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EP 804 2004 and 2006 Alsatian Riesling Tasting

Gary gets back to the Thunder Saddle after a very disappointing Jets loss. He tastes 2 vintages of Riesling from Alsace, a region that is underrepresented in many wine circles.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Schlumberger Riesling Les Princes AbbesAlsace Riesling
2004 Leon Beyer Riesling Escaillers Alsace Riesling

Links mentioned in todays episode.


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luca bercelli

89/100

line of the day – ‘I reckon one day we’re going to have rock juice, because we want minerality in our bodies’

I actually laughed out loud at 17.21 – let’s face it, Gary is a funny guy

Tags: alsace, France, review, Video, white, wine, wines

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  • First QOTD: The only Kosher Alsace wine I had was Abarbanel Gewurztraminer I got at The Wine Library was quite good.
    I updated the kosher wine of the week on my blog
    http://www.MyKosherWine.WordPress.com/Wine-Of-The-Week
    Pass it on!

  • conscious

    QOTD: beer and spicy food. I usually choose the beer from the country (e.g. Singha and Thai food), but if I had to choose a favourite I'd say Kingfisher and Indian food. I think butter chicken might be my desert island meal.

    I was rooting for the jets, Gary. Tough loss after a good first half.

  • CtWalt

    Loved the opening… was gettting worried….
    Mini question: we had auto repair and auto body in our public HS, Even the girls had to take them
    QOTD: Guinness and Sheapards Pie.

  • Just Jack

    It sounds like you must have been a student at St. Johns.

  • Lb_in_KS

    Does Cap'n Crunch and Milk qualify? if so…that's pretty darn good for me

  • jimaharris

    Toby,
    Two that should be easy to find. The 2007 Zind-Humbrecht for around $25. the other is the Hugel Gewurztraminer 'Hugel.' One that might be a bit more difficult, the 2005 or 2007 Chateau d'Orschwihr Gewurztraminer Bollenberg. Almost anything from Domaine Weinbach, but they are more pricey. Also look for Albert Mann.
    Good luck.
    Jim

  • jbgoode

    QOTD Far and away Ice Tea……but it must be good fresh brewed, non of the bottled junk. Save your 2 bones.

    I was rooting big time for your JETS and for a die hard PATS fan that was not easy, but I despise the COLTS and Manning so much, and now I will be rooting for the Saint.

  • GidFoley

    QOTD: My go to beverage other than wine would be green tea, but depending on what I'm eating I may go to beer or coffee.

  • fljohn

    Best non-wine combo. Top shelf Margarita Frozen lots of salt with fresh salsa medium with lots of fresh cilantro. Love Alsace prob. had about 30 in lifetime. You don't like Vilma Why?
    Beacuse of UM or the fact that he is playing like a beast now.

  • I use Home Winemaster 2008 an Australian program (there is a 2010 release I think), Don't know if its working on a Iphone, but it good enough for me

  • Anonymous

    haha i know…i live in colorado

  • Anonymous

    Where do you live?
    My local TJ’s (SF Bay Area) has a Michel Leon Gewurtz that’s pretty nice for $9.
    Not mind-blowing, but serviceable and a great entry to many folks who think that Gewurtz and Rieslings are only sweet.

    I LOVE Riesling! I haven’t had many from Alsace yet, but I’m working on it.
    When my local wine bar/shop was having a 20% off for 3 or more bottles Riesling sale I picked up a 2005 Boeckel Grand Cru Wiebelsberg Riesling which I’m saving for my 10th wedding anniversary next year.

    Someday I want a T-shirt that says:
    Wine
    First comes White
    Then comes Red
    And then comes Riesling.

  • vinoreviews

    QOTD, Sapporo with sushi. A burger with a hoppy IPA comes in a close second though.

    Any chance of a Zin episode (possibly a blind tasting) this week in honor of the ZAP festival this weekend?

  • I looked at the website, they only have windows version, to bad that i'm a mac user. It sure looks professional.

  • Great show! An Alsatian producer I reeeeaaaaaalllyyyyy LOVE is Marc Kreydenweiss. You should check him out!

    QOTD:
    Gin and Tonic. No food. Quality gin (Tanqueray No. 10 or Hendrick's). Second best would be a good Whiskey.

    Funny, never thought of the fact that wine is the only beverage I tend to complement with food!

    Cheers,
    Sander

  • Already said something about him, but the byfarbest Gewurz from Alsace i've ever tasted was the 07 Kritt Gewurztraminer by Marc Kreidenweiss. About 28 dollars I think (it's 20 euro's)

  • cellarrat5

    raindrops on roses and wiskers on kittens… Oh sorry, is this a blog? I got lost ofr a moment there… thought I was on broadway.

