G’day Gary,

Down here in Australia our warmer months are behind us. I downed a lot of Marlborough SBlanc & loved it. *But* what is really getting me excited these days is Marlborough Pinot Noir! I know Central Otago & Martinborough are the main players for NZ Pinot, but more and more I’m finding myself enjoying Marlborough Pinot the way Mott love you throwing down an 85. A Wither Hills 2006 I had recently really blew me away. I know you’ve reviewed a bottle of Marlborough Pinot Noir before, but I’d be awesome if you lined up 2 or 3 to duke it out on a dedicated show. I really think there are some serioulsy solid plays coming out of this part of the world.

Keep bringing the thunder,
Tim

Tight show today, but somehow the longer the shows are, the longer my lunch break is…hmmmm.

QOTD: have a special order of some really delicate sauvignon blanc from the only AOC in Burgundy that allows it Jean-Marc Brocard Sauvignon de St. Bris “Domaine St. Claire” ’07…but we are really waiting to uncork the last 6 bottles of wine we made ourselves from hybrid grapes here in Vermont (La Crescent)…this batch could stand up against quite a few sauvignon blancs.
If we get the same results this year, maybe there is a bottle in it for you.

Hey,

I’ve been watching about a month now and I love the program; great episode today (I was wow’d by Chasing Venus when I tasted it last).

QOTD: Nicolas Joly Chenin Blanc

I got burnt out on the NZSB over the last 2years. Was in Virginia Beach and went to a restaurant called Zoe’s, the sommelier recommended a gruner veltliner from Austria, really liked it. Noticed you did an entire episode on it #181.

QOTD: Chateau Pesquie Las Terrases Rose, Bugay Vineyards Rose of Syrah, Markus Molitor 2005 Riesling Spatlese, plus lots of Torrentes and some Conclass Verdejo. Yeah, that.

Hi Gary,

I am going to try drinking more Merlot’s this summer.

Can you do a show on Merlot’s ? (Nobilo Merlot 2005) You have not done one in awhile. Thanks in advance.

Nice show today.

Best regards.

hey gv, i felt the same way when i bought the cloudy bay a month ago… it was good, i bought it cause i wanted to see what it was like… an experience. building the palate my brother, definately a more muted nose, and less fruit than lets say a k crawford, which is fine with me, just wanted to see the hype. Love the show, can you do a show on porteguese wine, im confused, not sure whats good, whats not, i bought an old vines one last week for 35 bones, but wasnt super impressed, is it cause im a looking for a fruit monster, and that isnt what the region delivers. thanks buddy, go heels,
Bill

Hey Gary, loved the show. I’m a huge NZ sauvignon blanc fan but personally have never understood the hype around Cloudy Bay especially at the $30 we have to pay here in the UK.Once when it was alone maybe, but at the price its a definite pass surely. Its usually OK but only OK. I love the Pioneer block wines made by St Clair. And as a value play Oyster Bay which is often discounted here to about $9 by Sainsburys ,one of our major supermarkets.
For spring If I can find any here I want to have the experience I had the other day in New Zealand when I tried the 06 Chardonnay produced by Waitiri Creek in the Central Otago region. Yummy creamy butteriness…..

Great ep G … Im looking forward to drinking some Russian River Valley Chardonnay and some Washington State Reisling.

QOTD: I am excited about finding those good values, and I don’t care where they come from or what varietals they are. Expanding the palate and keeping the wallet fat. I had the Goats Du Roam red the other day- pretty good. But when summer hits here in Phoenix, I bring out the big guns: albarino, godello, reisling, gruners, chablis, you see where I’m going. OR you can take the opposite approach, the eat spicy food to cool down theory. Drink more tannic richer reds because they make you sweat more thus cooling you down. It’s hitting 90 today so I’m ready!

Nice episode but not a real SB fan, had a couple but am more Chard/Albarino/Riesling guy

QOTD- For my birthday dinner on Friday (the big 36!!!!!) I am thinking of a 2001 Brunello from Ciacci Piccolomini D’Aragona that I have been saving. Other than that, just drinking what is in my basement.

Congrats on the book deal!

Gary; you’ve just made my day; Cloudy Bay is so over hyped in the UK it’s unbelievable. Do you know they charge between £17 and £22 a bottle for the stuff here?! That’s what – 35-45 dollars??? I’d be interested to know your opinion on that one! I myself think it’s over hyped, over marketed, “play the hype and try to get more money” branding. I’ll go and get a fantastic Bordeaux for the same money thanks very much. Tom Bexton, UK.

