats, icewines, etc.). I’m big on Bordeaux blends and rhone wines, not something common there, I guess. However, I’ll try anything as long as it is good quality. I’ve tasted enough wine to not want to waste my time on marginal quality stuff.

Recommendations? Places to go? Wineries to visit? Specific wines to try? Restaurants in Rochester (we’ve already got a couple in mind)?

Thanks all!

Tony

P.S. Gary, if you want to do an episode on Finger Lakes wines, I’d be forever in your debt!

Cherished Wine:
1974 Christian Brothers Napa Cab – My Birth Year – Given to me for my wedding.
1988 Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow
Toss up between vertical of Ch. Leoville Barton & Ch. Lascombes (Have several of each and just starting to come into the “drinking” stage of their long lived lives and I hope to be rewarded with my patience

Gary,
Got a ’99 Reserve Robert Mondavi Cab @ a local grocery for $22.00. I’ve seen it online for $150.00. I can’t say that I cherish it because I haven’t yet tried it, but I’m thrilled w/ my bargain!
Rating:Good nose, a little short on the finish; left me wanting a little more. Didn’t really seem you were having any fun.But..its Monday.

Hi Gary,

Always enjoy each episode but would rate this one as a 89. As others have mentioned, you seemed to rushed and could have provided more info on SA and other SA varietals. My Wife and I love SA Sauv Blancs.

Most cherished in my 70-80 bottle collection is the two 02 Insignia’s my wife bought me for Christmas last year.
Would be great to see you taste the 02 JP Insignia to see if you agree with WS Wine of the Year??…but please do not break my bubble..
Also would like to see you taste some Rosenblum Zinfandels.

Thanks!

Gary,

I’ve missed your show the last week and a half because I was on vacation…doing nothing. So, I’m glad to catch back up.

First off: WEEK 10 (Nov. 19th) THE BEARS WILL EAT UP YOUR JETS ONE WEEK AFTER TEARING UP THE GIANTS!!! And you know it too.

Secondly: On a scale from 147-253 I give today’s show (well, actually yesterday’s show, I watched this on Tuesday morning) a 247. The reason for the dumb point scale…c’mon, points are dumb. They make sense at times, but I just like knowing someone’s reaction to wine that’s the key thing. Either way, I’m saying your show was tops, not the best today, but consistantly a good watch.

Third: My prized wine, currently (I usually have a prized wine and then drink it) is a 98 Mouton. The only reason it’s the 98 is cause I got this to have on December 19th, 2008 for my 10 year wedding anniversary with my wife. I figure 10 years is good for a 98…not too strong of a vintage for Pauillac.

OK, see you later. Go Bears!!
Tony

Gary,
I’d rate the episode an 88. No big suprises. Love the WLTV blog though, keep up the good work !!

My favorite bottle of wine in the cellar now is probably 1997 Illuminatti “Lumen” Why? Because this is the first time we started buying wine seriously…led me to buy a wine cellar etc etc. I’ve had the 1995, 1997 and 1999 and they are all great. Tough to find thought. I’d be interested in your thoughts on the wine.

Gary:

How about picking three wines from a specific region ahead of time. One $10-15, $20-25, then a $30-$40. They would have to be wines that have a good GV score. The WLTV croud could order the wine a couple weeks ahead. Then we would taste as you taste. It would help learn about different regions and see if we like it.

j-e-t-s jets jets jets…

I would rate this episode as “your typical california cab…$15 veriety.” I think you put that at about 84.

QOD: I would have to say my most cherished bottle would be the 1976 Chateau D’Yquem becuase of how much both my wife and i enjoy sauterns and this one is year older than my wife.

Thanks Gary for giving an episode to South Afica, although I did want you to try the 100% Pinotage;),
This show is great, they are all different therefore they all have their own unique aspects.
As well I think for the educational aspects you should touch base a bit more on the vineyard site and the winemaker. Perhaps a map in the backround.
As well you should introduce a new “winespeak” vocab word, and explain why you are using this to descibe the particular wine.
By the way I am A JERSEY GIRL

JETS JETS JETS

JETS JETS JETS

Rated: 85 Speaking pace was fine for me but you rushed the wines, makes it hard to follow the analysis. And you forgot the viewer QUESTIONS. You know you have us spoiled if we start to expect something of you.

I second Rick McQ’s recommendation to the point that I think a pre-announced list would be helpful say once every two weeks. That way you could keep surprising us and we’d have that one episode of “Gary said he smelled WHAT in this swill?” 😉

I haven’t been into wine long enough to have a favorite bottle. I have a 52 bottle cooler of “lessons” and “returned to purchase more” because I liked the first one I tried. I do have a 2004 Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda Mendoza which I truely wish I could find more of in the DC area. Now that the ’05 is out I guess I’ll have to give that a try and maybe give up on finding the ’04.

