The face you made at the Purple Angel reminded me of the one I made last time I had a RP 92 rated Australian (Craneford ’03)which should have one of the fruit bomb warning stickers you suggested in an earlier episode.

QOTD: In the US, Robert Chevillon 2003 “Les Vaucrains” $85 when purchased in April 2006. Now it can be had for $55. 35% drop. I shoulda waited.

Fun show today–loved the blind tasting. I think your palete just got a little exhausted there at the end. ;o)

QOTD: My beloved Reichsgraff von Kesselstatt — both the Josefhoefer and the Scharzhofberger — in Trier I get them for about 8-12 Euro, over here, even accounting for exchange and imports, they are overpriced at $25-$35. What’s worse is that no one seems to want to stock the younger ones: they’re all 1999 or older. Musty-smelling oftentimes (in a bad way) and the sugar is outrageous. I don’t even buy them in the States any more–I just drink them over there. Another thing I miss from Germany? Good decent everyday drinkable wine for less than $5/4 Euros. I’m happy to spring and spend 20, 40 even 100 for a good bottle, but for everyday drinking, why can’t I find anything good in some parts of the U.S. for under $10? I think I need a new wine store but, in Columbia, SC, what are you gonna do?

This is a great episode!
Good job on Petit Verdot (side note to myself: try Petit Verdot soon!)

QOTD:

Gary, please read carefully the respond from Hennessey to my email and my original email below. It is hilarious!

Hi,

I recently purchased a bottle of Hennessy VSOP Privilege cognac, which I like and buy quite often. It came in the cardboard box with text written in English and French. I understand French so I read the text in both languages. In French it says that this cognac is made of blend of about sixty (soixante) eaux de vie.

In English it says that this cognac is made of blend of about fifty eaux de vies. I think that this should be corrected and I deserve a free bottle of the finest Hennessy cognac for bringing this up to your attention!
Thank you very much!
My best regards
Eugene

And the response:

Dear Mr xxxxxxxx,

Thank you for your message and interest in Hennessy cognacs. The reason why, there is a difference between the two translations is that the number of eaux de vie is different from a year to another. It is more practical give an average rather than an exact number of eaux de vie. Thank you for contacting us and please, do not hesitate to contact us again if you have any questions or comments concerning Hennessy. Best Hennessy regards, Scherazade HAMDANE Consumer Relations.
xxxxxxxxx@hennessy.fr
Objet Hennessy VSOP Privilege cognac
——————————————————————-

Hey Gary, are you gonna tell us the name of the Bordeaux the guy drove 2.5hrs to get?
SteveB

nice effort today! WTG with the PV – impressive considering you got a “Roadhouse” reference in there as well.

remember when Treanna hit the marketplace a few years ago? i bought a bottle for like $22 and told a friend in Nashville i thought she would love the wine. well she did but she bitched about the $47 price tag! bought 2 weeks apart but the difference between TN & CA i guess.

QOD:

All my pre-Top 100 Wine Spectator wines are the biggest variance. Like buying the wine of year Brunello for $45 then watching it shoot through the roof due to demand.

Same can be said for the Guigal CDP 01 and 99 which were both $21 wines for me before they nearly doubled.

I get a thrill out of finding values like this. I once bought a $35 syrah on close-out for $17. What fun!

Great ep!

Sorry, cyrock, I have to agree with Julius. I sort of expected Gary to attempt to identify varietal (there was only one tricky one – the Carmener – based on Gary’s expertise), general place of origin and age. The latter one could expect to be relatively recent since all these were taken off the shelf.

It is, of course, great to have an estimation of value because it gives the watchers a better sense of his palate. I suspect he’s going to get a bit of heat for his evaluation of the Nalle Zin, and not only from Lars.

In closing, I’d suggest you offer your comments, which I enjoy, and leave off the criticism of others’ comments. They’re just honest opinions, not personal attacks.

Thanks for your thoughts, and thanks for reading mine.

Ok…Are you really that good?

I’ll give it to ya…this time! 🙂 Thanks for choosing the Purple Angel. 88 is what I was expecting, but if it didn’t shock you because it was so different from the others what would it have done? I would like to see you taste these wines later when you expect to taste what you are tasting.

Thanks again

JETS

Carmenere…..tough. Was there any smoke? Good show G-Man. Way to pick the Petit Verdot BTW.