  • allanj

    This comment section is rockin' !!!

  • tonyfinbarrsmith

    Ice cold Rolling Rock, straight after sex… forget the food man! 😛

  • zilavkachitluk

    I discovered your video blog recently just accidentaly as I saw your episode about Croatian vines. You (your blog ) is the best and most interesting thing I saw recently on net. Congratulations for your enthusiasm for promoting dirnking (enyojing) wine, instead of drinking (pouring in yourself) alcohol. Wine is art. Cheers.

  • cellarrat5

    In case it has not been said enough, good intro. I am fairly certain that was the longest you have gone without smiling in any episode I have seen (2:20). As soon as you started talking about Alsace you started to perk up, feeling the flow of vino, its a good thing.

    QOTD 1: I have not had any Alsace I am sorry to say, and I must admit I have not tried many Reislings either. My Enology is fairly solid, but I need to expand my worldly wine pallet and get out of my own backyard, that is where this show comes in!

    QOTD 2: good fuc***g question! Chocolate and single male scotch 18 yr or older is awesome! A good IPA with a hearty BLT is delectable as well. I am also a Huge fan of a black Darjeeling or a jasmine downy pearls with bacon and an eggs over easy. So many combinations to choose from!!

  • Bob in Nashville

    Helles Hefe Weizen (I like it so much, it's my dog's name). Great with bratwursts straight from the grill. But hold the lemon slice that every American bartender seems to think goes with weizen; what's that about?

  • Steve B

    QOTD: Clear, cold, fast-running water from a high mountain stream, with trail mix.

  • Poor sad Gary

    QOTD1: Love my some Alsatian Riesling. Prob 30-40 in my life (mostly dry..mm mm good)

    QOTD2: Pretty hard question, but my dad is British so a cup of tea with milk and sugar with a Jaffa Cake brings on the nostalgia.

  • johnny_P_17

    QOTD: Rogue Dead Guy Ale with Brats hot off the grill on a hot summer day.

  • JayZee13

    So, Gary, you think you have it bad? I am a Browns and Indians fan. So don't whine about having your heart ripped out by your favorite team. The Browns lost two AFC Championship games to Elway and the Broncos, and the Indians managed to blow a one run lead in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series against the freaking Florida Marlins. You are right about one thing – it is darn hard to get back to the Championship Game. But the Jets have a VERy promising near future. Roll with it, baby!

    QOTD1: I have probably had 2 or three dozen Alsatian Rieslings in my wine drinking life. I do love their acidity and dryness.

    QOTD2: A really good cheeseburger with Great Lakes Brewery Burning River Pale Ale

  • capncrunch

    I wasn't a huge fan of rieslings in general until I had a bone dry one from Alsace. I have since tried 4 or 5 Alsatian wines, both rieslings and gewurztraminers, and love them. I would drink them more often, but it is hard to find them under $25.

    -Diet Barq's root beer with a sandwich

  • Anonymous

    i dono…its brewed up the road from me lyons co

  • winemonologues

    Glad “sad Gary” faded to GaryVee!

    QOTD: Diet Coke and Za. Love it.

  • maxinvegas

    First posting Two things, Alsace is one of the most underrated and understood regions. In Vegas very few appreciate the joy of this amazing region.

  • Great shout out to the Alsace region…still wildly underrated in today's wine world. I am a huge fan of Trimbach Riesling….oh wait, I am a super-freak fan of every single Trimbach wine, period. Their Rieslings and Gewurtzs rock the house.

    QOFD: Pernod Pastis (1/2 and 1/2 with water) and vanilla ice cream. Its a summertime circus in your mouth.

  • WhoDat_Noir

    That's right… Gary V… Go Saints but you spell Geaux Saints.
    Look buddy I was pulling for your Jets. I'd much rather play yall plus I thought it would be karma for the Colts sitting their starters against you guys the first time.
    For the next week I need to see the Who Dat?! on the big board

  • tommyb2

    QOTD: Had about 6 Alsace Rieslings in my life I think, fav non wine food and beverage pairing? Curry and lager.

  • Richie

    It's great that your back in the saddle Gary. I was getting worried. Rieslings are my favorite wines so far. I think I have had only one from Alsace though.
    QOTD: Well for other alcoholic beverages it would be beer. Mostly from Czech and Germany. Beer goes really well with Goulash in my opinion. For non-alcoholic things I would say milk or bloodorange juice. I can't decide which.

