Thank you very much Mr. Lynch for sharing your time, wisdom, and knowledge with us. And thanks GV for continuing to rain thunder down upon our stemware and cellars.
I think I'm going to have to watch the whole set of episodes again.

QOTD: No, French wine is not too expensive, but like anyplace else “caveat emptor” (maybe there is a French term for that?), you need to know what you are getting into (with the help of honest and fair importers like this kind man), or at least enjoy the gamble if you don't. Agreed, the known labels can command large euros, due to a number of factors, but they are just drops in the oceans of French wine. My business partner lives in Burgundy for a a few more months, and each time he comes back we do price comparisons between domain price over there and retail shelf price here where we can, there is consistently a 3X to 5X increase. So, I'm kind of forced through my limited knowledge (and budget) to go with known factors, or adventure in the Vin De Pays realm and enjoy the research before purchasing. Thanks again! A Votre Sante!

My big BIG thanks to Mr. Lynch for coming on the show and dropping the oh-so-exclusive knowledge-bomb on Vayniacs. Thanks Gary for arranging this. I'm gonna have to find a way to get this video on my non-Flash supporting phone, so that I can show it to people. Fantastic show. THE BEST!

QOTD: I think it has to do with general mindset about France. Everything is so uptight and just (for a lack of better word) “french” when anyone talks about France. The food, the art, lifestyle, and whatever else. “Fun” and “Economic” are not the first two words I associate when someone mention “France” or anything “French”.

I could not agree more. France has so much more to offer and I believe most of the American wine consuming public has their opinion about French wine and it does not look like it will change any time soon.

Gary , you cut him off way too many times, where he was about to go would have been fascinating rather than hearing you overlay him time after time to show off how smart you are.

One the best interviews ever Gary !! You didn't step on his answers and your analyses were spot on and demonstrated how the old and new wine generations can meet happily.

After reading Adventures on the wine route, I became a Kermit Lynch fan and have sought out his wines and even made a pilgrimage to the Berkeley wine store.

With regard to the prices of French wines, I think the global economy has woken the French up a bit.
I'll use Rhone, Costieres De Nimes, and other southern wines as examples. Unsaddled with traditional winemaking techniques, these younger winemakers have found a sweet spot. Look at 07 rhone. while a number of them have the garrique overtones, the best are forwardly fruity with a backbone/structure that allows for incredible mid palate and length.

Having lived in France, trained at michelin 3 star restaurants, and attended the '76 tasting in Paris, The renaissance of french wines in the US is a Godsend.

What city?

It is official; the original Star Wars, The Lord Of The Rings, the original Indiana Jones, and now Kermit Lynch on WLTV (for the record I believe this trilogy might blow those out of the water). The fact that guest episodes have not been that popular recently and this one is obviously one of the instant classics speaks for itself. Amazing content, GV at his interviewing best, fantastic wines, I don's think we can ask for anymore.

QOTD: Unfortunately my worldly wine knowledge is not nearly up to par compared to GV, and most of the Vayniacs out there. However, when people come into my tasting room and the conversation moves toward imported wines (France, Italy and Spain particularly) the first thing mentioned without fail is price. I believe this is due to people believing that French wine is exclusive and somewhat illusive to the average wine drinker and therefore expensive, which is not the case. Marketing takes on a mind of its own from time to time, and French wine is no different.

Doh! lmao!

so u going to get us some of that gigondas mr.v??????

THIRDEDED!

Yep, that was frickin amazing.Out of all the guests' Kermit is definitely, without a doubt, my favorite. Listening to his perspective on the wine business as it's progressed over the last 40 was simply amazing, and clearly his influence has really left it's mark.

QOTD:Perceptions are very difficult to change, and most people here in America within the wine industry, aren't really trying very hard to change them.Besides here in America people just love to hate on the french, but as far as I'm concerned their food, wine and general way of life is by far superior to ours, but once again that is just my perception.

Sorry Sasha but you have been replaced as the favorite guest. A PHENOMINAL three parter. Absolutely the best ever! Literally could have listened for hours and still asked for more. It must be good to be you both.

QOTD: Unfortunately, because people don't do their homework. Many are too lazy too search out the gems and therefore overpay for the label. Perhaps I'm just extraordinarily lucky to have the passion and time to indulge in the “treasure hunt” for those soul enhancing bottles.