QOTD: So here’s the swing,apparently everywhere in NC Belle Glos Clark & Telephone 05′ Pinot goes for anywhere from $36-$42 bones, you guys sell it for $26.99 everyday. Your my heroes.

Cool, finally did a blind tasting. Double blind is actually where the one setting up the tasting doesn’t know what’s being tasted either.
Kind of surprised he didn’t pick out the Cab, but really surprised he didn’t name the Zin varietal. Zin has some very unique flavors IMO. Looks like Gary needs more practice with Zin. How about a Zin episode, hint, hint.
All in all, very nicely done, and way to go with #2 and #3!

Zincredible!

Vaynercred pre-Nalle tasting — 93 points.
Vaynercred post-Nalle tasting — 80 points.

Like cheap merlot??!!?? Puhleez!

Do a blind with this (and a couple other zins) against your Crumbling Tractor yawner.

Hard to believe we’re both Jets fans…. You worry me….

Me thinks his palate has been Turleyized.
🙂

For the upcoming Zin episode, howz about doing the 3 R’s and throw another one in like Seghesio?

I loved seeing a quick tour of the store. How about showing us the whole thing? Nice job on the blind tasting too.

Jeff

QOD:

If i remember correctly:

2003 Montelena The Montelena Estate Cab: $50 (montelena web site lists $105)

2001 Gran Elias Mora Toro $30 (usually $50-70?)

2002 Lafite $90 (not bought as a future)

I try not to buy anything at full retail price!

GREAT job nailing the price points and the Petite Verdot. I have a bottle of the Purple Angel which now seems like something for 2010.

QOTD. Since 2001, Sette Ponte Oreno at one store for $54 and the rest at $100…You know who gets my loyal business…

Nice fun episode — I live in the neighboring liquor-control-board benighted state of PA – about an hour and a half from the store. QOTD – most PA purchases show the biggest discrepancies. Case in recent point – Francis Coppola Diamond Pinot Noir, regularly #19.99 in PA, WL price $13.99. Road trip to WL coming soon.

Maybe my favorite episode yet!!! Forget Peter Petrelli…..you’re a true hero, nailing that petit verdot!!!! Kudos!!! Ok, now that your head is swelling….
QOD:
Phelps Insignia 1995 bought for $65 in 2002 (btw, not worthy of its lofty Parker points)
Calon Segur 2000 bought on release in 2003 for $44….i even asked if it was a mismarked price before i bought it!!! i should have bought more than i did!!! lesson learned…

please do more blinds…..and that’s a request from an eye doc!!

Now THAT was MUST SEE WLTV! It’s good to see you’re not afraid to put yourself out there. I would hate to be the buyer at your store watching your video and then turning around and looking at the 50 cases of Nalle he just got in. I have heard about some TOTALLY blind tastings where the wines are served in opaque glasses to you can’t even see what color it is. One day, if you really want to go out on a limb, you might try that. I’d love to see it!

QOTD- Bought some 2002 Opus One at the winery a few years ago for $169/btl, then found it on the wine list at the Wine Cask Restaurant in Los Olivos for $125. Gulp.

Good job on the Petit Verdot, Chilean, and price ranges, Gary!
3 outa 4 ain’t bad! You definitely showed that you know your stuff!
If anyone got them all right, all the time, wine wouldn’t be so damned much fun! 🙂

Comment 108: By Paul on March 10th, 2007 at 9:43 am

You are right Paul, I did type a little too hastily and apologies to all, especially Julius. Being in the industry I feel a certain comradely with GV and I know I’ve been through some of the same things as him, in particular the second guessing of talent. The blind tasting is tough and I thought that Julius – whose qualifications I do not know – was being a little unfair in his judgment of GV. In turn I was unfair to Julius.

Just looking out for GV.

QOTD – I also live in PA, but the LCB has not been too bad in recent years. Hovever, the main guy who made it all happen just got the boot and some ex-senator got a CEO position. Talk about dirty politics. Anyway, there have been several awesome deals I’ve gotten here in PA. St Francis 1999 Behler Reserve Merlot for $13 for example. Also one which I think was a mistake on the PLCB part which was corrected shortly after I made my purchase, 2003 JJ Prum GH Auslese, $25.
On the whole the prices are maybe 2-3 more than in other states but there are also great buys to be had.

Duuuuuude, that was impressive. Batting .750 in a blind taste test? You doth rawwwk! Gary Vanynerchuk? More like Gary Kasparov! Well played!!

that was really impressive. very cool episode.