Gary- We do have many interested in coming to see you in NC!!!! I say we have a HUGE BLOWOUT of an offline!!!!!!!!! 🙂

QOTD: Whatever I feel like, or what is left over from last time.

I have no real go-to wine, I love a lot of different types, just depends on the mood I am in. I suppose the closest thing to my go-to would be a good California Cab.

Gary,

Just picked up your show from a friend. Funny and informative. Good stuff.

Funny that you ask about the every day wine. There is a cheap wine from Australia that has become the everyday drink – Banrock Station Shiraz/Cab. $3.97 at the WalMart Supercenter. Nice finish in my opinion.

Two recent favorites: Heron Pinot Noir ($10.50) and Colome’ Malbec ($26)

Jon Stroud
Charleston, SC (I would drive to NC to see you!)

I live in KY and would travel to NC. Sounds like a party….

I live in KY and would travel to NC. Sounds like a party….

Great tasting, Gary.

Unfortunately, your favorite of the show is a $13+ wine under the liquor controlled PA monopoly, rather than $8. That’s an additional 63% (profit or gouge?).

QOTD: Since starting to watch WLTV, my everyday wine is shifting and lost. It had been Xplorador Merlot (now too oaky?) or Pinot Evil.

Lately, mine’s been 2006 Concha Y Toro’s Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon – at 7 bones a bottle (in Delaware though I live north of Philly), though not complex or interesting by any means, still quite pleasant on the nose and the palate. Good everyday drink for a meat eater like myself.

This one’s for North Carolina! C’mon and raise up
Take your shirt off, twist it ’round yo’ hand
Spin it like a helicopter….

Ummm.. yeah… North Cackalacky here….

Lillet blanc

QOTD: The closest thing I have to an “everyday” varietal is Zinfandel, and the closest thing I have to an everyday Zinfandel is the Rocking Horse 2004 (Napa). I bought several bottles of it because a local store has a deal on it ($8). Unfortunately, I’ve heard that Rocking Horse is in Chapter 11 (which is apparently what’s behind the $8 deal).

All the same, even the best wine starts to bore me if I drink it too often. I usually get a lot more excited about reds than I do about whites, and I was about to open a bottle of Cabernet to go with tonight’s episode — but I suddenly felt as if I’d been concentrating too much and reds lately, and I was starting to get tired of them. So here I am sipping Sauvignon Blanc! Don’t tell anyone, but sometimes I think variety is just as important as quality.

QOTD: I wish I could drink wine everyday… but I can’t. If I’m lucky I get to drink once a week and taste several wines once every two weeks. So naturally I feel tremendously guilty even contemplating drinking the same wine twice in a row. In fact, I used to feel guilty if I tasted a wine and didn’t write detailed notes (this feeling stopped when I had a succession of terrible reds and champagnes that I have no desire to remember). The only wine I keep coming back to is 04 Barrel Monkeys, for reference. If you’ve seen my blog or forum posts, you’re probably thinking: I’ve never heard one guy mention one wine so many times! Well you would to if it was your first good wine, and if you drank it with the girl I drank it with.

Hey GV,

Thanks again for the Torrontes episode! I ran right out to check our local wine shop and they had two Torrontes available, one from “Crios” and a “Lo Tengo”. I’m currently sipping on the Lo Tengo and can appreciate the bang-for-the-buck this brings to the glass. Reminds me a lot of some combination of Viognier and Riesling.

QOTD – I don’t have a “go to” wine as I like to sample and experiment with many different winemakers and varieties (sampling from the outlets and sale bins quite often). If I do find something I like after trying a bottle I’ll head out and buy a case for everyday drinking. I’ve done that with the Pinebrook Pinot Grigio and the Foley “La Cuesta Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon.

Hey GV,

Thanks again for the Torrontes episode! I ran right out to check our local wine shop and they had two Torrontes available, one from “Crios” and a “Lo Tengo”. I’m currently sipping on the Lo Tengo and can appreciate the bang-for-the-buck this brings to the glass. Reminds me a lot of some combination of Viognier and Riesling.

QOTD – I don’t have a “go to” wine as I like to sample and experiment with many different winemakers and varieties (sampling from the outlets and sale bins quite often). If I do find something I like after trying a bottle I’ll head out and buy a case for everyday drinking. I’ve done that with the Pinebrook Pinot Grigio and the Foley “La Cuesta Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon.

I am going to comment on this episode right now!

Great episode that confirms that watching this show has so upgraded my “ready wines”, the ones that are not in the cellar list, and at a lower cost. Thanks.

QOTD: Right now it’s either Ercavio from La Mancha or Domaine de la Garrigue.

QOTD: 2000 Chat. La Vielle Cure from Fronsac

A lot of South American reds, I’m loving Tittarelli Reserva de Familia!

No one everyday wine…but for reds been drinking a lot of Malbecs, various Spanish reds, Barbera d’Albas and Nero d’Avolas.

Havent been drinking much white in the winter, but when I do, it’s been Spanish whites and Gruners.

QOTD: I don’t have an everyday wine; I’m too busy tasting all the new ones you recommend.

I might be able to swing a NC trip this year. It would be better if you went to Atlanta.

qotd: my everyday wine is colosi rosso ($8). It’s a typical Sicilian red (Nero d’Avola). Nice fruit, some pepper on the finish, nothing too thought provoking.

GV, you are the man. One thing that you said today & that really rang true with me was that many Vayniacs are now gauging their pallates against yours, and I have to admit that I am doing this. Personally, I see myself as more of a new world fan than you, but I have definitely moved away from some of WAY over the top stuff (Like Yellowtail).

QOTD: Don’t really have one. See what the local guy has in the $8-12 range, but I find myself falling back on Little Penguin sometimes. However, I have been taking your advice & trying to expand into new areas and it is always fun to find a great new “everyday” wine. Recently had Ravenswood Lodi Zin for the first time in about 3 years & really enjoyed it. Also have tried my first value ’05 Bordeaux and really enjoyed. Thanks for helping me enjoy wine even more.

QOTD(& my first posting) —

Wishing Tree, Western Australia, 2005 Shiraz $10

Nice fruit and good finish. Tastes of plum, pepper, and licorice. Good with BBQ — have enjoyed it with hamburgers and sausage. Not a complex wine with depth, but it is reasonably priced and a good buy for what it delivers.

Happy New Year —
Andy

QOTD: I wouldn’t say I have a “go to” wine. I rarely buy the same wine twice. The wine I have bought the most of, though is probably Hugel’s “Gentil” (usually once every 3 or 4 months at most). Other than that, I almost never buy a wine again unless it REALLY knocks my socks off.

Hey GV ~ Good call on the Rex Goliath, I had to dump it down the drain, seriously, I must be spoiled with the wine I drink, it was undrinkable.

QOTD: My current daily go to wine is L’Ecole No.41, ’04 Syrah and Cab. Both excellent Washington wines and very enjoyable just by the glass or with food.

QOTD- I have really enjoyed the 2005 Castano Monastrell from Spain. It is a great wine that costs under 10 bones.