Amazing show Gary. I’ve read a number of napa and Mondavi history books/biographies and it was great to hear some of the story firsthand. And for once I think your interruptions were valuable and better directed the show. It was clear Tim is the consummate spokesperson and wanted to get his message out, but you were able to control the flow and present an outstanding hour of wine discussion. I am CA born and raised and that is where my wine affinity lies, so this was a great treat. Keep up the good work and congrats on nearing 1k.

QOTD: especially for CA, I do see my tendencies leaning more toasted Estate wines. The are much more fun and interesting to visit because there is a story, a real story of the land, the vine, the wine, and the people. I think the latter part gets to Carissa’s ? That the people and the team that leads from dirt to glass are an integral part to the wine. The wines I enjoy most are the ones with a story, and the people are paramount to that process. Thank you Gary.

This 2 part seemed much better . I thought Gary did good job with Tim ,there was a bunch of content to cover and he just kept it moving .

qotd;It needs a second label or in a Tasting Room pack to try it.

Whatever, forget these clowns. The Mondavi’s were a “guest” no need to apologize. However, looking at your reaction to the wine. I am curious to know what verdict you would of gave the wine. I agree with boulcut, when I had it and the price point clearly points to a pazzzz.

Although having Gary slam the $140 wine would have been entertaining, extremely ballsy, and perhaps what he might have done in a private tasting; I don’t think he misrepresented himself. He was professional, polite, and honest. If he slammed it, it might detract other big names from coming on the show. He had to keep a fine balance to the interview. And both Tim and Gary cut each other off near a hundred times – it was a battle to keep this one on track. Gary did well.

For regular viewers, his lack of scoring or in depth commentary on the wine was a hint that it didn’t rock his socks off. Even with guests, he will come out and say what he thinks when the wine blows him away. Clearly, it’s solid wine, if you are into that style. And if you got an opportunity to taste it, it would be ‘an experience’.

How about a Bag-In-Box show Gary?

Or is that not good enough for ya? 😉

I loved the guests but I feel a little bit bad for Carissa since she didn’t get much of a chance to talk. But it is what it is and I enjoyed the conversation about the wine business in general.

Qotd: I always love learning more about wine. Especially trying a varietal or label I’ve never tried before. It can be hit or miss but the experience and mystery are always fun. As for the estate wines, I do think that it is important. I am a ckc so I can’t always afford them, but I can definitely tell the people that truly care about their wine and people that just want somethings that tastes good and sells well. As for having a team to work the vineyard everyday, I also think that it is important. And not only that, having dedicated people on site who also have that same passion and knowledge about wine. There was one winery tour I went on here in Texas that just got under my skin because the lady giving the tour seemed like she just memorized cue cards about the winery and how the wines should taste. That and she did whole how to taste red wines and white wines bit which involves clucking and doing all kind of crazy nonsense when all you have to do is swirl it all around your mouth. No special trick for certain wines, just don’t be shy about hitting all the spots in your pallete. But I digress, yes a dedicated group in the vineyards and at the winery is important.

Very good show. PLEASE do not apologize for having respect for your guests.

Good show. Very interresting. Loved the history lesson.

QOTD: “Estate” obviously doesn’t automatically make the wine better, but it makes the story easier to tell and therefore there is a brand value. From a consumer point of view there is a value associated with being able to pinpoint the exact location of the grapes. The price premium for this knowledge is not very high though. For me less than 10$, and if it’s used actively in a marketing sense to distinguish the wine from “non-estate” competitors it would actually set off my alarm clocks and I would be worried that it was being used to command a high premium. In that case I would probably not buy the wine simply on that account and look elswhere for a better QPR.

AWESOMENESS.

The first part was snoozeyville deluxe but the lees education was worth the wait.

QOTD…. Estate Shmestate, … I would never buy a wine because it all came from some singular plot of land. Is a sports team or band more fun to watch because every athlete or performer came from the same town? NO. You want the best elements possible introduced and blended in a way that makes the best product.
QOTD 2 … speaks to me a little more. Wine making team counts for so much and establishing a pedigree of style is paramount to serious wine drinkers, i.e. Chris Ringland.
QOTD 3 … Absolutely, the lack of second wines in American wine culture is annoying. the fact that you can contrast the wines from different barrel qualities, hopefully not just based on vine age, is great for investigating a premium wine to see if you like the team’s style.

