You were going to throw the Jets ball into the camera, weren’t ya? Good thing a cool head prevailed.

Too bad to hear about the Trapiche Malbec. When you rinsed your glass, the red color remained in the glass. Talk about “inky”! It reminded me of the Luca Malbec which I had a few months ago, and you continue to carry intermittently. Perhaps you could try that, maybe it is not a Aussie Shiraz wannabe. Similar accolades, somewhat less expensive (about $28 I think at WL).

Oh, those Dolphins. I was thinking you should be scared, however given this past weekend with how good the Jets looked and how bad the Dolphins looked, I think the Jets should have no problem. Hey, lets make it like the last Jets-Dolphins game- does order code 2017 remind anyone?? Whattaya say, Gary? The game is even on Christmas day!

Susan,
I see we have the same chocolate to our Chili- People never believe me when I tell them

Gary,

Congrats on the NYJ victory. My NYG are sliding fast (though they did play well).
Great episode. You were obviously pumped. Too bad the wines were not too good.
This is why we all watch WLTV.
Could you please taste the Ravenswood Icon on a future WLTV episode?
http://winelibrary.com/reviewwine.asp?item=27892
Thanks!

Hi Gary,

I started watching WLTV last week and am loving it, keep up the good work!

Question/request for you: I noticed you playing with your “waiter’s corkscrew” today on the show — think you could give a how-to tutorial on using it in an upcoming episode? Nice slow step-by-step (how far to screw in, best grip/position to make it actually work, etc.) on how to make them actually work right.

As for QOTD…sad, but true, the only chili I’ve ever made in my life comes out of a can and I just heat it up. Probably not what you’re looking for!

Thanks,
Matthew

Gary…I have a recipe for chili for which I have been awarded HUGE sums of money (I know you will believe this to be true). It’s YOURS, my friend, ALL YOURS when you tell me the significance of the daily descending number. NOTHING worth anything comes for free in this lifetime, Baby!! : )

Great, honest, episode! Thank you. One favor, please. Pleease don’t use the “GD” reference…you’re shattering a Commandment every time you do.

Concerned for your soul,
Denise : )

Hey, Gary…don’t sweat it. You can’t help it if you don’t like a wine. It is what it is. Great episode, nonetheless, and I appreciate your honesty. Congrats on your JETS!

Hey Gary, nice ep-i-sode. Just started to get into wine recently and I have found your shop/show to be priceless despite the Jets homerism. 🙂 Steeler fan here. How about that Playoff game a few years back?? TYVM Doug Brien. Think we can get a tasting on this?? http://winelibrary.com/reviewwine.asp?item=9172

Gary, Four wines, disappointment on all four, even though you were thrilled wiht the Jets win, could it have been one of those days when the stars, the moon and the wines just weren’t hitting you and the palate just right? As we both know, as professional tasters, these days do happen?
Otherwise, I appreciate your honesty.

Phil

Sluke,

The Faithful Hound is a really good South African wine. Here’s my review:

http://winecentric.blogspot.com/2006/08/mulderbosch-faithful-hound-2002.html

Man I love it when the Packers lose at home! Thanks Jets! Of course it’s easy for me to be nice to the Jets since the Bears beat them.

Anyhoo, I’ve noticed lately that you have tasted some highly rated RP wines that have fallen quite short of his score. He does admit that he has a certain palate (punch in the mouth extracted fruit bombs, varietal charechter represented or not), but to score so many wines so high that just aren’t well made (at least lately) is disconserting. I think he has had a very positive (somebody had to bring the Bordolais back to earth in the ’70’s) as well a negative effects on the wine world. Frankly it’s not his fault. He doesn’t go around asking winerys to manipulate their wines to his taste. The market does…..and Michel Rolland.

Alos, You and I have the same wedding ring. I noticed it in the Pillar Box episode. Mine is Titanium. What is yours?

