it takes a special kind of wine critic to compare a wine to someone he went to 8th grade with.

QOTD-
the first three bottles of wine I’ve actually consciously bought legally, as opposed to just buying crappy mass-produced Australian stuff I would buy in the spring (pre-21= Alice White Chard, Yellow Tail, you know the names…)

The Caymus Conundrum 2005- the wine that made me realize wine was something worth learning
Beringer 2004 Private Reserve Chardonnay- the first over 90 point wine I ever had and realized that wine could be truly great. was absolutely fantastic with a cigar.
2005 La Rocas- first GV-recommended wine. couldn’t have been happier.

Three favs…:

One that I am drinking now: 2004 August Briggs Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
A recent tasing of 2002 Finca Sandoval
Another wonderful Spanish wine: Mas de Can Blau
Oh what the heck, here’s a fourth and absolutely delicious and tremendously refined: El Molino Pinot Noir, 2004

I love your show.

FOUR VINES “OLD VINE CUVEE” ZINFANDEL
CASTANO MONASTRELL
LA BARRONE ROSE

All under 10 BONES! KEEPS ME SOBER SO I CAN AFFORD THE BIG$$$$$ !

Gary, wow, those supertastings really jack you up.(in a good way)You were bringing it NY/NJ style. This trio of wines were all new to me which is always fun. Bordeaux is always getting dissed as too pricey and poor quality second tier wines but I love them. ( all 5,000 chateaus)I am travelling through NJ to RI this weekend and will try to make it by the store and buy a mixed case of some of the wines you said brought the thunder that I haven’t found locally. Someone told me today that the Supreme Court ruled last year that if a shipper has a license to ship alchohol that the states cannot interfere. Some California vineyards will ship to Maryland and others say they can’t right on their websites.

I totally agree that there are very nice Rose’s out there from the Languedoc/Roussillon/Provence area that are dry and quaff-worthy and food friendly. We all just get stuck in a rut and Rose is close to blush which is to the left of quiche….One of my customers who has an impressive cellar was in Provence this Summer and having dinner outside and the host poured an inexpensive local Rose and everyone was floored by the quality and wanted to know what it was etc. Since you can make Rose from any red grape you choose a lot of styles are possible. The price is attractive too. One of my best Rose experiences was at a Greek restaurant where I was grazing on Feta cheese , Calamita olives and Taramosalata ( whipped fish roe) and pita paired with Rodytis Rose. It was perfection.

Save me a bottle or two of the ’04 St. Emilion please.

If there is a time to drink some dessert wine then Thanksgiving is the time. Your suggestion is a home run IMO.

Someday it would be cool to get Parker in the same room and duke it out blind with your palate vs. his. I must say that I tend to agree with him most of the time but no one wants to live in a wine world Oligarchy.

I really enjoyed it when you were among the stacks of cases with the names of some of the world’s best surrounding you.

Since you have been travelling quite a lot lately bring us something back that you discovered and relate something that was unique because you know we’re interested.

QOD: I thoroughly enjoyed a ’99 Margaux Pavillon Rouge, Trefethen ’02 Cabernet Sauvignon and an inexpensive ’05 Tempranillo from Alberto Furque, Argentina.

Go Skins!

BB

If you want to pull an episode which shows you really on your game, but not over the top – comfortable in your own skin and in front of the camera — pull this one — Episode # 331.

Bill V.

My three favorites recently :1, J.L. Chave Selection Mon Coeur Cotes-du-Rhone 2005; 2,Tolaini “Al Passso” toscana 2003; 3, Saint Prefert Chateauneuf Du Pape 2004. Killer stuff!

Favorite wine Irreverente 2004 from Portugal…also Crios – Rose of Malbec…very yummy…and for the whites – drum roll…any Prosecco. I order this more than anything.

If you have a chance to do the Irreverente review…I’ll be the first to watch!

Barbara

How does the Fleur des Pins compare to the Dolce from Far Niente?(at a 7th the price)

Love rose.(check) Love Bordeaux (check) Love Sauternes (check) For seven bones! Are you f’n kidding me? Will you ship it to Maryland as candy water? The wine gods were good tonight!

1. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
2. Zaca Mesa Z Cuvee
3. tons of Syrah, but none in particular

Teacher wallet = nothing over $20

Hello Gary Vay———————————ner——————————————chuck,
Love your show however, I’ll now confess, ’til now I’ve just been a lurker 🙁 But, hey! This show #331, ripped my lurker-nose-bleed-seats binoculars out of my hands and thrusted my fat a$$ down on the 1st row at the 50 yard line of the Super Bowl of the wine-world AKA: THE THUNDER SHOW, right where I belong, where the REAL action is!! My former favorite episode was the palate training episode(#148), But now it’s #331!!! Keep up the good work G-Vay, no more “lurker” for me – i’ve just been DRAWN IN!!

It’s sad for me to say, but I’ve had a lot of crappy wines lately. I really like the Ravenswood Zinfandel, but I had that kind of a while ago now.

I’m currently in the market for better wine shops, so I hope my new discoveries work out. I’ll be making a trip next weekend to NH so maybe I’ll find something out of the ordinary there.

what kind of pink fruity wine quafing turkey did I just witness?

So, you must run a wineshop in Jersey? i’m starting to catch on.

2004 Domiane Jamet Cote Rotie
2003 Domaine Grus Frere & Soeur 1er Cru Vosne-Romanee
2005 JJPrum Riesling Spatlese W.R.

Seriously man…Gary you the best! I’m looking forward to tasting the three you suggested. Here’s my top three:

1. Prisoner, Zin
2. Carlo & Julian Pinot Noir 05
3. Chateau Prieure Lichine, Grand Cru Classe 96 Margaux

P.s. I haven’t seen you do a episode on Pinot Noirs, is that coming up soon?

Peace Outs

man your wine looks like its kickin! Dude hook me up w/ some of that s***! Let me know how I can get a hold of ya and ur good stuff! 😉

I just got back from Crushpad in SF after sorting grapes that were the first batch picked for the Vayniac Cab. A great time! Stu and the team at CP are incredibly helpful and fun to work with. Everyone involved agreed that the fruit looked outstanding! Off to a good start!

Awesome Ep GV . You were back with all the energy of before great stuff !! I Liked seeing some wines you really dig . I will try each one of them if i can find them here in KC . The Jets are having a ruff season so far , But my Chiefs are’nt doing much better . Herm Sucks !!! Would you please take him back ? Oh well it is what it is . Take care and thanks for everything GV . Qotd : Luca Syrah which i’ve been trying to get you to taste on the show [ HINT HINT ] Girard Cab & Alot of prosseco From italy .

2005 Bordeaux rouge

Hey GV,
Thanks for doin some of your favorite treasures. I’m excited about the rose because REAL MEN drink the pink juice. Hope your trip to London was good and welcome back. Thanks for being here, I really enjoy the show, even if I can’t watch or comment everday. I look foward the show whenever i have time and can’t wait to rap with friends about whatever information you bring to the table. keep up the amazing work.

QOTD: #1 Jack Creek Syrah
#2 Denner Granache
#3 Garretson Bulladoir

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and I may need to go ahead and embrace the pink. I wear pink shirts (and I don’t even call them describe them as “salmon”) so why not try pink wine? I’m going to go for it.

As an answer to the question of the day, my one, not three, but my favorite wine is, a bit embarrasing. It’s really cheap (which may add to it’s cred as my favorite), but I can always find it, and afford it no matter how cheap it is. It’s the 2006 Louis Jadot BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES. That’s the wine I really like. Sure, officially it’s cheap crap, but it treats me well.

QOTD: Hmm…. three favorites tasted recently.

Catena 2005 Malbec
Villa Appalaccia 2004 Toscanello
Bruno Franco 2003 Barbera d’Alba

Hey Gary

QOTD: Samuels Gorge Grenache 2005 – tiny McLaren Vale producer run by a hospital, enthusiastic and nutty bloke. Visiting Samuels Gorge was the highlight (along with Dalwinnie and below) of the six different wine regions I recently visited when back in Australia. A trip to Samuels Gorge perhaps even brings more thunder than Wine Library TV.

Balgownie Estate Reds: Awesome, age-worthy central Victorian reds from the established but small wine region of Bendigo. Buying them in Australia they are fantastic value and offer some quality drinking, different from the usual stuff that Australia gets labelled as producing.

Cheers
Andrew

Nice varied selection and reasonably priced, Gary.

chateau lauriol cote de francs 2003
segries lirac cuvee 2004
bonny doon mouvedre 2002

#1-Montevina, Amador County, 2002 Freisa
#2-Leelanau Cellars Winter White, NV
#3-Grand Traverse Select Sweet Traverse Red, NV