The S Africa episode was very good. Score: 90

Great advice for the people that dump an entire varietal or region based on one glass.

Most prized bottle? Split between two:

A 1994 Harlan Estate that I have been holding for eight years. I got it from friend and former assistant winemaker, Bob Egelhoff.

A 1997 Marcassin Lorenzo chardonnay that I was able to coerce the good people at the 21 Club out of back in 2000.

Good luck in the AFC. I will scicker to myself if your Jets beat my wife’s beloved Dolphins (because she always giggles when I am watching WLTV at top volume!)

Regards,
Chip LaMarca
Lighthouse Point, FL

I would score this episode a 88 just short of a 90. I’m not a fan of South African wines and your comments didn’t inspire me to get them.

My most cherished bottles are 3 empties that I have kept. all 1974 Krug Vintage Brut that were used to toast each new child 1978, 1981, 1983.

One other question. I was totally blown away with your review of the Viogner but now I see WL is out.
Will you be getting any more of that one?

tony-
i went to school in the finger lakes and love the region.
I agree with matty van about Finger Lakes reds being average at best. The one exception for me is Cabernet Franc, which does very well in the Finger Lakes in my opinion. Good producers of Cab Franc are Miles and Fox Run on Seneca West; Red Newt, Standing Stone(which has the only good Bordeaux blend in the finger lakes), and Lamoreaux Landing on Seneca East; and Ravines and Dr. Frank’s on Keuka.
Besides for that I would stick to the rieslings. The best rieslings and my favorite place to visit is Hermann Wiemer on Seneca West. I would say pick a region (Seneca West or Keuka, etc.) and stick to it for the day.
For Lunch, Stonecat Cafe on Seneca East is great and serves local wines, and Fox Run has a decent bistro on Seneca west.
For dinner, Suzanne is the place to go on Seneca east. If you are at Keuka, the Village tavern inn has decent food and a wine list that includes local wines that go back to the early 90’s if you are interested in seeing how finger lakes wines evolve.
Good luck and enjoy!

tony-
i went to school in the finger lakes and love the region.
I agree with matty van about Finger Lakes reds being average at best. The one exception for me is Cabernet Franc, which does very well in the Finger Lakes in my opinion. Good producers of Cab Franc are Miles and Fox Run on Seneca West; Red Newt, Standing Stone(which has the only good Bordeaux blend in the finger lakes), and Lamoreaux Landing on Seneca East; and Ravines and Dr. Frank’s on Keuka.
Besides for that I would stick to the rieslings. The best rieslings and my favorite place to visit is Hermann Wiemer on Seneca West. I would say pick a region (Seneca West or Keuka, etc.) and stick to it for the day.
For Lunch, Stonecat Cafe on Seneca East is great and serves local wines, and Fox Run has a decent bistro on Seneca west.
For dinner, Suzanne is the place to go on Seneca east. If you are at Keuka, the Village tavern inn has decent food and a wine list that includes local wines that go back to the early 90’s if you are interested in seeing how finger lakes wines evolve.
Good luck and enjoy!

Gary,

Pretty subpar episode. Why is South Africa so underrated? Is it because they’ve been making wine for 350+ years? Is it because the wineries are making an extraordinary strides since the end of apartheid? Unfortunately, there was no discussion about the history of South African wine and except for one brief mention as a blending grape in one of the bottles you were tasting, you said virtually nothing about pinotage. Nor did you discuss the wine regions, except to say that these bottles came from Stellenbosch. Does that make them better than something from the Western Cape or Paarl or Robertson? And, I can name at least a half dozen other reds that are far superior to anything you had in this episode. Maybe it’s because I’ve been drinking South African wine for a number of years now, but I was really expecting a lot more.

As for my most cherished bottle, everything in my rather modest collection is equally valued, albeit for different reasons (i.e. some are sentimental, some were heavily sought out, some I had my eye one for a long time, etc.). That’s just the way I buy my wine.

MAtty Van & CGF:

Thanks for the info! I’m sure it will come in handy on my trip. Time to get into Riesling!

Easy…Cigarral Pago Del Ama 2001. This is not the best wine I have had ever…but it is one of the best…I need more!!! This is not my best wine in my cellar….but I need more!!!
This was the best recommendation you have ever made Gary. What a deal and what a wine.
Great episode…96 pts…although because in my tasting journal I use a 20 point scale I have to say 16 pts…
Keep up the good work and LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE PICTURES I HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT!!!!!
Thanks 🙂

Most cherished wine in cellar – 2004 Amansio Gualdo del Re (Passito) from Tuscany – amazing taste, lots of care and time into making it, and the winemakers daughter was “hot”.

93 ranking for show

Sorry Gary but this is the decade of the Hawks.