Go Bears (wow Rex is looking shitty lately)

Kahuna,
You are right, I see Chocolate in several of these recipes.
A friend of mine from Cininnati told me a few years ago to put chocolate in the chili.
I thought at the time, that she was crazy.
Turns out it is VERY good that way.
I have an award for a chili cookoff with this recipe.
I might have to try your recipe soon. Looks very good.
Great food AND
Great wine!
Great stuff!
:):)

Gary, A few items:

1. You said that “Tanzer was a little above Robert Parker.” Did you mean that and is that true?

2. I saw a small VaynerCLANK…it’s been so long..THANKS..LOVE THOSE…kind of a quick MiniCLANK (only 2 CLANKS), but I’ll take them anyway (for fellow VaynIACS, it was after the 2nd tasting of the Ravenswood Zin (2nd wine)…right after GV says, “I’m a little back and forth with this wine”)

3. You also provide us w/2 VaynerTAPS (pointed out by fellow SuperVaynIAC Paul from Mendham, NJ). One 4-TAP w/ the football & then a 2-TAP with the corkscrew. These were both done during Willows Barossa. I have a theory which I would like you to confirm or deny on the next episode. I believe that both taps eminated from the internal struggle that you mentioned…it’s hard panning wines from nice people that served you a meal at there house. I would say that at the moment of your VaynerTAPS, you were going through a VaynerDILEMNA. Please confirm or deny!

or perhaps VaynerANGST!!

Descending Number Significance Theory #3:

Gary is counting backward from the assigned numbers of registered users on the WLTV Forum (starting from the date the descending number first appeared) and he’s sending a “thanks for participating” email to said registered user on the day their corresponding number appears on the dry erase board.

(I really don’t think it’s a baby…I just don’t think he could possibly contain that news!)

Gary,
Brutal episode. Your honesty keeps me coming back. You’ve a fine palate. You seem to be ahead of the curve with respect to over-oaked, high alcohol wines. I like balance and finesse, dignified wines. I had a Jade Mountain 1998 Mourvedre the other night that was to die for. Decanted for two hours plus. Just a tad over 13%. Magnificent. Long live wine diversity. Long live the Wine Library. You do a great public service.

Top 100? YES!

Canadian Contingency taking over!

Rough day today, but an enjoyable episode nonetheless. It’s really easy to be all happy happy joy joy about wine all the time that’s it’s good to see criticism where criticism is due.

It really makes me wonder about the 92 point RP score for the last wine. Maybe it’s as you’ve said time and time again…there isn’t good wine, just good bottles of wine.

A wine I’d love for you to try (and so would canadian kid) is Matetic Pinot Noir San Antonio EQ. 90 pts from WS, but for us up here in Canada a VERY reasonably price pinot for what we both feel this package has to deliver.

As per chilli…sorry big guy, all my stuff comes from a can that says “Campbell’s” on it 🙂

PLease don’t misunderstand what I mean by “Sub-Par”
I wasn’t talking about the wine tastings, I was talking about the show in general. I’m not trying to get a 10 out of every show, but DAMN, Friday was unreal…probably a new top 5 for me. Then we go back to the old set up, wines distract Gary, plua nothing good to taste. I’m not saying it was a bad show, but I’m not rating it a 95 either….just sub-par. Like shooting 10 over par…you’ll take it, but not what you had in mind.

Awesome win yesterday. I’m stoked about the playoffs. I prefer to get in w/out the wild card though.The Jacksonville & Bears lost still hurts.

ps The color wasn’t as bright today as it was since you got the new cam. Did someone change something?

Gary, I’ve got to disagree with you on the Ravenswood Teldeschi. It is obnoxiously good. I had a bottle last weekend with — CHILI, of course. There are lots of recipes posted above, but I have to agree with many the the Fowler “kits” are a convenient place to start. Cover 2 cups of well-rinsed dried pinto, red or kidney beans with water in a large pot and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer until tender (add water if needed, but not too much– you want a nice bean liquor at the end to add in your other ingedients). In a skillet, heat 2 tblsp olive oil, put in 2 lbs well-trimmed and cubed round steak and brown lightly. Stir in TWO whole packs of chili powder from the Fowler kits (sorry, you have to use two of the kits… but this makes a lot of chili), 1/2 cup of Teldeschi or other 94 POINT red wine, one large can of crushed tomatoes, one small can of tomato paste, plus the packs of dried onion/garlic and oregano from the Fowler kits. Start with HALF of one pack of red pepper and pinch of salt. Let the meat concoction simmer for about 30 minutes stirring often. Add the meat to the beans and bring to near-boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for at least two hours, better if 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally, and intermittently cutting off the heat altogether. Before serving, taste for need for salt, black pepper, and red pepper. I like my chili medium thick, very meaty, very dark brown and bursting rich with chili flavor, but not overly spicy hot. Just a little zest, but too much heat and the chili is no good with wine– so what would be the point? Serve with cornbread (Jiffy mix is hard to beat) or some fresh lightly steamed soft tortillas if you can get them. Makes about 12 servings.

