EP 803 Another Merlot Blind Tasting

Gary revisits Merlot in this blind tasting of wines around the world, with some interesting results.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Chateau La BienfaisanceSt Emilion
2007 Bellanotte MerlotFriuli Venzia-Giulia IGT
Segal’s Fusion RedIsraeli Kosher Wine
2007 Osso Anna MerlotNapa Merlot

Links mentioned in todays episode.


Latest Comment:

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luca bercelli

90/100

line of the day – ‘this is like your old five and dime; candy smells and you love it’

Really good info, especially regarding smooth wines being overscored. Love the blinds, love the beard

Tags: Blind Tasting, merlot, red, review, Video, wine, wines

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  • glwicker12

    Colts OAK MONSTER D shut down the JETS !

  • JasonGonzales

    No new episode. Man. I haven't seen a tweet from Gary since the Jets… well you know. I hope he's okay, and he didn't go off the deep-end or something.

    Gary, I hope you're alive and well my friend. Get well soon?

  • Phredd3

    All I can think of as I read this is: homophobe.

    Funny, though, the next coming of Robert Parker, Jr. is a pretty good analogy. It isn't like RP is a god, either, you know. He's just a guy with a pretty good palate who isn't afraid to say what he thinks. Gary is pretty much that, except he has a better website and knows how to use Facebook. And to be completely fair, Gary also has some other business interests that need to be accounted for. Other than that, they seem pretty similar to me.

  • castello

    I'm going to have to agree with Phredd3 but is that your real picture?

  • I really like the blind tasting episodes. I also love watching Mott zoom in on the paper bag haha. Way to go Colts

  • CharlieTN

    I'm pretty sure women watch WLTV too…

  • Rob Skehan

    How does that taste Jets fans? Go Colts!!!!!!!!! Rex Ryan and the Jets just couldn't back up the talk. The Colts are just on another level!!!! Eat it Jets!!!!!

  • looper1313

    Great Show

  • Cdub

    7 shows in 17 weekdays this month i think this an all time low for WLTV…..weak sauce

  • Norm

    I surprised myself with guessing 3 out of 4 countries. Missed Israel but was thinking Lebanon.
    MAybe I am learning something here.
    Keep it up Gary!

  • CharlieTN

    I concur… surely there must be something taped last week or last month or last year Mott could throw up until they film new episodes. (Buehler, anyone?)

  • Where has the host of this show gone? Is he trimming his mangina?

  • chicago mark

    We only appreciate Gary for his wine smarts. Could care less bout his Jet fandom. Stick to wine and leave us alone with your Jet fetish.

    fav merlot..SELENE

  • CharlieTN

    Speak for yourself there…

  • QOTD: Gotta say a 1998 Frog's Leap Merlot.

  • It's a skill.

  • sydneycrosby

    Gary! What are you, the 16th or 19th most influential man in Men's Health or Maxim??? Right on man! First time post and new to your site. Its great! Been watching a few episodes and gotta say your blind tastings are pretty cool. I've done a few like that with friends and you would be amazed at the guesses, right and wrong, that we get on the wines. Where do you get the “big ass glass”?? That thing is epic and deserves its' own zip code, health insurance, and most of all, custom built storage rack.

    Anyway, I hope to watch more in the comming months and hopefully years?

    By the way, your show with #99 was pretty cool. Had no idea he made wine.

  • Randy Tupas

    One of my favs is Milbrandt Traditions 2007 Merlot. Very Nice

  • matthewkenney

    Had a Ladera Howell Mountain Merlot. Huge forest floor component. Very strong.

  • srbeerkin

    Gary, loved this blind merlot tasting. It was a clear outline for comparing wine. Years ago, I smarted the fact that ” I liked merlot,” without realizing how different one merlot can taste from another. Merlot was the trigger for my wine education. Collecting books on wine, tasting with a good friend, and watching wine library tv has enhanced the journey…….and I thank you!

