Gary, I did love the film Sideways, and I was seduced for a short time by
Pinot, but I have always been a Merlot drinker…I shall never forsake
that grape.
Can’t wait to see you on Conan.
judi

Comment 100 🙂
QOTD: mm I do like the pommerol stuff, I’m super far away from the “new world” varietals, that is, wine (particularly bordeaux varietals) produced in contries like USA, Chile, Australia, etc.. So after watching sideways I’m still into Pommerol and some St Emilion and very far away from the new world merlot 🙂

Awesome job with the corks today.

QOTD: My wine consumption has picked up considerably since Sideways, though I don’t think my Merlot consumption has changed relative to other varietals. My pinot consumption has increased dramatically though I think that is as much due to a changing palate (away from just Big Cabs) as it is to our favorite movie. Good question.

Nice episode. Too bad about that Beringer. I was ready to pull the trigger so thanks for saving me~! I like Merlots, especially Italians!~

Sideways was dopey…2 loser guys…other than that, yeah, it was great.

QOTD: Didn’t change a thing other than bigger crowds at the central coast wineries.

Thanks for the Giants shout out to LT!

Funny stuff with conan there Gman . Where can i get a big ASS glass like that . Qotd no way man .

QOTD: Pinot has always been my favourite, but since Sideways I’ve made more of an effort to seek out every weird and wonderful Pinot I can, from places like Spain, Austria, England, Sancerre, Italy and so on, Pinot that is a little bit off the beaten track. The thing I love most about Pinot (when done right!) is its ability to express its place of origin better than any other grape I’ve yet come across. I’ve also been drinking more Merlot, especially from France and South Africa…and drinking A LOT LESS CABERNET.

Why am I not surprised.. my conception about Merlot is that it is NOT a California top product, regardless of Sideways. Maybe Sideways was focusing on a point that is overall true. I wish that you have presented a french merlot among the ones you just tasted, just to put a light on the difference. True Merlot is supposed to be much austere than the Charles Creek Pasatiempo that you tasted.
The Conan O’Brien appearance was hilarious, well done!!
Sideways has not affected the way I select the wine varietals that I want to drink. For instance, WLTV has much more affected me in that way, and for instance, I go through normal cycles. Right now, I find myself seeking Cab Sauvignons quite a bit, and not very interesting in Pinots or Shirahs. I’m also trying to follow whites more. Anyway, GREAT SHOW!

QOTD: Didn’t drink a lot of wine prior to Sideways, so it didn’t really have an effect on what I drank! But I have been working hard to catch up, drinking and/or tasting every type of wine I can find!

QOTD:

Hated the movie, hated Merlot & hated Pinot prior to the movie. Now I still hate the movie, drink a little merlot and a little pinot.

Have fun tonight and twitter us up.

My wife has always enjoyed Merlot and I have found some over the years that I liked though I buy the ones that my wife likes. We have not changed anything about our wine preferences do to the movie which we thought was a pazzzzzzz.

I liked hearing that you used to hang with the oak monster. Years ago I used to buy Kendall Jackson Chardonnay by the case because the oak monster lived in that bottle. Now I seldom buy chardonnay and when I see the oak monster I walk the other way and try not to let others know of our previous relationship.

GV

What about the other merlot families? For all those folks who are embarassed to pull that Merlot from the bargin close out basket in many retailers or to bring that bottle to the counter because the sales clerks give you that look like you are from a by gone era. The Merlot alternatives: Rustic Malbec from France in Cahor, or Cot from the Loire or the juicy Malbec’s from Argentina. For the Merlot drinker who still doesn’t know what Sideways is there are options!:]

Nice episode.
Qotd: I like Merlot occasionally, and always will. I have yet to find a pinot that is a really good QPR, so I don’t drink it too much.

I know you didn’t attempt to compare the real LT to Lagerman. That is too funny, watch yourself with those comments.

Now that I think about it, the last really great non-French merlot I had was from Washington State …

Gary, I didnt drink a lot of merlot before Sideways and still don’t now. If anyone is interested in good merlot from Cali however, Jarvis and Etude make the two best I’ve had from the Napa area. Both are inky black in color, very fruity, have long finishes, and age worthy. To finish up the QOTD, before Sideways I didn’t drink much pinot but now 3-4 years later, I drink a ton. In the last year I have probably drank more pinot than I have cabernet, which is a first.

QOTD: I don’t think so, but I never really drank a lot of merlot.