I’ll tell you why the wines you tasted sucked. Vaynerchuck, your mouth just got you into trouble. That’s what happens when you talk trash about the Giants. Don’t forget who’s stadium you RENT out everytime you play at ‘home.’ Just because you are jealous of big blue’s fly colors and are stuck w/ the puke-green jerseys doesn’t give you the right to slam my boys when they are down.
When you bite the hand that feeds you, bad things happen. The green gumby’s are going down, in ugly fashion…all the wine you taste will suck, until you take back what you said about big blue that is 😉

Gary- I agree with a lot of the comments that it is very useful to know what not to buy. Also, like Tanzer, you score more conservatively than RP and others, but it is your notes, or descriptions, which are the most valuable. While we get to know our own palates, we also learn about yours. Keep up the good work.

My friend Bill is a huge Packer fan (there is no other kind) and he said the Packers re-defined “awful” on Sunday. Congrats to the Jets and thanks again for the free shipping! I got my delivery one day before the arctic air came to Chicago.

Dan C.

You encourage us to drink a new wine every day, so try a new chili

The best chili i have ever had was Moose chili – a friend has a business location in northeastern canada, where they eat moose meat in place of beef. take your favorite beef chili recipe and replace the ground beef with ground moose meat. great taste and healthier because it is leaner.

ps – ordered some of wine #2 of the year and got nicked for $30 shipping on a case of half bottles – can we get some relief on the shipping when it is half bottles involved (should be cheaper as they are smaller and don’t weigh as much?

Louisiana George

I got today’s episode at 10:30am, and I watch it right away. Why are there already so many postings commenting on today’s video? Are some of the episodes emailed out earlier than others? Just wondering how people comment so quickly.

Thanks again for a great video, Gary…you’re obviously pumped up about your Jets.

Joyce

QOTD: Chili Recipe
Some good advice to make life easier – use the Wick Fowler kit along with some advice on the details (and some enhancements) that fills in some blanks on the package instructions.
Wick Fowler kits are made to work with 2 lbs of meat. You figure how many people 2 lbs. feeds and get Wick Fowler kits accordingly. In Texas meat counters have a special coarse ground beef marked as â??chili grind.â? A substitute for you would be tenderized beef marked to make Swiss steak. You could cut it into 1 inch x 1.5 inch pieces to substitute for ground beef. Regular grind textures will end up looking like hot dog sauce. Chili con carne is really a beef braise/stew kind of dish, not a hamburger soup.

Another meat variable would be to use cubed round steak or chuck. Just cut them into sizable cubes 1inch plus, salt and pepper, let sit, then fry (just to a gray color is fine). An enhancement would be to sprinkle a little chili powder along with salt and pepper and let sit an hour (or overnight) before frying ( you are adding chili flavor here).

DO NOT USE Chocolate. Chocolate is a viable Mexican ingredient in Moles (Sauces) made with chiles and ground nuts. Save it for different recipes.
DO NOT COOK WITH BEANS. Beans are side dish, a good side dish, but a side dish for certain. This is a commandment not to be questioned. And for Godâ??s sake NOT CANNED BEANS.

Cumin is an ingredient that is as key as chiles in making chili. The very best manner is to use cumin twice in the prep. First in the early spicing to let it steep in along the sauce of the chiles, then shortly before serving to bring the dish up aromatically.

It is best to grind whole cumin seed in a spice grinder after a quick roast. Roasting is simple just bring a small fry pan or sauté pan up to a medium heat, place the cumin in the pan and gently and steadily shake to keep them moving, they will start to pop and give off their fragrance, then load them into a coffee grinder for a quick grind and then add to the pot. You will be amazed at how much more complex and aromatic freshly roasted cumin is than ground cumin from a jar.

The Wick Fowler kits can make a plenty spicy chili, but if you want your guests to have the option of more heat offer ground cayenne on the side.

SIDES
Saltine crackers are terrific. In fact, the Chili Society Poobahs stat their meeting with a ceremonial crumbling of the crackers signified by rubbing their hands together. saltines crumbled into the finished chile will thicken it big time and keep it from dribbling off your spoon, and it tastes good. LBJ was one in the legions that practiced chili consumption in this manner.

Beverages
Low hopped beers, Margaritas, iced tea, Dr Pepper, and Coca Cola. Wines are simply overwhelmed. Although there is a nice white Sangria that could be made with Riesling or Gervurtz, sliced fruits, and then augmented with Grand Marnier, or Cointreau that would be tolerable.

Happy cooking.

Gary V.– The Last Honest Man!