QOTD: I have had many experiences where I was terribly disappointed–read pissed off–with overrated, overpriced, over-oaked, and overripe California reds of all varieties!

QOTD: A 1974 Sterling Cab with a bad cork that had turned to vinegar.

QOTD: Can’t remember being disappointed in quite a while, but then, when you keep it $12 and less, it’s tough to expect too much.

I like the other set because you can put messages on the wall. Messages like Love Your Pal are significant elements of your brand.

QOTD: Intermittent disappointments, usually when bargain-hunting or receiving a well-intentioned gift. Can’t remember truly being pissed in quite a while. Maybe I, too, am mellowing with age! At least I hope it’s that and not memory loss…

I’m with Mott on the set. Now and again just for variety. BTW, was that Lizzie we saw on her way in to the office?

Hi Guys,
Been drinking these wines for a while now.
they usually need more time than the New world versions.
Perhaps an idea for a great show would be take a few “shoulda been better wines”
and sock a few away and try them 1-and or 2 yrs later and see how they fare to you Gary. even the High acid whites like the P Fume’s??

it is morning now and I was planning on grilled rainbow trout fer din-din so good choice on wines today.

Glenn

The biggest disappointment was one of the few wines I was able to find here.
As a result of your recommendations and scores.

Episode 159…2005 Boekenhoulskloof Wolf Trap. (Your score 89+)

My score……….50 “Just because of the cool label !” Wine = Simply yuk !!
Tasted like licking the bottom of an old wine barrel with bad sludge.

Still have two bottles left in my tiny wine cellar.

Glad to see you pooped on this wine today !

It’s not all bad news Gary… I have tryed many many different wines because of your show ! Certainly would not have tried pre-Vanyerchuk.
Love Sancere’s and Vouvray’s and many many other wines; since being educated here.

To really mix it up, you should let Mott run the Thunder Show one week. 🙂

I liked today’s show. I love Pouilly Fume. In fact, I’m one of those weirdos who generally prefers Pouilly Fume to Sancerre. It’s hard for me to say why, I just like the flavor profile. I often get more of a smokey/stony minerality in the PF than in Sancerre and I think it adds a great dimension to the Sauvignon Blanc.

qotd:A couple of months ago at a large tasting I made a point of tasting quite a few California Cabs and Chards. I rarely drink any of these wines and was reminded why. 90% of what I tried pissed me off. To be fair, the other 10% or so was surprisingly good for my taste.

QOTD: Probably every time I go to a restaurant and all they offer is $12 (retail) bottles of wine for $9 a glass.
Give me something good! Atleast some kind of good value!

I was pissed off by the Sterling tasting experience. It was $20 per person, with the main attraction being a gondola type ride that takes you to the top of a hill. The ‘tour’ was a self guided path through some random buildings with televisions looping footage of someone talking. VERY impersonal. Then you sit down and have a few glasses of $8/bottle wine poured by folks probably earning minimum wage and asked only to know what it says on the back of the bottle. DONT GO!

nice, keepin it fresh.

QOTD: the red wine at vinny testa. very forgettable. same goes for the food.

What part of Mexico?
QOTD: I don’t often record reviews of wines I don’t like – I just want to forget about them. But, I am often disappointed in Sterling and Cosentino. Too bland for the price.
I watched the Today show – some bold statements about price, value, and sympathy wines. I hope there’s really no such thing.
I clicked on a picture on Twitter that cannot be you. It must be A.J.

oh, and what happened to talking about brett favre?

Gotta boost these comments! I am regularly pissed off by a certain relative of mine. I routinely serve really good wine from my cellar when he comes over (about $20-25 a bottle). When I visit his cellar I am always over-polite and choose a cheap bottle (not wanting to appear greedy). I always hope he will protest and say “Oh, come on, pick something better!” But no, he gladly opens up the crap from the supermarket every time.