I'm a lurker coming out of the shadows…great guest, but Gary's habit of talking over the guest is getting annoying. Let him talk — you get to talk all the time!

Absolutely agree.

It's personal taste and I don't care! So If I wan't to know that a wine is in perfect balance. What do I need to learn, understand?
Oh Sasha was there… and you didn't pair the old men on the screen… Gary!!! the only miss in this series.
Chocolate and red wine, Lynch is my man, I'll try to have a show on monday with red wine just because of that http://chocolatetv.anderschokladprovning.se/

Great show Gary
QOTD: That pricing of french wine is not a factor i Sweden, but french wine took a real tumble when we boycotted them 14 years ago due to french nuclears testing at the Muroroa in the Pacific. It took french wine 8-9 years to reappear and remember, the swedish monopoly is the largets singel buyer of wine in the world and in 1996 the largets buyer of frensch wine.
P.S Mr Lynch, distrubuting in Sweden is hard, but 70% of the popualtion drink wine, that's the highest number inte world. Wanna do business? 🙂

French wines have the history and prestige to bring high prices for seeking status and money is no object. But there can be some real bargains if you know how to find them. In the past I experienced great pricing on French wines for example '71 Aloxe Corton $4.99, Chambolle-Musigny $7.99, and my favorite Chambertin Clos de Beze $11.99. The French got their hook for burgundy.

brilliant episode. love it! QOTD – agree that the notion of french wine being very expensive comes from a lack of awareness; with peoples perception of prices being driven by the prices of petrus, le pin, lafite etc.

Perhaps the best show yet – Mister Lynch is a class act. I have a case of that very wine in the cellar and you are absolutely spot on – it is fantastic as is the terasses du diable, the other cuvée mentioned.

One thing Gary, please stop cutting across the guests, it's very annoying.

Are french wines expensive? – some are, some aren't. I live in France and that Pallières 07 cost me ?13. It's fabulous. On the other hand I very much fear the Bordeaux 09s will be ferociously expensive.

By the way Gary, where are those 09 barrel samples you're going to taste for us . . .

Decent wrap up, he came off a little more rough today with the meal thing. You don't get asked to leave a restuarant by just complaining about too much salt. If you were being an A$$ then own up to it.

QOTD: People think French wine is expensive because the biggest areas are very expensive. This includes middle to upper tier Burgundy, Bords, and tons of Champagne houses. With this said there are lots of good qpr finds in places like Loire, Chinon, alsace, provence, but these are lesser areas that people who are less into wine know about.

QOTD. I don't agree that reputation is deserved, but I've heard many people say that. Sure the real Top Producers are very expensive. But you can't beat France for a wine full character in the $15-25 range, in my opinion. And I'm from Spain known from that category, and I still think France tops it.

Gary, this is the best guest you have ever had. He is truly amazing.

Kermit, keep up the good work and Gary you too.

Jim

P.S. My love for wine started in 69 while I was a Post Doc at Berkeley.

First of all wow. Learnt so much from that, seriously thank you.

I've been looking for a wine that's not too expensive but seriously good, interesting and age-worthy to give as a present to my closest colleagues and friends who have helped me so much this year – my first year in the wine trade. We may well drift apart as I'm moving to London to work for an importer there (currently live in the North of England) so I'm going to give them this bottle and say in five, ten years or whenever they decide to drink it that we'll do it together and we can catch up.

QOTD:
In England we certainly don?t have the same influence from California that you have. Maybe it?s the area I grew up but French wine has an enormous respect and I don?t think that they?re thought of as expensive. However because it?s quite traditional the best restaurants & merchants lists will have French wines as their most expensive listings. Therefore people think good French wine is very expensive. Surely Bordeaux & Burgundy ?The best wine regions? (whatever that means) famous wines fetch astronomical prices and that?s what grabs the headlines. A wine that?s $20 and brilliant probably isn?t thought about that way automatically because it?s not $100+.
QOTD:

Also – Get Mr Rosenthal on the show!

Have a good weekend G. Hopefully you got caught up on work this week with the single episode taping.

Off to make some music now. Ravari Room here I come.

Best 3-parter EVER!! Thanks GV and Kermit. And yeah, stop the salt monster!! This wine sounds droolful..must have!!!

QOTD: HellifIknow