Tough qunadry on the scroes G-Man, I feel your pain. But have been tonning out Holly’s Blend specifically because of its scroe at my two shops. I too shared your opinion though, it was good not 90 points good. As for the Hermit Crab, I hope the 05′ was all they you say it is. Because the 04′ was a bomb, a bad stinky bowl of flinty swamp bomb. Oh, if we could only blame it on stelvin.

QOTD: Wine basket by far. I respect winemakers too much, and know that I am not skilled in their trade though thoroughly enjoy their efforts.

wine basket, I don’t want to make wine in WI, too hard to source good grapes.

I may try Crushpad.

QOD: basket…

I do not totally buy into wine ratings but they can be guide. I perfer to taste the wine before I buy but I do not always have the opp so I will use Robert Park for resource.

Basket……….hands down! Who wants to wait a year or more for who knows what! Been there, done that. Scores sometimes help…. pick a very good wine…sometimes Not!

Gary,

I like scores, especially when I get a feel for the critic’s palate. Then scores are informative. Why does it matter? Well, if I’m going to drop 30 or 40 bones on a bottle, I like to have some sense (even if it’s only a sketchy sense) of what I’m getting into. Yeah, of course it’s important to decide for one’s self. No kidding. That’s a given. Or at least it ought to be. But sometimes it’s also nice to have a forecast of things to come. I check the weather forecast every morning. Likewise, I’m only too happy to check a critic’s palate forecast on a particular wine before I let it get between me and my bones. Are the forecasters always right? Of course not. But much of the time they are right. Otherwise I (quickly) stop paying any attention to them.

I’m still paying attention, Gary.

R/Eason

QOTD: WL gift certificate. Oh wait. Not a choice. Basket.

Shout Out: Ooh boy. Tough choice. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Who am I kidding? You got my vote, Wine Guy.

Lars

I know this probably won’t mean anything but I just wanted to say that I skip over the wines that are graded so high. In fact, I focus on the wines that aren’t scored and make my own scores in my record book at home…It’s a lot more fun that way and it provides a huge variety….I’m only 21 so I’m new to the wine tasting but I must tell you man, your show has got me groovin with the grapes a lot now! I told my Mom tonight when we had a bottle of Mondavi merlot “Mom the complexity is all over the place”….she basically stopped what she was doing and went “What on God’s green earth are you talking about?”…..classic wine moment.

Later man

Kyle “The K Man” Davis

PS – Tailgate next season is a definite.

I know this probably won’t mean anything but I just wanted to say that I skip over the wines that are graded so high. In fact, I focus on the wines that aren’t scored and make my own scores in my record book at home…It’s a lot more fun that way and it provides a huge variety….I’m only 21 so I’m new to the wine tasting but I must tell you man, your show has got me groovin with the grapes a lot now! I told my Mom tonight when we had a bottle of Mondavi merlot “Mom the complexity is all over the place”….she basically stopped what she was doing and went “What on God’s green earth are you talking about?”…..classic wine moment.

Later man

Kyle “The K Man” Davis

PS – Tailgate next season is a definite.

Zen and the art of wine tasting.
Let’s face it,’scores’ are pretty
useful marketing tools especially
when the price is right.
Had the Provenance on Sun. liked it a bit
more than Gary but had it with all kinds of
food including yeah that’s right “authentic Gumbo”
and it rocked. Great episode.

QOD.Basket hands down. anything with the word ‘ making’ in
it implies work.

Basket.

QOD– Huh? Basket o’bargain cooked blended fortified grape juice? Do-it-yourself-salmonella-farm?

No. I will wait for the WL Gulfstream charter to Rhone Valley or Santa Barbara or Adelaide, sipping 100 point wines along the way.

great episode gary. QOTD: i’ll take the wine basket. do you need my shipping address?;)

qod…….wine basket….
Where is the wedding ring Gary? I have no clue why i noticed this.

basket of course

QOTD, wine basket. I wish I had the time to make wine, but I don’t so I’ll leave it up to the experts.

As far as wine ratings and criticism, I think that their value has more to do with evaluating wine critics that the wines themselves. Since I don’t have the time or budget to taste every wine that Parker, WS or GV does, I base some of my wine buying decisions on their recommendations. If I consistently disagree with a particular critic, I won’t read his or her column, and therefore won’t buy wines based on his/her recommendations. On the other hand, if I find a critic whose tastes are in sync with my own, I’ll be more inclined to buy wines based on his/her judgments.

Gary-
Great, Great Rant!
I am behind you 200% !!
It is clear in the forum that more people
need to think for themselves!
I got berated for thinking in the forum!
I am telling everyone I am going to insist on being a free thinker!
🙂

Fun ep and rant. Although while I trust my own palate, I don’t know if a wine is good before I taste it. And if I’m going to make an expensive purchase, wine ratings are a must. That’s why we turn to people we trust like Parker and Gary V!

QOD: Definitely Wine basket!

I’d give your show today an 86. Funny nose and not much of a finish.

When are you reviewing BC wines? There is life north of Washington state.

-Canuckchuk

Another cool episode. I try to not think about the ratings; I’m way too impressionable.
QOTD: I’d have to say the wine basket.

Gary-
QOD:
Basket
Basket
Tisket a Tasket!
I want a wine Basket!!!
🙂

Basket. Preferably full of weird Italian grapes I’ve never heard of.

I’m interested in tasting notes and I don’t mind point chasing–it doesn’t usually involve the kinds of wine I’m interested in, so let ’em have their fun. Just so long as Rhone prices don’t go the way of Bordeaux …

But I must confess, I’ve chased points before. I ran across something interesting in an old Spectator several years ago, and was fortunate enough to find (locally!) some Chateau de Lascaux. It kicked all kinds of ass and turned me on to the Languedoc. So that worked out all right.

QOTD: Basket. I’m a great cook, but can’t see making my own wine.

Great show, Gary Vay-Ner-CHUK!! Great energy. Great mood. You’re on a roll.
I love it when you throw some caution to the wind and make us think about ratings. Even better was that episode on divergent scores btwn WS and WA/RP. I gotta go and seek out some new whites…
QOTD – wineBASKET over kit 24/7/365!! 100% of the time.
PS You’ve got my vote!

wine kit! but with a basket that i can fill to give away to friends. great episode. i appreciate your constant reminder that it’s up to to the individual to form and protect their own palatte. hey everybody, drink more white zinfandel! save those nasty little brunellos for me.