First??

2nd?!!!

of course even w/’inside info’ i still couldn’t make it to the #1 spot, way to go mike s!

Top 5

Gary,
Great Episode!
Serious episode? why? I think your energetic approach is GREAT:)
Keep up the good work!

Interesting episode today, Gary. I was glad to see something devoted entirely Australian shiraz (my second favorite wine after Burgundy). Next time, how about comparing wines made by Ben Glaetzer and Ben Riggs, arguably the two finest winemakers in Australia right now? You’ve already done the Amon-Ra by Glaetzer (which is now a favorite of mine thanks to your previous episode), but the two of them are making some really good stuff and there are a number of world class wines coming from Oz.

Thanks, lizv!! Pure, blind, dumb luck. 🙂

All Right!

The Texans play the Jets on November 26th! The weather will be perfect for shipping to Houston then.

Tell you what, I will buy a case even if the Texans lose! (Texans lose??? No Way!)

Great, long episode, by the way.

Cheers,

Dan (In Houston)

Gary, do you think if I lined up that $75 bottle of Langmeil Freedom with a bottle of the new Sparky Marquis Mollydooker at $20 and served ’em blind you could pick ’em apart? What if I threw in a third bottle of blueberry pancake syrup with grain spirits and a splash of rosewater mixed in? OK, but seriously, who really wants to spend that kind of money ($75) on a bottle of wine where with each successive glass your interest goes down, your palate becomes fatigued, and you’re drunk? My understanding is that most of these monster shirazes are specifically tailored for the American export market and that most Aussies want nothing to do with them.

Gary, loved the 8-bottle format. I half-expected you to walk away when I saw all those bottles (a’la “the prank” episode), but luckily you stayed put. Also liked the longer running time.

And more importantly, I just marked 9/17 and 11/12 on my calendar, when the Pats play the Jets. Expect coupon code “punk-ass” on a several case order right around then.

As always, great job.

Great ep. I’ve never been a big fan of Aussie Shiraz. I find most of them to be medicinal. Clarendon Hills is the only Aussie red that’s ever blown me away but at $70 a bottle, it should.

I didn’t like that Barossa Shiraz either at first but after some significant time open the heat settled down and nice plum, cherry and cocoa emerge. Not a fantasic wine, but above average.

I’m voting again for the Katherine Kennedy Lateral for you to taste tomorrow.

Gary-
To be fair…
You have not tasted any of the wines I ask specifically for you to taste.
Please taste the Mas De Daumas Gassac Red 2003.
Thanks:)

Hey Gary,
I would love to see you taste a bottle of Bogle “phantom”.
What about those of us who live in city’s that don’t have football teams? How about some free shipping for us everytime the Jets loose? Oh wait, that would probably put you out of business with the next 16 weeks coming up. Just think of it as a rebuilding decade.
Here is my QOD: Any big plans for the 100th episode? Anything special for those of us who have been watching since the beginning?
Adam

Wow! You had a run of bad wines today.

Are all these available at WL? I often wonder how some wines actually get into a store. Do you (or some other staff person) try all the wines before stocking? Or jsut some of them? Or are some just pushed on you by the distributor? Can you give us a little insight as to how wines get selectd for your (anybody’s) store?

If you don’t want to reveal any trade secrets, I’ll understand.

Thanks for your forthright reviews.

GV… from watching this episode it looked line the little penguin and the armaroo you would score higher than the mid-range $15-$30 priced bottles, is this true??? or do you adjust your ratings against the price of the bottle.

GV – how about throwing a NY ice wine in with your canadian wines when you the the ice wine EP

GV – I live in rochester,ny right next to buffalo and I am a bills fan, is rochester close enough to buffalo (50 miles away) to qualify for the free shipping???? if yes I will be ordering a case after each game if the bills were to win.

QOD – GV use my vote to pick what you would want to taste, the sheeps should not lead the shepard, if I were to pick a wine and you were to pick a wine…I trust your judgment over mine.

GV… from watching this episode it looked line the little penguin and the armaroo you would score higher than the mid-range $15-$30 priced bottles, is this true??? or do you adjust your ratings against the price of the bottle.

