Awesome in-depth episode and guest! He led us so much with the phrasing, but of course, I want wine with different personalities. Unfortunately a lot of wines that I love to drink because they are delicious taste very similar despite different grapes/regions.

QOTD: I ABSOLUTELY want wine regions to maintain a regional style (and when we revamped our restaurant’s wine list recently I was sure to focus on bringing in wines that represent their region’s traditional style to show the diversity of the parts of the world our lost represents.) There are many well-made, fairly complex, mostly balanced fruit-forward and new-world style wines made in older, more traditional regions. However, for my palate, they may be delicious but they also taste like they could be made from good vineyards with a modern winemaking facility ANYWHERE in the world. So, what’s the point of such wines if they don’t showcase the unique flavor profile and tradition of the land where the fruit grows? They may be delicious, but they miss a huge part of what makes wine so interesting: that a bottle of wine can provide you a taste of some part of the world without ever having to purchase a plane ticket to get there, and can show the tradition of the culture, land, and climate of a region in a single sip.

Thanks for this great episode ! 🙂

QOTD : To me, wine is nothing without typicity, there HAS to be differences between wines. Differences due to the origins, the cepages, the vinification (french word, don’t know if it is the same in english), the climate… All the wines should preserve their characteristics and the heritage of their names.
Don’t want a “bottom-levelled-global-range” of wines that all taste the same.

HEADS UP, GAYNIACS!

Mes Vin du Nuits: La Vieilles Ferme, Coteaux du Luberon?best white wine QPR in oenologically-challenged-Momo Utah (State/Mormon/Ethanol Nazi-controlled wine sales). No competition, no Internet sales. The rest of the nation can sympathize, I?m sure. And no, I?m not one of them.
Is it Trad? Yes. Cheap? Yes. Good? Also. Screw $800 Dujac?since when has paying an arm/leg for terroir-driven grape juice been traditional? Since pussy-whipped pundits like Robert Bohr told you so (informative, indeed: we all now know you got bitch-slapped by your insatiable pantaloon-wearing husband when you got home. Trad? F-No! Go look in the mirror, Mes Ami, before you tell me what to drink!). My parents lived in southern Italy in the 1960s and every year bought a barrel each of white and red from some local yet-unnamed, infamous farmer–you know, the guy with calloused hands?and bottled it themselves, topping each bottle with a little olive oil. Ever come across that at WL or CRU? How many callouses do any of you have on your hands? You want to talk so ?passionately? about stinky? Ever worked the earth? None of you can identify or define Sweat Equity.
Only soft cock-holsters like you, Robert, and your sugar-daddy Roy, could handle night-after-night the very classless American clientele (most out of touch with Planet Earth) responsible for my jobless brothers and sisters these days. Has CRU so much as donated a single plate of pasta d?aioli to a hungry American? Talk about that barnyard smell. AOC USA NYC FU.
Full of it tonight–perhaps in more ways than one–but I feel it?s my duty to stir the pot in debate-challenged USA! Nobody said squat about Rumsfeld?s Little War beforehand, and now 4,000 of my Brothers and Sisters are dead for nothing–not that this next-generation of English language/math-challenged-punk-ass-non-serving-proletariat-wanna-be-oenophile-cholo/wiggers that you seem to be marketing to, Gary, could understand that. Way to go, Comrade! How much do you owe to the Russian Mafia?
You poor misguided Bastards?Gary, ultimately. While you NJ low-lifes believe in and fund Gary?s $60 Million Empire trying to discern sour cherries and cow?crap from his honey-sweet Internet sales empire, it?s the other top critics that are the ones actually ?keeping it real? (though I do believe RP is CA Whore) and getting out there way beyond what they?re selling. What?s so ?secret? about the inventory Gary needs to move? He?s got (most of you) convinced you too can be the next ?Happy Gilmore? of the wine world, never having to pay your dues and feeling just so f-ing good by flippin? the bird at the Upper Class.
Puh-lease, class-stupid America (y?all think it has something to do with income?as if The Donald has any class at all), look closely at the videos of Gary trying to hang with Jancis or Joly, or him in Bordeaux. The French, especially, more class-conscious than anyone on earth, can barely contain their disdain. You want Trad, Bitch? Well, it doesn?t include you. Or the Russians.

Drink whatever you like, NJ, just don?t think like Adam Sandler. Or Gary.

FAB-U-LOUS episode! You can tell he really knows what he’s talking about.

QOTD: Absolutely, I want my wine to taste like where it comes from…it’d be boring otherwise.

QOTD: My interest in wine is relatively new, but I appreciate the differences. Exploring the nuances of different wines is both physically and mentally interesting. If everything tastes the same, what’s the point. Those “AHA” moments are the best.

qotd: I absolutely want wines to convey a sense of place and tradition. That is probably the most important aspect for me.

Thanks for this great second part. 1980 is my birthyear, too. I’m a little jealous.

Great episode. Kudos to CRU for a passioned focus towards wines by the glass. Not everybody wants to drink a whole bottle every day, but we still want quality and an opportunity to explore.