Gary; you’ve just made my day; Cloudy Bay is so over hyped in the UK it’s unbelievable. Do you know they charge between £17 and £22 a bottle for the stuff here?! That’s what – 35-45 dollars??? I’d be interested to know your opinion on that one! I myself think it’s over hyped, over marketed, “play the hype and try to get more money” branding. I’ll go and get a fantastic Bordeaux for the same money thanks very much. Tom Bexton, UK.

QOTD, lots of whites (yes chilled) once it heats up. Some Reislings, Pino Gris, Sav Blanc, etc. Really want to expand the palate this summer with the whites, probably not many white Burgendies though unless you have an extreme value play to try.

I enjoyed the show today! I’ve always enjoyed sauvignon blanc, but haven’t had any from NZ.
QOTD: Well since I’m in the southern hemisphere (Chile) I am heading into fall. But I am looking forward to drinking some Syrah, Carmenere and blends. But over the summer (it’s still pretty warm here ) I’ve enjoyed Sauvignon Blanc (from the Casablanca and San Antonio valleys) and a few rosés.

Recently have been the harvest festivals which were fun to attend and try the wines the vineyards in various valleys have to offer and the wonderful bbqs.

Also Gary, I’m still waiting on a Chilean wine episode 🙂

Hy Gary,

Once again, love your show!

Just had the SBlanc Misiones Varietal.. Could you give some insights on the brand maybe?

Belgian Thunder-fan..

I’m sorry, wasn’t specific enough in my questioning. I ment the sblanc Misiones de Rengo Varietal from Chile..

Wim

QOTD: I am insanely looking forward to the wines i’ll be tasting on a little thing called the Thunder Cruise! Oh, yeah!

QOTD=05,06 Cru Beaujolais, thinking I’m a little bored with the obvious Cinnamon and softer texture of Morgon than a Moulin A Vent or the other villages.2000 Bordeaux and a smattering of 2005 with red meat. Reisling as often as possible whether it’s German, Alsace or Washington St. in a value play with my wife(Loire Chenin Blanc as well) or crisp Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire or NZ that she will not drink acceptingly. Any central or northern Italian red I can find to try and red Burgundy or Pinot Noir worth buying(never wanted to see Sideways). Thanks and good luck for you and your store.

good to see a show on new zealand sav blancs. it seems that everyone is doing sales on cloudy bay right now, must be the spring and a need to move the inventory!

QOTD – it is starting to warm up in switzerland and white for dinner made an appearance for the 1st time in a long it seems on the dinner table last night for the main meal. yay! actually some vernaccia.
anyhow, i am looking forward to a range of stuff. i am falling in love with german riesling, so that is on the radar but also some rose. i keep meaning to plop down some bucks for a bottle of dom ott. everyone tells me that it is worth every single american penny. also i cant stop my habit with some good old fashion CDR with the grilled summer meats. the bordeaux will go into hibernation for the summer and the burgundy soon too. maybe break out a bottle of bandol this summer too with lots of mediterranean food. that is about it.
BTW – it seems that the bordelais are starting to put out more roses. big chat. too. soutard …. crazy. actually had an 05 rose from calon segur last summer it was GOOOOD! 15 bucks too. sorry to write so much. peace

QOTD: maybe some of the ’06 spring release pinots – Flowers, Papapietro…

QOTD: Who knows for sure but with Kermit Lynch’s “Oyster Bliss” parking lot feast and tasting coming up on the 18th it will be something special.
Peace All,

QOTD: Sauv Blanc – i’m trying all kinds. Nobilio is next.

QOTH: In August of 2008 my wife and I were celebrating our one year marriage anniversary by going wine tasting (and buying) in the Santa Ynez wine region and brought back to Rhode Island 2 cases of wine from the different vineyards we visited. Now all those wines (and the memories it brought back of the tasting and trip) are sadly gone, but we do have three roses that were are saving because they are good summer time wines. Now I look forward to those three times this summer when we crack them open, drink them down, and have them bring us back to the great times we had on our wonderful vacation.

Responding to Sean, I live in Los Angeles, and my wife and I get over to the Santa Ynez Valley quite often. Everytime we do, we always remark on how lucky we are to live a couple of hours away from such a wonderful place. I hope you and your wife get to make a return visit soon, so you pick up some more wine, and some more memories.