I suppose that not listening to – or not focusing on – your guests is a form of “editing.” But good editing is done in the cutting room and not on camera.

I didn’t get any e-mails for the last five shows. I also thought you were out of town or something?

Love the show…but have not received any emails the last week…what gives?

The wines (at least the ’07) are EASILY equal (at the same stage) to the better vintages of Mondavi Reserve from the early 90s – incredible balance & concentration. In ten years or so, when these vintages are entering early maturity, they will be at the top rung of what Napa can do, and will probably compare favorably with the first growths in everything but price.

Great idea, crappy vintage. 😉

One more time…the Mondavi’s world DOES revolve around sales, but also around family, and especially, up-holding the family’s reputation for quality. This wine is an INFANT…and besides, Gary (as he says) likes green, lean, and veggie-style wines – any wonder he wouldn’t go nuts over a just-bottled 2008 from Napa? This is NOT a wine to drink in the first 6-8 (and 10-12 will be better) years unless you want to commit infanticide. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it might be wise not to believe everything you see in a movie or read in a book – like you, anyone can say ANYTHING (freedom of speech/artistic freedom, ya know). This is a world-class wine that costs what (apparently) the market will bear, judging by their mailing list, the market is bearing it!

Continuum ALSO appeals to people who recognize greatness in the bottle; I don’t “chase scores” but do find Parker’s & Tanzer’s descriptions helpful – after all these years I know what they’re saying and whether the wine is “my style.” Going by sign-ups on the mailing list (got my offer in the mail Friday) and the fact that there is only a little over 1,000 + bottles available, I’d say the smart money is that this project will be a success. On a personal note, I’ve tasted the 2007 twice (wonder why they didn’t taste that one), and even as a baby, its already balanced & approachable…if you’ve drunk much Napa Cab the special qualities of this wine are apparent without doubt. But that’s just me.

Good interviewing (and manners) is done on camera and not in the editing room! ;-}

Well said!

Just felt like Tim was a little too “wine” for my taste. He has the legacy and knowledge but really turned me off quickly for whatever reason. Of course a 24 year old is not his prime demographic but I really wanted to know what his daughter had to say/felt since she has grown up with it as well and has other outside experience. Just wasn’t for me. I’m sure he’s a really nice guy when he isn’t on camera.

Moving on…

I was cracking up when Tim said “First let me cover some of what I thought you were going to ask”, I think maybe I’ll start doing that too next time I get asked a question and want to say something else.

I liked the 2nd part better. With that being said the interview with Tim did not give me any more desire to buy his wines than I already had before I saw this 2 parter.
qotd: I do prefer estate wines, given the choice with all other things being equal.

Great, Great show! These are the type of shows that keep us tuning in. To hear directly from and Icon from an Iconic family is the ultimate!! kudos GV.

Excellent Family – Great info!

QOTD: Working for an “Estate” Winery on the Central Coast of CA myself we often struggle to quantify the value of our efforts as seen in the consumer’s eye. When selling the wine it provides great background and unity when speaking about our grapes, our vineyards, etc. Its great to be done in house… but where it hurts us is the broader scope – especially scores. We feel that because we are not sourcing from top vineyard sites or playing the game in that fashion to make wine for scores we are missing out on some of the press.

For the Mondavi family, I feel their emphasis on Estate packs more of a punch because of the iconic status of Napa and their clout. Overall, I’d say the consumer appreciates the efforts of the “Estate” designation but with a younger more bargain driven consumer it appears lately that the hot appellations, vineyard sites and now varietals are driving volumes opposed to we grow our own grapes…

Cheers!

I have been a viewer since the double digit episodes… I am a lurker extraordinaire! Why? I watch the episodes on a ferry during my commute out here in the Seattle area.

I can NO LONGER keep my mouth shut about you interrupting legendary guests dureing your interviews.. I was totally horrified every time you asked Tim Mondavi a question, because I knew that during his answer you would cut him off and talk about yourself… This had the potential of being one of the most interesting interviews of the year!! Unfortunately it was butchered by your cringe inducing interrupting.. F*&cking horrifying! When you ask a wine legend a question, PLEASE sit back and allow the person to give his full opinion and answer! PLEASE!!! You are a little runt in the wine world & you need to work on showing more respect toward these legends… PLEASE!!.

Other than that, thanx for opening up the wine world & widening the palate of all wine enthusiasts worldwide!