Try Pride Merlots,,, they usually put a dash of Cab in them,, the 1996’s are drinking really well right now.

What goes around … comes around. Pinot is going, mostly because there is way too much mediocre juice fetching way too high prices. The QPR for (good)Merlot makes it a (comparative) bargain in today’s marketplace. One of the true joys of a wine cellar is enjoying expensive wine today that cost a pittance years earlier. Cheers!

Gary-Will be praying that you stay calm and focused for the Conan interview!!!
We are all sure you will do great!!!
🙂

Awesome! WLTV hosts Conan O’Brien. That guy was a little stiff though. Hope he loosens up tonight.

QOTD: Hollywood did effect my Merlot drinking, I drank more of it! I hate to be told what to do or to follow trends. I drank Merlot before Sideways and have not changed after seeing the movie (which I enjoyed, especially the scene where he drinks from the spit bucket!) I ordered two bottles of the Charles Creek Miradero Merlot you featured in episode 89 back in September last year.

Good luck tonight with Conan! Have a great time and be yourself!!! 😀

QOTD: I was totally in sympathy with Miles. I couldn’t stop laughting. Merlot is a soft, squishy, formless wine that is best used in blending. Maybe I should have been looking in the 90+ ratings to find a decent Merlot. I think the movie was really more about severely dysfunctional males and the women who put up with them (or not) though. I will look up the Charles Creek merlot, as we are very fond of the Charles Creek Patolitas chardonnay – so even in Albuquerque, there’s a chance that we can obtain and try that merlot.

Still trying to unload the Oak Monster T-shirts? You owe me a couple of shirts but don’t even think about sending those.

QOTD: I was totally in sympathy with Miles. I couldn’t stop laughting. Merlot is a soft, squishy, formless wine that is best used in blending. Maybe I should have been looking in the 90+ ratings to find a decent Merlot. I think the movie was really more about severely dysfunctional males and the women who put up with them (or not) though. I will look up the Charles Creek merlot, as we are very fond of the Charles Creek Patolitas chardonnay – so even in Albuquerque, there’s a chance that we can obtain and try that merlot.

Still trying to unload the Oak Monster T-shirts? You owe me a couple of shirts but don’t even think about sending those.

I like Merlot. I like Pinot Noir. I like lots of stuff. And, I particularly hate when I’m told I should like something..by whoever or whatever that may be. Unfortunately so much is influenced by persons such as RP, and other entities WS, F&W, etc… and of course, Hollow-wood.
I am majorly disappointed to spend my $$$,open a bottle of wine and get totally blown away with oak, major fruit bombs, and burned w/ alcohol, then read that someone gave it 93 points. (which has recently happened, unfortunately)
Gary, I don’t care if you ever “rate” another bottle again, but I do enjoy your tasting notes, and have found some wine, via your show, that I really like.
BTW I loved the movie Sideways.. particulary the ballsy character played by Sandra Oh. She kicked ASS!
Anyways..this is a rant topic for me.. so I’ll spare you, and get off my soapbox.

Salut!!

P.S. Good luck on Conan. I really like him.

Sideways made me want to seek out the true essence of Merlot instead of avoiding it. The movie had a point, however, in that so many California Merlots, manufactured in industrial quantities to respond to fashion, tasted to me like cement.

The other side of the story is that the movieâ??s championship of Pinot Noir may put that grape in an even worse position. Pinot Noir is much harder to grow than Merlot. Merlot, being a Bordeaux grape, at least has the aspect that it is usually improved by blending. This is not so with Pinot Noir. A California â??Pinot Noirâ? filled out with 13% Syrah? Donâ??t chuckle â?? you may well be drinking just that.

All that said, Sideways at least brought the subject of individual taste to the fore. We may not imitate Miles by stealing cash from our mothers, or let ourselves be pushed around by our crass and tasteless buddies, but a little bit of his passion for wine wonâ??t hurt us. So if the movie was unfair to Merlot, it was still good for wine in general.

As a Server, can I just say how much I hated this movie! Jeez, I love Paul Giamatti and all but if I had to hear one more bumpkin from Kansas come in and make a joke about Merlot I was gonna throttle someone! There are some amazing Merlots out there and if the “hop-on-the-bandwagon” crowd wants to race after Pinots than fine, more for the rest of us. I just think that its unfortunate that many restaurants do not offer them by the glass anymore.

Oh, and Gary, best of luck tonight (or this afternoon, I never know when they tape that stuff…)