Gary,

You need to have some Michigan cherries. 70% of the worlds tart cherries (or something like that) come from MI. Get to the cherry festival in Traverse City. Lots of wine up there too in the Leelenau Peninsula (some of it is drinkable).

Enough with the yakity yak already and get back to basics tasting wine. There’s more talk and promotion in each show with less wine. This lady, the “Wine Chick”was so full of it I turned you both off.

Hi Gary,

I really enjoyed this episode and thought your guest was an excellent addition to the show. I’m happy to hear the subject of TCA come up. I’m drawn to your ballpark estimate of one in one thousand tainted wines, however I think to even frame the issue in those terms is a bit of an oversimplification. It seems likely that TCA has been prominent in particular times and somewhat particular wines. My suspicion is that those touting the one in one case metric had a painful impression formed at a time when cork quality was low among wines they encountered. Although TCA might be much less of an issue in current times, they are perhaps left smarting from unpleasant experiences. One specific factor that exacerbated the TCA problem was cork bleaching; we can hope that’s now a lesson learned among cork producers and wineries.

I would suggest anyone interested in learning more about TCA investigate the George Taber book, _To Cork or Not to Cork_ as well as Grape Radio episode 182 on which Taber was a guest.

Cheers,
Torquey Marula

Hi Gary,

I really enjoyed this episode and thought your guest was an excellent addition to the show. I’m happy to hear the subject of TCA come up. I’m drawn to your ballpark estimate of one in one thousand tainted wines, however I think to even frame the issue in those terms is a bit of an oversimplification. It seems likely that TCA has been prominent in particular times and somewhat particular wines. My suspicion is that those touting the one in one case metric had a painful impression formed at a time when cork quality was low among wines they encountered. Although TCA might be much less of an issue in current times, they are perhaps left smarting from unpleasant experiences. One specific factor that exacerbated the TCA problem was cork bleaching; we can hope that’s now a lesson learned among cork producers and wineries.

I would suggest anyone interested in learning more about TCA investigate the George Taber book, _To Cork or Not to Cork_ as well as Grape Radio episode 182 on which Taber was a guest.

Cheers,
Torquey Marula

Gary… was the video edited? Around the 26th minute when the debate on cark taint got hot it just changed to TCA abrubtly. Wonder what happened back there…

QOTD: no idea what it is but after reading from the comments, yeah heard of amarula cream liquer!

By the way, great show and thumbs up to the wine chick! Great synergy and discussion on a hot debatable topic and really loved both your comments on screw caps vs corks.

Good show and good debate. I was waiting for it to turn into the Dan Akroyd/ Jane Curtain “Point/Counter Point” (before your time Gary).

I respect her opionions and knowledge.I can certaily appreciate that she stood by her opinions and wasn’t easily swayed. However, I felt Liza came across as a stereotypical wine know-it-all. This is the reason many are afraid of wines and does’t encourage people to explore more wines.

Gary, stop iterrupting guests.

Good show and good debate. I was waiting for it to turn into the Dan Akroyd/ Jane Curtain “Point/Counter Point” (before your time Gary).

I respect her opionions and knowledge.I can certaily appreciate that she stood by her opinions and wasn’t easily swayed. However, I felt Liza came across as a stereotypical wine know-it-all. This is the reason many are afraid of wines and does’t encourage people to explore more wines.

Gary, stop iterrupting guests.

Sorry for the typos…..darn Blackberry keyboard.

I really enjoyed this guest and this episode. I do, however, disagree with Liza about cork vs screwcap. Stelvin has more than one option for the film in the cap, some of which allow for some air exchange in a similar fashion to cork. I know these haven’t been tested too much yet, but I think they hold promise and so does a respected producer in Burgundy who’s done some pretty serious testing. I think if people stop using the basic film that allows virtually no airflow, even with wines that will be consumed young, we might stop hearing about this reductive problem. Thanks, Chris, Liza, and Gary!

I really enjoyed this guest and this episode. I do, however, disagree with Liza about cork vs screwcap. Stelvin has more than one option for the film in the cap, some of which allow for some air exchange in a similar fashion to cork. I know these haven’t been tested too much yet, but I think they hold promise and so does a respected producer in Burgundy who’s done some pretty serious testing. I think if people stop using the basic film that allows virtually no airflow, even with wines that will be consumed young, we might stop hearing about this reductive problem. Thanks, Chris, Liza, and Gary!