  • Anonymous

    Cliff was one of the only guests that actually gave a sh** about what we had to say. He took the time to read most of the comments and had the highest response rate out of any guest in WLTV history as far as I can tell. I don?t care about football, but I also don?t mind when someone is excited if their team wins. Anyone who has ever played a sport in their life can relate to this. Don?t watch if you don?t like the content, and as others are so fond of pointing out ITS FREE!!

  • Phredd3

    Sorry, no. That guy was born in 1921, which makes him more than forty years older than I am. (Or he would be, if he were still alive.) He's a hero of mine, though.

  • That was a fun blind tasting. I think Merlot is an underrated grape as well. I think a lot of wine drinkers put it in the same category as Malbec, which is the new wine drinkers/no complexity category and I would disagree on both fronts.

  • Agree, it's time to get back in the saddle.

  • Now that ^^^ is funny! 🙂

  • Nik_B

    Interesting episode – was good to see a wide selection of countries.

    QOTD – can't actually think of any that blew me away.. but generally Pomerol is the only area from Bordeaux that I am a fan of.

  • lol

  • Kmurph

    wow, that's impressive! Norm, ftw!

  • Yeah, no one zooms like Mott 🙂

  • I want to say that I love this new comment system. The reply system is excellent and being able to post comments to twitter as well is excellent. Thank you guys.

  • me I saw the origin in the facts about the wine in this episode under the video. Had 4 of 4 correct 🙂 sorry couldn't resist

  • castello

    Got it.

  • cellarrat5

    Better yet, she could host the show!! I can see the headlines now… “reports of looting and rioting all across the United States, all perpetrated by a common collective of internet bloggers that only refer to themselves as the “Vaynernation”, the devastation and chaos will take months to subdue, back to you in the calm and peaceful studio Tom”

  • cellarrat5

    your analogy is that of a homophobic Junior Highschool student who just got rejected by the “Meg” of the entier school district.

    See what happens when there is no new episode? I am lowerd to petty insults and Jr. High jokes!!

  • Braden G

    Somebody get this guy a drink!
    Does this make us Vayniacs “a bunch of pathetic GAY wine groupies”?

  • allanj

    Had A 2006 Saint Chinian The Other Night. Can't Remember The Producer. But Interesting Wine With Obvious Vegetables At The Start On The Nose. Peppers, Broccoli-Component, Tomato, Bitter Cherrys, A Bit Of, Not Real Leather, The Imitaded Stuff? Is That Good?

    Well Made Wine. A Bit One Sided, But What Do You Get For 10 Bones?

    I Wonder What Gary Is Planning? ? ?

  • hello. we need an update!

  • castello

    I found out where he got his glass and ordered 4. Bottega Del Vino BV8 Rosso Burgunder. Awesome sniffy sniffs!

  • castello

    Sasha! Take over PLEASE!

  • waynooooo daaa winooooo

    Yo G , WHERE ARE YA ????? I'm havin' WLTV withdrawal symptoms…….. :o)

  • NY Pete

    hey big congrats to that WE innovator of the year award … u did attend the ceremony, right?

  • Gary Come Out Of Your Funk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Gary Come Out Of Your Funk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Actually, I was glad to see a couple of tweets from GV…was getting worried about him.

  • Phredd3

    Please Don't Capitalize Every Word. It Makes It Hard To Read.

    This way is so much easier.

  • Fred

    Hey Gary, just watched the video. Great as always. Just one note… you should learn what 'double blind' means. It means that neither the tester or the test-taker knows which is which. That means whoever filled the bags doesn't know which wine is in which bag either. That may or may not have been true in your case, but your definition of 'double blind' was still off.

    – a fellow Springfieldian

  • allanj

    Okay, will do

  • mojavejoe

    Let's see if we can get to 500 comments.

  • QOTD: Leonetti '96 or '98.

  • Almost there…
    QoTD: To be honest, not too fond of varietal wines. I grew up with blends and that's what I like. I've tasted loads of Merlot, but nothing got registered in my mind.

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