2005 Grail of Lisa out of Marquis Philips totally ripped it. Holy hell. Easily the best Aussie “big” Shiraz I’ve had so far. Huge wine with loads of complexity and super ripe fruit. Not the typical fruit/alcohol bomb I’ve had even into the $40 price point. Awesome.

I’ve had the Hermit Crab a few times and it really never sits well with me. Way too bitter and too acidic. Complex flavors but I can’t get past that bitterness.

Important episode guys and kudos to you Gary. I agree with you on the over-oaking that has become prevalent in too many wines. It is unfortunate that many journalists seem to judge many wines on the “make up” such as oak flavours and addition of yeasts rather than the intrinsic, terroir driven quality of the grapes. In our winery (www.huertadealbala.com) we reduced the use of new oak in our wines for the second vintage (2006) from 100% to 50%. Result- lower scores, lower U.S sales but ultimately finer wines with a stronger sense of place. This is the problem wineries have when faced with such large markets that are driven by so few people. I’m pleased to say however that sales in Europe went up and that we have continued with the same oaking policy. Trust your palate!!
QOTD- White- Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Polish Hill Riesling.
Red- Penfold’s Grange 1989- when it was powerful yet ELEGANT and not so grrr!

@QOTD:

2005 Amon Ra by Ben Glaetzer & the 2006 Mollydooker CoL

Thanks for again adressing the “oak monster”. That is why i like your show so much. I believe wines should be made in the vineyards, not in the the cellars. A little bit of oak is fine with me, but it should not cover the terroir. That is the reason, why i am so into german riesling. Not because it is the favourite grape of my homecountry, just because in my opinion there are not many grapes reflecting the soil they grow on, like riesling does.

Again great show and great guest from downunder.

anything from margaret river. maybe tomorrow will you do the viewer’s choice? Congac or absinthe would be awesome for topics, or i was thinkin gary could go into the city and raid a wine shop, or hunt down local vayniacs and do a show from their house. covert-ops

QOTD: Haven’t really been drinking many Aussie’s as of late. Too thick and syrupy. Some of the Pinots are good. The last wine I remember the name of and enjoyed was a Grenache. Tir Na Nog.

Good to see the show is getting plenty of guests.

QOTD: I’d have to say that I don’t tend to drink many Australian wines these days. While winter is here in Maine I have been staring at one bottle, but for the most part it’s just not something I drink much of on a regular basis. If I had to pick one for price/quality I’d say that Two Hands Shiraz Bella’s Garden is probably one that impressed me quite a bit. However, the ’98 Grange was possibly the most impressive Australian wine I’ve ever had.

Great guest, first time I’ve seen a guest pour your wine GV, liked it. You moved the bottles so far away he could not pour anymore.

QOTD Elderton “Command”

QOTD: Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon 2005. Very much overoaked, but I didnt care. Hedonism in a bottle. I really do prefer old world wines but damn that is some tasty juice.

Great show. I’d have to go with Betts & Scholl O.G. Grenache, but I’m biased as Richard Betts rocked my wine world a few years back.

QOTD: Have not had Australian for a long time.

Nice show. Educational and looked like you guys were having fun.

Time to stop lurking and comment…Great guest, Gary! I’m in total agreement with the Bin 389…over the top, and wonderful with a big steak! Coats your mouth like a bite of milk choclate.

QOTD: Believe it or not, my current favorite Aussie wine is the $20 2005 Marquis Philips Sarah’s Blend. It’s one of the few wines that I specifically remember when and where I had it first.

QotD – Spinifex Esprit. Great, rich blend, moderate price.

Clarendon Hills Grenache – soft fruit, HUGE balls, as you might say.

Jim Barry Mcrae Wood. Dense shz fruit, AND earth elements.

In a world where I could afford them, Yalumba Octavius, and Jim Barry THE Armaugh.

1992 Henschke Mt. Edlestone is by far the very best Australian wine I have ever tasted.

QotD – I wish i remembered the name better, but I think it was called Haan, Barrossa (Bordeaux Blend, maybe ’03)….. I’m a sommelier here in seattle and at a table of big show off wine snobs that brought in other wines like ’01 Quilceda Creek and ’97 Chateau Montelena this was really the star at the table, and I also thought maybe the guy who brought this in was feeling that his wine showed the least, but on a trip to the WC I let him know I thought his was the star over the others…..

Thanks Gary, great show…..

QOTD – Pirramimma Petit Verdot. Also really like the Penfolds 407 and 389.

Really great Gary!! I’ve been watching for about a week, just discovered you on the web. – love your passion, love your energy, love your sense of discovery. I’m hooked.
My fiance fell while ice skating two years ago and lost her sense of smell/taste. I’ve been using wine to help her regain these senses (and for my enjoyment, too, of course!) She’s made great progress. She’s a huge distinguisher of flavor now. We have discovered that white wines as a group really have a greater range of flavors between the various varietals than the red.
I am looking for a dry, still wine made from or primarily with the Malvasia grape (not Madiera). Could you do a show on Italian or Spanish whites inclusive of this varietal? Your fan, the BlueFrank

I’m addicted to the Amon Ra Shiraz. I could mainline that stuff and let it fuel my body. Yum.

qotd: probably John Duval’s Plexus. I’ve had two vintages now and they both have been outstanding. I also think Dead Arm is quite impressive, but I prefer Duval’s wines because I think they are priced more reasonably. I just read Harry’s comment and was reminded of that Betts and Scholl Grenache. I guess I can’t choose one favorite.

Thanks, guys, for the great show.

haha finally a guest who knows how to handle you gary! he talks over your interuptions, pours the wine, drinks when he wants lol.

yea just like grapes, their are blue plums, yellow plums, and red plums. Also there are both European and Asian varietals. Im getting ready to bottle two different varieties of plum wine, the yellow Shiro plum, and the red Elephant Heart, both Japanese varieties. Youll have to come to the Hudson Valley and eat some F*in plums bro! You need to back up all that smack talk on how important experiencing fruit and do a series of eppisodes where you go to a farm, pick some fruit, and eat it, maybe even pair it with wines where that smell is dominant so we can try it too. so you got strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, Black Raspberries (including the japanese wine berry), blueberries, black currants, red currants, gooseberries (you russian how can you not love them?), cherries, apricots, plums, nectarines, peaches, mellons, grapes (duh), pears and apples … and thats just the 10 miles around my house.

ah snap, I forgot Mullberry!

Don’t like the Aussie oak? Go for St. Henri done in huge, very old oak.

QOTD: The Dead Arm.
Others I really like include Tait’s Ball Buster, The Black Chook Shiraz/Viognier, Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz, and The Winner’s Tank Shiraz.

Liked this show and this guest a lot Gary.

The Dead Arm is my all time favorite and one of my favorite wines period.

qotd: Dont have a favourite from Australian nothing has made me go wow but I guess I don’t drnik enough Aussie.