Out to dinner with friends tomorrow. I think I’ll bring along a ’97 Brunello we brought back from Italy in ’02. Why wait for the weekend!u QOTD- just trying to recognize different tastes and aromas in wine.

What area am I confused about? as far as location goes…Southern Africa (besides the whole French scene). As far as topic – different grape varieties – vitis vinifera, lambrusca – making different grape varieties through grafting. etc.

Did you forget to tell us how to win the tshirt?

Thanks for trying the Roger Sabon Le Secret Des Sabon. It was cool seeing you tasting a wine that I can only dream of tasting.

QOTD: What is in a bottle from Bordeaux? Is it going to be Merlot, Cab, Cab Franc? Are they all blends? Are some regions more Cab than Merlot? I can’t figure it out. I also don’t understand Burgandy are they all Pinot Noir?

The thing that I find most confusing is the lack of relivent information on some french wine bottles, also how the wine is imported.

OK, so that’s what that question was about! Fair enough.

Perhaps some Bordeaux then, in honor of unity through Bordeaux, which sounds like a wonderful idea. Or perhaps something in honor of my dad who all of a sudden can’t drink wine anymore for health reasons, which is really a damn shame. So, to your and everyone’s health with the May WOTM.

But: I don’t think that cork’d link to the Sabon is quite the same wine. I’m just sayin’.

Gary–Great show. I still haven’t received my 3 bottles of 2003 Château Léoville Poyferré ($60) future–can’t wait. Thanks for the preview. The most confusing thing about wine these days is Italy. So confusing, in fact, that I mostly just stay away. I know that being an ‘old world’ guy that it’s my #2 region after France. But right now I’m studying all the subregions of Bordeaux and that’s already filling the little space I have left in my head. Maybe if Bordeaux would STOP having great vintages year after year I could spend my time and $ elsewhere.

Keep bringing the Thunder.

Peter

wow what an ep. i’m fighting the urge to buy that 98 pt St. Julien beauty. Saving my money for the Benefit for City Harvest on June 20th.

QOTD:
Ok, well I’m totally confused by the Loire Valley. Chenin Blanc, Chinon, any varietal that starts with a “Ch” 😉

Very good episode, Gary. I probably will never be able to afford these wines, but I still like to watch episodes about them. Great energy. Miss the tie in’s with stuff from our childhood. Remember, we’re the same age. Glad you brought the Transformers in on this one, Optimus Prime.

QOTD: For me, it is still two things: flavor profile and what makes a “good” wine. I still can’t seem to pick out very specific flavors and smells from the wine like you can. For the other part, an example would be what makes wines from Harlan Estates or Insignia great wines over something like a Greg Norman Cab-Merlot, which I love? Never had a Harlan, just using them as an example. What does it take to make the jump from an 89 point wine to a 96-97 point wine? What are you looking for?

Hey Gary-
It’s been so long since I’ve had the opportunity to watch your show, I almost forgot how good it is!
QotD- I have a hard time with Germany’s QbA and QmP. However, I have no idea what is going on in China, Japan, North Africa, India or Bulgaria.

QOTD: Keeping track of grape varietals.

We need some behind the scenes footage!

Bringin the thunder as usual.

Bam! Another hot show! That was fun. Thanks for the royal treatment in high season.
Qotd:Winemaking puzzle. Going back to the Bordeaux trip…Sansonnet, 100% new french oak, 16 months. Why does this not become an “oak monster” while some cal efforts go “monster” with far less contact time Are we getting oak powder or some other trick from the cal makers, or what?

If theres a day to drink your spit bucket i would reccomend today

QOTD: Italian wines; more esoteric. Then there’s Burgundy: gotta love it, but what a pain in the arse sometimes.

Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about. Big wines.
A wine called Vega? Isn’t that a name of a car?
How can you name a wine after a car? That’s like calling it Red Truck.
Yeah – I know. just kidding.
QOTd – It’s not confusing so much as it is annoying – wineries that sell cabernet for astronomical prices – $80 to $100 for just a bottle of wine. I’m not talking about some rare exclusive wine – but some ordinary wines for huge prices.

BIG G, Did you bring it today? Like John Holmes on Prom Night. Wow, that’s all I can say. Now what do I do? I can’t keep buying 100-200 dollar wine every time you make me salivate. It’s just not right G.
QOTD. The Names are confusing. All the different languages and how they are pronounced.
Damn good one. Thanks!

Excellent episode! Especially since i bought some of the ’05 Ch. Leoville Poyferre.

did you spill a little juice on Eric’s shoes?

QOTD : figuring out which “new world” wines have the potential to become “old world” in style? or is it a lost cause?

Outstanding Episode! Thunda Thunda THUNDER-CATS! The only thing that would have made the episode better would have been a light playing of ACDC’s Thunderstruck in the background to begin the show. 🙂

Can you just send me the left-over wines with a wine saver in them? I’ll pay for the shipping!

Oops! Forgot the QOTD: The remarkable difference between an old world Cahor’s Malbec and a New World Argentinian one. Why such a dramatic difference? New World’s are almost like drinking INK! Is it really just all about the grape’s environment?

AAAAAAnd now to watch and comment on the show after work…

HEFTY price tags today, and I’m glad that we were able to see your opinion on them.

QPTD: I guess that beyond the Indian wines, and those that I see randomly from Thailand, Italian wines are the most confusing mainstream wines to me. I’ve been trying to seek out affordable reds other than Chianti and Barbaresco because I’ve tasted them, and super Tuscans are a bit out of my affordability range… AND, more importantly, I’ve been lookinig for decent other-than-pinot-grigio Italian whites lately, but the differences between labels of varietal names and geografical regions have got me a bit confused…

WLTV motto for today: Gary Vaynerchuck, he tastes great wine because you can’t afford to.

Great show Gary! I really liked your little nod to Petit Verdot.

QOTD: Why you haven’t tasted the wine I’ve been recommending.
http://winelibrary.com/reviewwine.asp?item=23902

Now that we know what “thunder” is, why don’t you show us the “lightning”?

Ka-chow!

Great ep gman You brought THE THUNDER today fo sure . Liked it when you did the double rinse BAM there goes forty more Bones . AWESOME !!! Qotd picking out the flavors on the nose Still trying to learn that . Once in awhile i’ll get something on the nose And i’m liked that was cool I finally got something .

Still happy on being on the top 5 (or 6) two days in a row!
Spectacular episode, Gary! And yes, i also want that shirt!
Every once in a while, this “expensive” episodes are a gift for drinkers like me, that can not even dream of affording one of those beauties.
Thanks for sharing that privilege!

This was the weirdest show you ever did:. What about that little mean laughter after ‘ciLvilisation’? And what about the T-shirt, you forgot the T-shirt.
For this weekend we’ll have a 2004 CdP Blanc (don’t remember, was an RP 94), a Haute-Cabrière Pinot Noir 1999 and a Domaine Diznoko Tokay 5 Puttunyos 1995. Nice enough?
QOTD: most confusing, definitely the Loire Valley. Not because it’s difficult to understand the appelation structure or smth, but just because it’s difficult to link it with performance. You can have an extremely poor year, a unexciting climat and a normal winemaker making extremely good wine, while the other it’s just the opposite …

HEY, weren’t you going to tell us how we could win that shirt??? …I’m a medium, but I’ll happily take a large as well. 😀

QOTD: Honestly, despite the fact that I’ve spent a good portion of my life there, I think California is the most confusing place on the planet when it comes to wine. I’m so sick of the marketing hoopla that I’ve nearly come to avoid buying CA wines altogether, which is a shame.

strongarmed into some Cos this weekend… 😉 not much force needed though