QOTD: I absolutely want wine to maintain its link to its regional heritage. Garnacha from Spain, the seemingly endless combinations of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre in the Rhone. Bordeaux and its link to the Cinq Cepages PLUS terroir is the magic. I am always worried when a region gets marginalized, and wines all over the world become a Bordeaux blend. Enough I say! Caro is a Mendoza blend. Opus, Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages, Merryvale Profile… they are Napa or Sonoma blends. Life in an endless sea of Dooker-like fruit bombs would be awful.

Great show Gary. But after this your gonna have to do
like 3 months of value play shows!

QOTD – Easily the best question from any guest so far.

I think some of the answers that want traditional are a little selfish. If you are answering that way; you are asking wineries to make wines that aren’t selling as well out of nostalgia. Many such wineries have taken the leads from the scores that other wineries have received for making non-traditional wines. When you see your neighbor getting rich from fruitier Rossos or Barolos or whatever…you probably are apt to make a more fruit driven wine yourself. If you want wines to be more traditional, then quit buying the non traditional ones because Parker gave it a 93. Since we know that people are not allow many of their wines to age properly, should some producers not make the wine for this vast majority versus the small percent that lay their wines down. The good news is that many of these traditional wines are still available. Look in the close out bins of your local store.

The short answer: I like that where we are now with a mix of both still available.

QOTD: Would much rather prefer a wine taste and act like its home, say speak to its vernacular. Here in south florida we have a good handful of folks that make mead, and i couldn’t imagine them looking for honey from other regions, and with the addition of local fruits, those meads become a melomel which reminds one of this area, whether its consumed here or not, it speaks to a place.

We did a blind wine tasting on Friday night for my wife’s birthday, and on the fourth and final wine, some interesting things happened. More so than any of the others, folks picked up on smells and taste that define the region. Though noted, no one actually picked out that it was an Israeli, Benyamina Yogev Cabernet/Shiraz 2005. Everyone noted flint, stone, pomegranates, as well as other things, and it wound up being everyone’s favorite, not only because it was a better wine than the rest, but because it reminded everyone of what they knew of a place. It told a story of its journey. Without the story, what is it?

So act like yourself, let your freak flag fly. Don’t conform just to be marketable. Stop letting global economics get the best of you.

YMMV

Cheers.

one of my favorite guests so far. and a great question!

QOTD: It’s very important to me that wines reflect the place where they come from. The most exciting thing about wine is, i think, that wine is like drinking a place. I don’t want wines from different parts of the world to taste the same. However, like anything else (art, music, cooking, et cetera) adhering too strongly to tradition does rule out any possibility building and improving. I don’t think winemakers have to be die-hard traditionalists to make wines that are terroir driven. There will always be those who want to make wines in the same way they have always been made (and God bless them!). However, I am troubled by legislation that keeps people from experimenting.

enjoyed this episode though most of the wines mentioned or tasted were a little on the pricey side. have you ever had lunch a smith & wolensky or its related restauranats during wine week? i have always found it to be a worthwhile experience.

Overall, a good episode but I have to say this one hit a few negative points with me. After spending the day with my sister-in-law discussing her finances and determining if she can make ends meet or pursue bankrupcy, it was tough to review Cru’s wine list. Unfortunately I’m coming across more and more people who are unable to meet the daily necessities of life, so watching folks discuss in depth an $800 burgundy is a whole end of the spectrum. Also, $20 glass for Montalcino – wow. While Gary was gracious and seem to truly love the bugundy, he still makes the comment this is a nice 92 point wine. For $800, the wine should rock – 92 or so points is still darn good but for $800, we are talking house payment material for a month here.

However, I understand it’s New York we are talking about and there are certainly many who can roll with this crowd. That’s fine. That’s why you fairly show all different types of episodes. Fair enough.

The comment about barbara and pizza being the only match was bad and being an imbecile if you don’t roll this way. Rude .. snobish. That’s not what you seem to portray Gary.

Finally, Gary – the interruptions are really getting bad. It looks like your excited and happy, but you have to try to contain it. Watch the episodes some time and count how many times the dialogue is interrupted. That’s why I commented yesterday on how this seems typical of two New Yorker’s talking/interrupting at will. It’s o.k. for a while but grows old on the viewer.

On the positive side, Robert is a pleasure to have as a guest and was extremely knowledgeable and fun to hear him talk and throw out different experiences and contacts he has run across. You two get along great! Good to watch.

QTD – Like everyone pretty much said, it’s a tough question with no set, easy answer. I tend to enjoy, like everyone else, the traditional, terroir expressions of a partuicular place. Except I take it one step further, and guess that most wine fanactic like this tradition whereas everyday wine drinkers just want that smooth, consistent style (I’m thinking of my neighbor here who has a glass or two every night but doesn’t give attention to place, A.O.C., vintage, etc.)

Sorry to hit on the negative but this episode hit hard timing-wise when everyday situations for our families are really becoming tied in deep to the economic downturn, and we are being taken down as part of it.