Hey Gary,

Love the show! Been watching the show for a few months now but this is my first post. Quick comment on Pouilly Fume. Its on the right bank of the Loire, directly across the Loire river from Sancerre. You could probably throw a stone from one vineyard to another (not with my arm). Anyway, what is interesting to note is that even though we are talking about the same grape (Sauvignon Blanc) being planted hundreds of feet from each other the ripeness levels and, therefore, flavor of the grapes will be totally different.

Some of the best wines of Sancerre are planted on South facing slopes, which allow them to get more sunlight and become just a little bit riper than across the river at Pouilly Fume where the land is much more flat. The difference can be staggering. For me, we are talking about a riper well balanced Sauv Blanc (Sancerre) and an over-acidified herbaceous cat-pee (Pouilly Fume). I like acidified wines, but an under-ripe Pouilly Fume really PISSES ME OFF!

Gotta give a shout-out to my classmates in the Sommelier Program at Professional Culinary Institute (P.C.I). If you don’t know then check it out. Mott; link it up! Also, Gary, my girlfriend met you at the Boston Wine Expo, she is flying out to Cali to visit and give me some of the schwag so I can help to spread the Thunder.

Cheers!

QOTD: Not to single out a particular producer, but I recently went to the Anderson valley and visited a winery named after a historical figure. Every single one of their wines were bad. I thought they might get better as I made my way through their offerings, but they really only get worse. Very disappointing.

Hi Gary

If you want Loire Valley QPR, you may want to check out the 2007 Domaine Corbillières Touraine Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc). 90 pts Wine Advocate – and very cheap! (here in Denmark at least…)

WAIT, who was the girl that walked in at the beginning of the show? Was that Lizzy? Spill the beans GV.

Love sancerre, have not had a Pouilly Fume, maybe ever? Can’t believe that…I’m getting some today!

Even though the show was disappointing to you, I still enjoyed it….I do like New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs so they would be ok with me except over-priced….I’m usually not too unhappy because my purchases are value driven….

Nothing to regret on the episode. I grew up on cheap Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc in the late ’70s and ’80s, so I always feel like I’m drinking them for navel-gazing sentimental value more than the flavor experience now. It’s good to have something to counter that bias.

QOTD: We just bottled a Carmenere/Cab. Sauv. blend wine kit. So to get a general idea of the profile of straight Carmenere, I grabbed one from the supermarket. The Oak Monster went on rampage. And it only worsened as the wine was exposed to air. What little grape I could taste in the wreckage was thin at best. The only blessing is that I’m out maybe eight, nine smacks for the “experience.”

Yo G, Ya needn’t be “devastated/dissappointed” with the poor showing
of the Pouilly Fumes. Maybe yur “pal” just having an off-day…..
Liked yur stint with the Today Show Gang, sniffy sniffin’ & sippy sippin’.

qotd: Last time pissed off by Vino(s)??? Had the Brewer-Clifton Ashleys
Pinot 2005 which was DEEEEEEEEEEELICIOOOOOOOOS!!! Then shortly after had
the B-C Rio Vista 05 & Huber 06 Pinots and they were MAJOR DUDS. What a
BUMMER…… 🙁

QOTD: I think the 2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is a big disappointment. We can’t figure out how the Wine Spectator gave it 91 points. It tastes like a cucumber and green pepper sandwich!

This episode disappointed me, Gary. Give the variety at hand, why not set up a more comprehensive tasting?

QOTD: I can’t remember the last wine that pissed me off but it was a pinot noir from Sonoma that was totally lacking in color, flavor and mouthfeel. It went down the drain in short order….

Like the different view on this show,although a little cluttered – my suggestion would be to do the show from different areas of the store: parking lot, ground floor, elevator, second floor, the cave and let the Vayniacs choose the background for the next 600+ shows.

Silver Oak from Napa pissed me off because it was so expensive and was Meh. I went to a very involved Chilean wine tasting of 2006 vintage and hated every wine I tasted.