QOTD STRIKE…feeling lazy this morning.

Good episode. Very good guest. Showed her strong and weak sides.. Gave her opinions. You guys had a good chemistry going. Bring her back for another show.
And for the whole corked thing.. I think I have only experienced 2 corked bottles in my life. And one glass at a bar.
If you look at all the bottles Gary has reviewed (and that has to be close to 2000 bottles), he’s only had one corked review on the show. And he appeared pissed when he realized it.
QOTD: Too lazy to google it.. Peanuts?

Good show Gary. I think this show sums up what you’ve been preaching since episode #1: trust your own palate. It’s very obvious that you and Liza had very different palates and tastes and are both considered “experts” on wine. This is why us consumers can not simply go by the ratings of one judge or critic. Try different things, trust your palate and enjoy what YOU like.

Good show.

When Liza started to describe her palate I was rolling my eyes but so glad to see her stand her ground and play Devils advocate. Not really, she really believes her points and in most case I do too. Funny alliance?

GV: How about a show from the Cork People’s place and you call them out? Love to see how they and you handle it!!

QOTD: grapes?? I don’t know

Nice, lively debate and on-point opinions. Although, being a traditionalist who hasn’t been affected by a corked wine (yet), it’ll take more than talk to get me to change my romantic ways. It’s all part of the experience for me. Much like decanting, smelling, whirling, shloshing the wine around in my mouth, being patient with my bottles, pairing, etc, etc. I normally won’t even look at a screw cap bottle to purchase. It just lessens the experience.

excellent banter…”the screwcap kingdom where they will give you candy and money”…brilliant.

QOTD: hey leave some fruit for the elephants

QOTD: No clue now that GV shamed me – my real life IQ is substantially lower than the one my internet aided persona carries around with him. This episode illustrated the effect guest and mood can have on an opinion about a wine or region. With someone else in the room saying yes / no / maybe it is, obviously, a more dynamic process where you are taken in directions with a wine you might not have gone on your own. Wine becomes so much more when its shared. Great show. Peace.

QOTD: crab apples.

JB’s first point is precisely why so many people claim they’ve never had corked wine. If the TCA’s not in your face, then you need to drink from 2 or more bottles of the wine to be certain. It could be flat, dull, lifeless and lacking in fruit because it’s a cr@ppy wine, or because it’s actually corked. There a multiple wines out there which people will never bother buying again coz they thought they were naff, whilst they were actually just low-level corked.

And to re-iterate what several people have pointed out, it’s the cork processing that’s the problem, not the cork itself.

Far better environmentally to keep the forests. And yup, you’ll never beat the romance of a corkscrew with a screw cap. Even if a nice man from Riedel did once show me a VERY COOL trick for opening screw cap bottles – involves running the neck along your arm & back – may have to go & practise to remember how it’s done…

Great show.

QOTD: Amarula. You need to try Japanese Umeshu, that’s some tasty stuff.

But what about the aesthetics of the cork? Not that im against screw tops, but popping a cork is kinda cool..

WOW Great episode… such interesting stuff here – It is my first visit and I love it!

Good point Andrew D on the Aussie experiments from the 70s. Its a misconception that there is no aging potential for screwcaps, as the various liners for stevlins are very precise in the amount of air seepage, as opposed to corks which vary more dramatically. Sommelier Journal recently had a good article on the issue, but there’s obviously a large debate. I’d love for you to bring back George Taber or another expert to address the issue, as I think American buyers are far too enamored by corks, where as Germany, Austria, not to mention OZ and NZ have been won over by the clear evidence in favor of screwcaps.
As persuasive as the cork industry is, reduction is really a non-issue, since you can just decant and the sulfur notes blow off pretty quickly. A wine spoiled by a dry, leaky or tainted cork is lost forever. While there is something for the tradition of pulling a cork from a great bottle, unless the winery is investing in top notch corks, at $1.50-2.50 a shot, they should protect their wines and go with the more effective screw cap, in my opinion.

You gave the 2006 Descendientes De Jose Palacios Bierzo Petalos a 92+
Was there that much of a difference in the 2007. Seems like you didnt like it much.

Fun show. I really enjoied the Cork vs. Screw-top debate.
QOTD: I don’t like trivia questions as the QOTD. It’s pointless.