Great episode(s), fantastic guest and excellent QOTD! Though I did get lost in some of the deep regional stuff, it was the kind of lost the made me want to go out and learn more about wine first hand so I can keep up.

QOTD: I think there’s no question that wines should maintain their integrity and individual personalities. As the world knits ever closer and closer together with communications and transportation technologies micro-niche products can and will increasingly grab mass market attention. Leave it to the newbies and newly developing regions to turn out Hawaiian Punch (not that Hawaiian Punch isn’t incredibly fantastic in it’s own right). Serious producers should focus on craft and process and turning out exceptional products rather than markets. As we wine drinkers have more and more information at our fingertips we are increasingly able to distinguish between and find interest in the details of the production experience.

Wine is not something people drink for sheer deliciousness. Leave that to milkshakes! We value complexity because different flavors are evocative of memories, and experiences in our lives and also the taste of a certain wine can imprint the joy of the occasion into our memories forever, storing it away for later when we taste the same flavors again. Wine is about the narratives of our lives and the experience and people surrounding it which is why each person has their own unique palate. If the results have integrity the customers will follow.

Thanks again for a great show and awesome guest! Keep it up!

Great 2-parter with passion… although not sure how many of us can roll with a $800 bottle, but I’d like to try…

QOTD: Tradition or new age… that’s the great part for me about wine. I can respect the tradition, but also enjoy some of the new ways wine producers are getting their vision on the market.

Exciting time for anyone who enjoys wine!

I am still learning about wine. My interests right now
are completely with tastes and smells. I have not moved into
the area of caring a great deal about the land or the
process of making wine.

To be quite honest I would never even consider paying $20
for a glass of average wine. I don’t care how old it is or who made it.
Of course I feel the same way about the outrageous prices restaurants
charge for food and service.
I prefer to wine and dine at home.
Gary, both you and your guest are obviously quite passionate about
wine, and I am getting there but right now I don’t play in anywhere
near the same ballpark as you guys.

QOTD- I like wines to be traditional and reflective of their sense of “place”…that being said, I love a cali cab that acts like a bordeaux, but that’s because i love bordeaux…..the problem is that with the globalization (i dont care if that’s a real word!!) of wine and it’s popularity, winemaker’s are changing style….often to satisfy critics’ palates, and to produce a 90+ score….do you think Ch Pavie would be made as such if Parker scored it an 88??? I doubt it….get the point?

Best guest ever! QOD – Wine must have a sence of place and should never lose it’s true identity! Otherwise the world would look like L.A., Plastic Surgery City!

Also GV, first time YOU ever mentioned Brett! it’s about time!

Gary –

I normally can’t stand the guest spot episodes in general, but this two-parter was amazing and a lot of fun. Thanks for the glimpse inside Cru; It’s going on my list for my next NYC trip.

I think the question here is misleading – as you’re always saying, wine has got to be about your personal taste, and there are always going to be people whose tastes will genuinely appreciate and love the more traditional, more dynastic wines. So, to put those types of wines opposite of a ‘delicious’ wine can be misleading.

That being said, I do understand at least the spirit of the question. As a wine consumer, and relatively new one at that, I do want the wines to maintain their tradition, and I do want selections that showcase those qualities. I believe those wines to be a crucial element in discovering the world of wine as a whole.

If I was just going for purely taste all the time, I’d save the money and drink soda.

This was such a great episode for someone like me who is just scratching the surface in this industry it was also extremely inspiring … so thanks guys! QOTD: i think that wines with that “delicious factor” that Gary so commonly refers too have there place, but ill take tradition any day!

This is an age old fight in my family. I cannot get my Father or Brother to understand that wine can be delicious and interesting even if it does not taste like high-end Napa Cab. or Old Vines Zin.

Don’t get me wrong, many of those wines are Delicious, but I need a little variety and variation of style. And, mostly I need some acidity to add balance.

I cannot drink a huge fruit wine with food. I need “Real” wine…AMM

The question asked by the guest related to the “authenticity” or geographical adherence for a particular varietal. Look, I am a 28 year old law student and I consider myself to some extent, a disciple of Gary’s. Most people, particularly in my demographic, are not going to be as interested in wine as a sensory experience and an intellectually stimulating journey. I say this because I believe that the question you ask is slightley rhetorical. Any one who watches this show is either a firmly established wine geek, or one in training. If they are worth their salt, and I assume they are, they are going to assert that wines should derive from and stay geographically loyal to their origin. Consumer wine markets are obviously stratified into the groups that think that this is important, the groups that are beginning to learn this, and the groups that don’t care (which is a moot point because they are not watching this anyways). Finally, the question is not one of taste or palate per say, but that of intellectual honesty and an appreciation for history. In my humble opinion, it would behoove the influential people in the wine community to put their foot down and atleast be heard on the issue. Rampant commercialism will undoubtedly overwhelm you, but those with minds as discerning as their palates will rise to the occasion in support of the issue. By the way, if winelibrarytv needs an attorney in the future, I am your man! All the best, I have learned much from the program!

Michael Millett

Tradition is a must where it applies. There are a million other wines that you described in the easy to drink, fruit bombs of the world.

Ken