That was your Vayniac glass wasn’t it? :~

QOTD – I think I’m against the oak monster, but I’m not sure I’ve had a really monstrous one yet.

Nice end video!

Im so against the Oak Monster I check under my bed every night before I turn off the lights!!!!!! I bet Vivian does the same!

I used to really like Chardonnay……but that was in France(Navy Days),,,,,but with Oak you go from Chablis….to California Wood Grape….

NO OAK!

I used to really like Chardonnay……but that was in France(Navy Days),,,,,but with Oak you go from Chablis….to California Wood Grape….

NO OAK!

When good fruit is involved, I am definitely a hater of the oak monster. With that being said, I think that a wine maker sometimes should amp up the oak to make the wine palatable when not blessed with high quality fruit.

I’m sorry, what was the question? I got all wrapped up in Vivienne. What a doll.

Against the Oak Monster overall, don’t mind it if it’s subtle

Against the Oak Monster overall, don’t mind it if it’s subtle

Cute video at the end. Gary, you made the case for old world wines all too well.
No Oak Monster for me!!!!!!!!!

Wow, it was disappointing to see your take on the Pedestal; I have a bottle which I was saving and was pretty hopeful based on the region and the great press. When I do sample it I’ll have to compare what my “pal” and yours have to say…

Overall not a fan of the “oak”, particularly in white wines. That being said I do like some of the complexity it can bring to reds if it doesn’t become THE major flavor component.

QOTD: I’m not sure if I have become knowledgeable enough to determine the oak monster…but I used to love new world australian and californian wines so I probably am voting for the oak monster…but I’m not sure…

Gary I post about once a month. Does that make me a lurker or just lazy? Ok, so the “OM” is something we all love to hate, but I’ll go out on a limb and say when kept in its cage, the Monster can really do some great things for a wine. It’s when the Monster is left to run loose and out of control that scary things happen. That Becot is a great example; it’s got to see a fair share of new French oak, it’s just all kept under control. My beef with the OM is really that heavy oak tastes the same in every wine – I’m not necessarily opposed to ridiculous over-oaked reds/whites, but I’m sure not going to spend much for them – who can taste the difference?

thats one big cork !,i liked the longbord rr valley dakine vineyard ,about 15 bones

I have found that when I first started on red wines I really enjoyed the oak monster, however as time has passed I find I am enjoying more subtle levels of oak. But I still do like to have the oak flavour in red wine. Don’t like it in whites.

Great show by the way.

Here is an interesting oak quote which I totally agree with:
“Oak in wine should be like a ghost. You sense its presence, but you don’t actually perceive it.” â?? Pierre Seillan, Vigneron

I am really fond of the oak monster! So when you talk about the oak monster my ears perk up!!!

I don’t like the oak monster. It makes wines taste more like a product — its consistent every time. I like it when a wine surprises me.

Cool show! After Sideways I heard a lot of comments about merlot, but merlot is in some of the best wines in the world. I am also from Long Island so it was fun to see you do one of the local wines, although a highly overrated, overpriced one.

QOTD: Definitely against the oak monster. To me, over-oaked wine smells too much like bourbon, and that is not a good thing in my opinion. I guess it would have to be American oak in that case because that is the only kind of oak used in bourbon. brand new American oak. Not sure what flavors/aromas too much French oak impart.

QOTD: Against!

QOTD: If the oak monster was Frankenstein, I’d be in with the villagers holding the pitch forks. AGAINST!

For, within reason. Why else would we use oak barrels?

QOTD: I agree some oak can be a nice, but overall I’m against the Oak Monster.

Love Vivian!

QOTD: Don’t like oak. Don’t like the monster.

STAY AWAY OAK!!! Bring the fruit…lots of fruit….bring it heavy and hard….I love it.

Against monstrous oak for sure.