GV – how about throwing a NY ice wine in with your canadian wines when you the the ice wine EP

GV – I live in rochester,ny right next to buffalo and I am a bills fan, is rochester close enough to buffalo (50 miles away) to qualify for the free shipping???? if yes I will be ordering a case after each game if the bills were to win.

QOD – GV use my vote to pick what you would want to taste, the sheeps should not lead the shepard, if I were to pick a wine and you were to pick a wine…I trust your judgment over mine.

I actually am a huge fan of Australian shiraz so to me, this episode rocked! I usually go with The Lucky Country by Two Hands for an everyday drinker but haven’t really tried any “premium” shiraz thus far. I do actually have a bottle of Elderton Reserve Shiraz that was supposedly rated very highly but since it is a 2002, I am planning on holding onto it for a little longer since the cellaring will probably do it some good.

Gary, have you ever tried any shiraz from Elderton? If so, how do you think it would stack up against the ones you tasted? I would love to know…………..Thanks!

I can’t stand the Bears but now I’m going to have to root for them against the Jets since I’m in Chicago. Ugh.

I’d like to see you taste the 2004 Etude Pinot Noir. An entire episode on Carneros Pinots would be pretty cool…

Oh yeah, almost forgot, another great episode…

Gary,
I love the shows, how about a tasting of wines perfect for a labor day picnic. I imagine a lot of us will be going out to a few BBQ’s and the such, so taste through some wines to give us an idea of what to serve or what to bring along. Another question of topic, when are the super tasting tickets going to go on sale, and any ideas on the dates of the super tasting? I loved this event last year, it was awesome. Also will you be doing a tasting class one of the nights of the ST like you did last year? Thanks and keep up the good work, we all really appreciate it.

Gary, your server is really doggin’ it today. Very slow. I’m watching like 30 seconds at a time because it can’t keep up!

Tony – Same with me – Took me 2 glasses of 2001 Grand Moulinet Pomerol to watch this episode – Not the worst thing though – just a little slow getting dinner going.

Gary – Bv Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 – I have several that I bought @ Target of all places for 10 bucks!!! Steal for this if it is anything like I have had in past. If your taste is not on the Cali Cabs – I WOULD LOVE YOU EVEN MORE OF YOU WOULD POP THE Chateau Marquis D`alesme Becker 2003. I have a boat load of the 2000 that I picked up in LA on a closeout – Have never had it and am quite excited to know if I should stock up on 2003 (WS-91)????

Nice BIG episode there Gary. Aussie wines are hit and miss with me. I do love those big fruit bombs, but like you said, some of them are pretty much like fruit juice with alcohol. Have you ever had the J.J. Hahn “Nineteen Twenty Eight” Shiraz (specifically the 2001)…freakin’ awesome. Great balance and structure with a lot of the fruit bomb thing going on.

TimF: You live in Chicago and you can’t stand da Bears!?!?!?! What the heck? You gotta come by my place, pick up some wine, I’ll school you on the Bears and you can become a real fan, and then (and ONLY then) you should take advantage of the free shipping from Gary after the Bears annihilate the Jets. I’m just joking…you don’t HAVE to love the Bears, no wait…you do. Let me guess, I bet you put ketchup on your hot dogs too? Sacreligeous.

Alright Gary, for the QOTD, I want you to re-taste the white zinfandel you had like 10-15 episodes again….just cause it’s funny to watch people drink white zinfandel.

OK…see you later,
GO BEARS!
T

Gary –

Good stuff, you know it is a good episode when it is about a wine (Aussie Shiraz) that you have no interest and it can still hold your interest.

QOD – My vote is for you tasting the ’03 Almaviva and the ’04 Etude Pinot (both of which I see were already suggested…those would have been my suggestion anyway).

I bought a number of bottles of the ’03 Almaviva after seeing Parker’s comments. We had one of them, and it showed alot of potential, but think it might have been early. If I am right, that would give you a chance to explain “shut down” to everyone. I put the rest of mine away.

On the ’04 Etude Pinot, I have been a fan of Etude and have had several bottles of the ’01-’03, and am wondering what is in store for ’04. You could potentially save me or cost me alot of money.

Thanks.

Gary, why is the banner at the beginning of the episode showing episode #88???