    PS: Hey Gary. To prevent your cold: Take a very hot shower, warm a beer in a pot of water on the stove until it's as hot as you can take it. Drink the beer as fast as you can and then go to sleep. You will sweat like hell during the night but it does help to get rid or prevent colds. I have done this often.

  • jackshlimovitz

    i WORK IN A WINE STORE IN MEQUON, WI, NORTH OF MILWAUKEE. WINES FROM ALSACE ARE DIFFICULT TO SELL IN OUR STORE. THEY HAVE TO BE HAND SOLD. WISH IT WASNT SO, BUT THIS NOT THE LOCAL TASTE.

  • Thank you.

  • Katie Marquez

    You know, I've always been intimidated (and at the same time intrigued by) reisling. Though I'll take a gewurztraminer from Alsace any day of the week. So I thought this was a lot of fun to watch.

    Hmm…I love to drink a nice floral Oolong that smells like apricots (man, I'd love to see the tasting notes you could pull out of oolong Gary) and a moon cake. The flakey kind filled with sweet mung bean paste. And a pretty red stamp on top.

  • That was neat to see you slowly work your energy back up throughout the show

    Mini Q: I've had zero Alsatian wines

    QOTD: My favorite food-beverage pairing is some grilled fish tacos with a Mexican beer, preferably a Negro Modelo

  • Curry and lager – that sounds interesting, I'll have to try it

  • Tea and cake is a great combo, good call… you just gave me a craving haha

  • sargieaz

    I dig the Alsatian wines mucho. Another fav is marcel deiss pinot blanc. Sorry about the Jets, you through me there…not yourself. Cheer up maybe you need to go deeper in the cellar and pull out a day-changer.

  • legrec

    Hey GV this is my first comment. Been watching for three years. I gave and introductory wine tasting course yesterday and Alsace was the theme. We had 3 rieslings from Alsace. One of witch was the Leon Beyer you just tasted. The group voted it the best of 5 wines. Pice in Quebec Canada is $34.75. No choice for us since the governement controls the whole thing. No competition, no discount… love your show.

  • themosk

    i am eager to give Alsatian reislings a shot, sadly, the only ones I've had are from Chateau St. Michelle @ around 6 bux and from Bogle (dont remember the price) that I had with a lobster roll.

    qotd: i like the Mazapan made by mexican the brand De la Rosa with a glass of milk… my wife says that it grosses her out but i love it! The mazapan is similar to marzipan in the sense that both area confection consisting primarily of sugar with the only basic difference being that mazapan uses a kind of peanut meal, whereas the latter uses almond meal.

  • My highschool had an auto shop (in So Cal)
    I think I've only had like 1 or 2 Alsatians! I'm sorry to say it haha

    QOTD : Root Beer and an Inn n Out meal. Nothing beats it.

  • GV – I am glad you took a few days off. I know how miserable I was since Sunday and I wouldn't have wanted to see you in that funk. But I'm moving on and loving the show. Riesling is my favorite varietal but I don't have much experience with the Alsace.

    QOTD – My favorite beverage is fresh brewed iced tea. It reminds me of summer and usually puts me in a good mood. I like to pair it with lite summery foods.

  • mikebest

    People who talk about hating gary going on about football all go home, it's who gary is, i'm English and I think it's as boring as hell but gary thinks it's great and wow does he bring that across! That's who Gary is so enjoy it or leave it!

  • Katie Marquez

    Thanks. I must admit that grilled tacos and a Mexican beer sound pretty tasty right about now. Particularly if I were IN Mexico partaking of them. A nice cold Negro Modelo. Mmmhmm.

  • Chris The Cop

    Screw these people who get on your case for talking about what youre passionate about. Atleast your not a Giants fan like me whose team just sucked ass this year.

    Great combo-when my wife was pregnant she ate milk duds wrapped in american cheese….how bad is that????

  • cebe

    Sorry for the weekend, actually was in the store to console you on monday, but…
    Drink Alsatian on a regular basis, Kuentz-Bas is one of my favorites, just finished my last bottle of Tokay Pinot Gris Collection Rare '98.
    QOTD Fresh Naranjilla juice and Ecuadorian Ceviche. (There are way too many combos to list them all, this one just popped into my head because of the acidity as I virtually experience the bone-dry Riesling in your tasting)

  • Just Jack

    You are sooooo right about that Max. I caught a ton of attitude yesterday when I mentioned to the wine buyer at Lee's Discount that they should carry more. He looked at me like I was from Mars. I wish we could order from WL. I don't know why we cant. We can order from every other online wine merchant. Hopefully GV will get with the lawyers and see if something can't be done about that.

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