Love the couch Gary. Kick back, relax and just take in some time for yourself this weekend.

QOTD: never had a gigondas. Have to keep expanding el pallete

QOTD: No time to watch March Madness

GV- being that I moonlight as a new balance salesman I gotta say those sneakers hurt my feelings. not like your hurting for $$$ or anything but I might have a sample with your name on it (hopefully a pair nobody else has)… unless of course you're already endorsed by nike. ha, a pair of purple air GV pumps would be sweet. i digress. anyways, never had a gigondas but now it's on my hit list. i did have my 1st loire valley cab franc with a JG Mellon burger. DAMN! Perhaps not the best pairing but anything goes with those bad boys. new to the show but i've crushed almost all episodes into the past few weeks. feels good to jettison the lurker status.

Have I had Gigondas? Sure lots of it. Bousquets is good but try La Bouissiere, St. Damien, St. Cosme and Raspail-Ay. My favourite is Domaine du Cayron.
Gigondas can be inconsistent but when it is on it is certainly a better bang for buck than a lot of CDPs.
Final Four? Wide open this year but how about Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and Villanova.

QOTD1: no, unfortunately. would try the 2nd wine, but of course it's sold out already
QOTD2: i haven't followed bball this season, sorry

Great show! Missed the couch a lot!

QOTD1: I had Domaine de Cassan 2006 Gigondas two weeks ago or so. It didn't blow me away, I can't say it was remarkably better than the “generic” Cotes du Rhone by J. Vidal-Fleury 2006 I had lately (almost half the price – 25$ vs 15$), but it was certainly a very enjoyable wine. I love the Rhones, and I'd like to taste more Gigondas soon – considering the currency exchange, CDP is certainly too expensive for buying it often. Gigondas brings the thunder.

Gigondas tried it before, never had one that blew me away though.

I drink as much Gigondas as i can get… my Fav… I got turned on to it from your classic show about a year ago or so and have gone Rhone crazy… Thank you for that. i have had at least 6 different ones. All good. Put some in some Cinderella packs… Do a Cote, a Gig & a CdP and we can compare.

QOTD1:Nope. QOTD2: Syracuse, Wisconsin, V'nova, & Kansas

Hey Gary,
Jacq. from T.O. here. Ohhh yeahhhh, recently had Ortas Gigondas 2007. Winner of a gold medal at the Concours General Agricole Paris 2009. No, wasn't in Paris. Bought it at my local store. $23.95 canadian. Yummy, ripe blackberry, raspberry, cherry with slight pepper and minerality on the nose and follow through on the palate with a nice finish of light cassis. Medium body, medium acid, light tannins with long warm finish hence the nod to the 15% alcohol and the vintage. Having said that it's a nice integration of the fruit, acids and tannins. Great now but will be even better in a few years time. Sounds just like the Bousquet!! I'm going to try and source it here in Toronto.

Roger Over and Out!
Cheers
Jacqueline

Great show GV! Hey, get back to Chicago you slacker!

QOTD- I have nothing, except maybe Wisconsin, especially since they lost today…best thing that coulda happened for their chances.

Cheers!

PS- I have had Gigondas…right up my alley!

Will someone give this man a job…. ; )

The year of the Rhone: Domaine Raspail-Ay absolute favorite Giondas. Go there!! This year southern rhones are for any and every night and when summer actually arrives and grilling, it gets even better. CDP of course but Gigondas and Rasteau are the great values.
I'm Indiana and hated to see hummel injured now it's going to be tough,
Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse, and Baylor. I'm from Valparaiso and Drew has done a great job at Baylor.

PS, tomato juice is only good with vodka in it.

Never had a Gigondas, but it was already number one on my list to try. Final Four I'm going with Kansas, and beyond that I think it's a toss up. I actually want to throw up something crazy and go with Georgetown, since they could probably beat any team any night or lose to any team any night for that matter. They looked fired up in the tourney though. So I'll go Kansas, Georgetown, and two out of Ohio State, Kentucky, or Purdue.

sQotD: Never had a gigondas but huge fan of rhone for reasons that even are not known to me not because of score or reviewer though.

I'll memo myself on it.

Final Four: Depaul, Purdue, and Illini, and I don't know, what the hell, wisco. Reason for picking them, those are the only teams I recall from hearing constantly on the news.

QOTD: I know more about the wine than college hoops. Villanova for starters and finishers for that matter.

Side Question: Yes to Gigondas. Especially love the St. Cosme “Valbelle”

Meh.

QOTD1: Of course, Gigi rocks.
QOTD2: Marquette, Kentucky, Kansas, Villanova

Thanks, G. The wife and I visited Gigondas last Spring during a vacation to Avignon. Wonderful place. My most recent love is Domaine Brusset. If you see it laying around, please give it a shot. I promise you won't be disappointed. Also, have you ever done a show on St. Peray wines? Just curious.

QOTD: Oh yea…many. With a shroomy/Earthy/buttery brie, I am in wine & cheese Heaven.

QOTD: Tough one. I just started to pay attention to college hoops and it seems like all the regulars are there. I'll go: Kentucky, 'Cuse, Kansas, Tennessee.

I don't remember if I've had Gigondas so I probably haven't had it. That didn't stop me from buying some of the 07 Santa Duc Haut Garrigues and Tradition as a pre-arrival. Then Parker went ape over both, now I'm afraid to drink them. I bet if I hold them 10 yrs. I will have earned the right to consume them and won't feel so guilty. In the mean time I'll drink cotes du rhone and Vacqueras or Lirac to pass the time.

Could this be the year for St. Mary's? OK so I'll settle for Duke or Marquette.

Side QOTD: Spent a full day with the Wife touring through Gigondas last September during our Month in France. Beautiful region, Good Wine. If ever in the area take a load off at Le Caveav des Gourmets nice place.

Side QOTD: No I have not.

QOTD: Well, since until you specified that final four was for college basketball I didn't know what sport you were talking about, I don't have a very knowledgeable response. That's OK though, I don't mind sports talk even though I've never really followed sports. It's still interesting, in its own way. Thanks for the show!

Any wine can be “inconsistent”…it’s called vintage variation. The southern Rhone has had a remarkable run of very good-to-excellent vintages since 1998, so if the Gigondas you’re trying is inconsistant, it’s probably due to factors other than growing conditions. Most people (especially, it seems, on this board) drink wines from the southern Rhone too early. Even the Cotes du Rhone ’07s are just starting to open up a little; Gigondas typically needs 5-8 years (in a cold cellar) to hit its peak, and many Chateauneuf du Papes do not really ‘bloom’ until they’re 10-12 years old, or even more. They ARE approachable in their youth (thank the Grenache for that), but really become “wow” wines after some time in the cellar. Peace.

What’s ridiculous is how many here have answered “no” to the question.

That’s because you’re commiting infanticide. Put the ’07s someplace cool and check back in 5-8 years (or longer, if you can resist). And something’s wrong; one thing the 2007s definately don’t lack is structure…tried the Clos des Papes, for one? And the only less-trustworthy rag to rate wine than Decanter is Wine Spectator…many high-scoring wines in both are also major advertisers – conflict of interest, anyone?

Or Robert Parker, or Steven Tanzer, etc.