Really fine show apart from the numerous faults in GV’s French diction. Nice to see some great Cabernet Francs.

QOTD – Cooper Mountain Vineyards Old Vine Pinot Gris.

neat idea for a show, that was a really interesting comparison. QOTD: Haven’t had many…St. Francis Zin

This was a really good show idea. Another reason price usually goes up for vieilles vignes is because yields fall when the vines grow older, but they usually bear fruit that is more intense. That’s the trade-off winemakers face.

QOTD: Probably one of the wines from Domaine Boisson I had from the Boston Wine Expo. They are a fabulous producer from Côtes-du-Rhône that ripped my face off. Thunder was brought, my friends.

QOTD: I think the most surprising old vine wine I’ve ever had, for the price ($10-$12 wholesale) is the 2005 Vinas Centurias Sabor Real from Toro. 100 year old vines puts this wine in a whole new league compared to other Toro reds even close to this pricepoint. Dense, extracted, rustic, and balanced.

Yo yo. Good fun comparison.

Great episode. New wines to put on my To Try list, and educational too.

I need to try more Chinon.

Great episode and an interesting take on “old vines”. I think to be fair, you are going to have to another show like this with two wines from a different area. The “old vines” Chinon was “more like traditional Chinon”, according to your tasting notes. To me, that is “better”.

However, the answer to why old vines wines are more expensive, sometime MUCH more expensive, is two-fold: 1) the old vines have much lower potential yields than younger vines and 2) the old vines require more work in the vineyard. There was a very timely article in the March 2009 Wine Enthusiast about old vines wines focusing on Australia, but touching upon other areas, that I found very interesting. Check it out.

QOTD: That’s a tough one. I did just have a Seghesio Old Vines Zin and it was very nice, a little smoother than their other Zins. I’ve had a Renwood Old Vines single vineyard Zin in the past that I liked very much. I have also had some old vines CDP (cannot recall the producers at the moment) that rocked. But none of these was done in a head-to-head comparison like this.

QOTD: The best old-vine Zins I’ve had were from Renwood. Their Granpere is wonderfully rich and complex.

I’d have to say the Bourgueil Vieelles 2006 Cabernet Franc. LOVED IT!

QOTD: I have had some old vine wines, but can’t remember any except the Seghesio. I enjoyed it, but thought it a bit pricey…

Will have to search some out!

Hey, interesting show. Neat idea. It seems the only Vieilles Vines wine I’ve had is a Beaujolais from Jean-Marc Burgaud! And I liked it.

…why am I so bad at remembering the names of wines I drink?? : P

I love Chinon. I had a friend introduce me to these wines in a french comfort food restaurant in Paris. Eating at a table with 20 other people in Paris, loved it and loved the Chinon. Have been drinking them when I can ever since.
QOTD: Love Pauillacs, especially Baron Pichon de Longueville. Probably because I liked the people at the vineyard as much as the wine to be honest. Don’t know if that answer counts since it doesn’t identify actual vines but I know they have been around for a LOOOOOOOOONG time in comparison to other parts of the world.

I like the t-shirt! Are they available in or can the be shipped to Europe?

QOTD: De Martino 2006 Malbec (Single Vineyard Maule Valley-Limavida) 80 year old untrained, non-irrigated bush vines, depth and balance.

Best old vine: Sonoma Russian River Gamba Zin baby….But my hearts in the Rhone for sure.

Qotd: for me I’m sure it was a Burgundy

90/100

line of the day – ‘there are some grandmas who still want to be in highschool’

Really enjoyable episode including a ‘laugh out loud’ moment just before the 8 minute mark when Gary re-enacts his invitation to hard core Cabernet Franc drinkers.