Alsatian White Wine Tasting

Gary Vaynerchuk and an enthusiastic guest taste a Pinot Blanc, a Riesling, and a Gewurztraminer from Alsace.

Gary Vaynerchuk: Hello everybody and welcome to Wine Library TV, I am your host Gary Vaynerchuk and this my friends is the Thunder Show a.k.a. the internet’s most passionate wine program and as you can see wee have a new table cloth, Mott are you excited about this, this is very fancy for us. We are definitely moving up. And we have a guest today and so—why don’t you tell the Vayner Nation who you are and a little bit about what your about. Zack: My name is Zack— Gary Vaynerchuk: Which is a great name. Zack: It is. Gary Vaynerchuk: And lets be honest tight Zack, it is a good name. Zack: Yeah that’s true. I am 22, I am about graduate in one month from NYU from Chicago, Bears fan, White Sox fan, I’m sorry. Jay Cutler. Gary Vaynerchuk: No, it’s okay. Yeah, are you excited about that? Zack: I am. He’s got— Gary Vaynerchuk: He’s got an attitude problem and he’s got skills for this. Zack: I mean the Bears quarterback and I work in a wine shop in New York City, Bottlerocket at 19th Street and 5th Ave. Gary Vaynerchuk: It’s a great name. Zack: It is and I been into wine for a couple years now, really in the wine, it is really, I spend my money on to be honest. It is a little of what I have. Gary Vaynerchuk: It is a great decision. I recommend it to anyone. Zack: True, I study psychology, but I am going into film, hopefully, producing after graduate and moving out to L.A. Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: What hooked you into Vino? Zack: Well, I mean my parents aren’t huge wine drinkers so it is not really that clear but I went out to—I live in California for summer. Internet Foxsearchlight and I went to wine tasting in Santa Barbara and I try—I remember the first wine that really, I was like wow this is so delicious was the 05 Tensley Colson Canyon Syrah, which I know you have in the show. Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah. Zack: Which I love that wine. Gary Vaynerchuk: Really good people. Zack: That was like a delicious factor sort of wine and then I went to—I spent the last Spring in Paris studying abroad and I went to taste it in Bordeaux, Chateau Palmer. Gary Vaynerchuk: And that was it. Zack: And a burgundy an 01 Marson it was over. Gary Vaynerchuk: It was on. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Like Donkey Kong. Zack: Exactly. Gary Vaynerchuk: So you know, I think this is an interesting mix to me, you know this is what excited me and I think you sent me an email we were yapping about before. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: The reason, I thought it would be fun to have you on the show is that, I think you kind of are the new wave wine drinker in a lot ways. A lot of people in your age group are getting wine world where a decade ago, they weren’t. And you know we have the college who were the guys on a bunch of times where people have this you know brand of people under the 25 and 20. Zack: Sure. Gary Vaynerchuk: But I think those people are pretty serious, I mean for example you actually brought a wine today. Zack: I did. Gary Vaynerchuk: And you brought a very serious producer Gewurztraminer Grand Cru from Albert Mann Winery, a producer that I think is on epic levels. So I think there is definitely this new wave of people that are exposed to the internet, I mean how much of your education has been done online? Zack: Oh, I mean a lot, I mean for example, I get all my news on the aggregated, stuff often imposed and stuff like that. Gary Vaynerchuk: But I mean from the wine— Zack: Oh from wine, I would say a good portion reading blogs and watching video blogs and reading reviews and stuff, but also just tasting. I’m working on wines so just tasting is I think the greatest pleasure. Gary Vaynerchuk: No question. That being said, the big difference in my opinion about somebody that has a spark interest in wine without being an employee in a wine shop and building up that reading knowledge. You have to understand, 15 years ago when I was really, really into wine and want to learn everything, I had to read books. And you know they weren’t that easy to find and you would have to go to you know different places and find these Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson and all these old, you know books and to me the information that is at the finger tips is really the biggest reason along with cultural things like Sideways the movie. Hopefully, a little Wine Library TV action, things that have culturally shifted the ability for younger demo to get in to the wine. Zack: Totally, totally, yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Tell me about your wine friend scene or you know your friend network, are they into wine, not into wine, curious, not into it at all, what’s that scene about? Zack: In general I would say, not that into wine, I mean I am by far the most in the wine than my friends. Gary Vaynerchuk: You’re the biggest wine nerd. Zack: Totally, I mean by far. Gary Vaynerchuk: Right. Zack: I mean people that we are conference with obviously in wine. Gary Vaynerchuk: They want to own a wine store. Zack: True that we should be in wine. But friendwise, you know I would say they think it taste good, they like the taste of wine but they are not really into wine. Gary Vaynerchuk: Right they are not like studying it. Zack: But I tried to help, I tried to highlight the tastings for my friends. Gary Vaynerchuk: And do you that by making them Wine Library TV? Zack: I should do that right now. I think I will start, it is a good idea, good idea. Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah it is a good idea. Another good idea is to drink some Vino. So you brought an Alsatian wine, so we paired it with two other Alsatian wines. Today, we are doing a Pinot Blanc, a Gewurztraminer and a Riesling kind of like the big three trio. Zack: Sure. Gary Vaynerchuk: You know there’s others but these are really standard and things like that but this is the really big three trio of wines that you find from Alsace. Now Alsatian white wines are very interesting in a lot of ways. One, there is a heavy German influence mainly because it has been part of Germany two other times, I think. I mean it is you know the part of Alsace has gone back and forth with Germany and France. You know wars, they get excited over there in Europe sometimes. So there is that one factor, also it is a very serious white wine growing region. I think about 40,000—the last time I checked that and did a little homework about 40,000 acres worth of white wine. You know it has been a lot of wine being produced in the Alsace. What made you bring the Gewurztraminer? Zack: Well, I have had prior vintages of that wine and I just thought it was so, I mean that is the kind of wine that I think could get people that donors and complexities. Especially about white wine or wine in general into wine and white wine because it is so exotic and I hope this vintage sort of— Gary Vaynerchuk: Shows that. Zack: Plays that, yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Let’s get into the first wine, the Domaine Ostertag 2006 Pinot Blanc and this is kind of their entry level plates 19 U.S. Dollars so it is far from inexpensive mainly because the producer is quite serious, what has been your experience with Pinot Blanc, have you drank a lot? Zack: Yeah, a good amount at tasting some things, I—you know for me it is like—it is—and I think for most people it is probably the third most important grape in Alsace or maybe fourth after Pinot Gris but it is a, I haven’t drank it as much as Rieslings and Gewurztraminer so this is you know— Gary Vaynerchuk: Fun for you. Zack: Fun for me. Gary Vaynerchuk: Well let’s give it a sniffy sniff. There is a baby in is he? Sebastian is in the house. Right sorry I got a little sidetracked. Kids Sebastian is in the house. What are you picking up on the nose? Zack: I’m getting like Bosc Pears the hard ones. Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah, I totally agree with that. Zack: And like sour apple maybe. Gary Vaynerchuk: I almost get more of a baked—I don’t get the sour play, I’m just getting like baked apple. Zack: Baked apple, is a good one that is true. Gary Vaynerchuk: Right, it is almost like more like, you put it in the microwave, and all that. Zack: Right, yeah. Like a pie. Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah, I totally go with apple-pear component coming through. There is also a little hint of like a moth ball kind of thing going on. You know I’m kind of getting a little like on the tail, I’m like or maybe it is medicine. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: It feels like there is a medicine chest thing in my mind. Zack: Yeah like cleaner medicine. Gary Vaynerchuk: Interesting, you like the nose? Zack: Yeah it is not bad. Gary Vaynerchuk: No, again we are drinking these at room temperature, are you more usually drinking whites. Zack: You know I have—I like whites at room temperature. Gary Vaynerchuk: Okay. Zack: Not only because it taste better to analyze them but also I think sometimes they just taste better but sometimes chilled, right. Gary Vaynerchuk: All right let’s give it a whirl. What do you think? Zack: I like good acidity on the back palate, the pear definitely the pear is coming through. Gary Vaynerchuk: Mott, are you getting oak? Mott: A little actually, yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: I’m getting a lot more than I thought, Barriques, a little oak action. I didn’t mention it. Zack: On the finish, on the finish, yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Quite a bit, even on the mid palate in the attack, what this wine really does for me is represents more oak up front than I am used to form the varietal, it gives me a hint of creaminess which I think has done well. It also makes a little awkward, it is almost like a two part act to me. A little oaky and also trying to be crisp. Trying to be two things at once, which is cool. Zack: The finish is a little short, I feel like, maybe. Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah, I mean ironically for me the finish is maybe one of the better things, I think it is a little bit longer than I actually would have expected but you know different palates, different things because I’m still tasting it as I’m kind of yapping especially that apple play. What you maybe articulating in that manner, or what I’m thinking about this wine as well, I don’t know but it just feels a little light. It feels like there is just not enough going on. Simple. Zack: Yeah, simple, I would say would be that, yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Give it one more shot. I got distracted by the window today. Yeah, I mean to me this is not my favorite wine of all time by any stretch of imagination and kind of leaves the heart a little left to be desired. I don’t hate it, I definitely will not pay 19 dollars for this. Let me know, Brandon tell him to discontinue this item. You know to me this is an 84/83 point wine, I’m really getting distracted some visitors and Carol Spangler from Ohio’s in house. Yeah, I just think that it is a little thin and yeah I don’t know let me think. Zack: I mean if I were to rate it I would get a little higher maybe 85 plus or something but again yeah 19 bucks I think you could find something a little more profound. Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah, I think your right. All right, let’s move on to Riesling, what’s you are seeing with Riesling these events. Zack: It is one most singular tastes in wine. It is—there is nothing really else, like it is like great white burgundy, there is nothing really else that taste like Riesling. Gary Vaynerchuk: A very good point so the Meyer-Fonne 2004, which is interesting Pfoeller Riesling 29 U.S. Bones, which is a great number beyond Washington best running back in football. 90 Points Steven Tanzer, which is a great score from him very, very golden color, I mean the first thing you know because Mott gets to a little zoomy zoom action, you could extremely golden. I like you know like Hulk Hogan’s hair 1984 just like golden locks you know what I mean. Very—almost like dessert like coloring. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Right, let’s give it a sniffy sniff. Zack: I mean your classic petrol, classic petrol Riesling and so forth so that probably sort of adds—it is a little— Gary Vaynerchuk: Do you feel like this going to be sweet? Zack: I actually don’t but maybe— Gary Vaynerchuk: The nose definitely— Zack: The nose smells like sugarcane petrol thing that actually that kidn of leads you to think that. Gary Vaynerchuk: I feel like you are getting kind of like a reduction of passion fruit on this nose. I get a little mango on it as well. I totally I agree with the petrol play, it is like, really like petrol meets mango but there is like this reduction of like passion fruit. Zack: Like tropical. Gary Vaynerchuk: It really smells like a dessert you would get in a New York City Restaurant, you know like they are trying to be cute and give you like Crème Brulee or you know like— Zack: Yeah Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah, very tropical on top of like crepe, right and that is kind of what I think about when it smells, I mean the nose is spectacular to me. Zack: It is I really like it. Gary Vaynerchuk: There is also pineapples. Zack: Yeah pineapples—I was going to say pineapple like pineapple juice. Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah. Zack: Pineapple juice, petrol, tropical fruit. Gary Vaynerchuk: Let’s give it a whirl. Zack: I like—I like it. Gary Vaynerchuk: I likey. Zack: I like it has really nice acidity. The pineapple juice thing, I’m getting a lot. Gary Vaynerchuk: The sweets. Zack: The sweetness, there is a good level of sweetness but it is not—I think it is just about right actually, really food friendly, I could see it is going with like every— Gary Vaynerchuk: Tell me what you think about this. You know, how people make water balloons? Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: What about a pineapple juice balloon popped in your mouth. Zack: Well. Gary Vaynerchuk: That is how I kind of taste this because I get so much in a juice but almost like the plastic from like a balloon. So Imagine you filled up a balloon with pineapple juice, put it in your mouth and popped it with a pin, that is what this taste like to me. Zack: I am allergic to pineapple. Gary Vaynerchuk: Really. Zack: Unfortunately. Gary Vaynerchuk: So is that why you are getting red, Mott see like you have a little rash here is that—do you think that is from that. Zack: Maybe, I don’t know, I haven’t had any in about five years. Gary Vaynerchuk: Like your flat out allergic. Zack: I mean, I’m not like going to die if I eat it but— Gary Vaynerchuk: So then eat it. Zack: I shouldn’t, I get sick. Gary Vaynerchuk: What happens, do you throw up, poopy. Zack: No, this way. Gary Vaynerchuk: This way. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Flat out huh? Have you been able to confirm that with that doctors or did you have one bad experience? Zack: I had several bad experiences and I just figured, you know what it is not that big of a sacrifice although when I go to— Gary Vaynerchuk: On the scheme of things it is like you know pineapple. Zack: When I go to tropical places piña coladas are just so good that I drink them anyway and just— Gary Vaynerchuk: Are you okay or you have consequences? Zack: No, I have consequences. Gary Vaynerchuk: Let’s focus on the wine. Zack: Yes. Gary Vaynerchuk: This wine kicks serious face. I think this is an exceptionally good wine. I totally agree with your assessment, I love that you went there to me the sugar acidity balance of this wine is epic. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Talk about food friendly, if you’re a sushi fan—like raw fish would die compared to this. Zack: Thai food. Gary Vaynerchuk: I agree, absolutely, that is the classic play, the Thai spicy play. The sugars would help you a little bit in that scenario. This wine not only shows extremely well now and it is pretty interesting it is an 04 so it makes a little fun because you start to develop a little bit of like that new wine so just like a more interesting character. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Not only that, the wine clearly possess the backend acidity of my opinion that this wine will last for another five to seven years easy maybe more and more importantly has not only the delicious factor that you reference to the first time because, I agree with you, I think wine is very funny. You need the delicious factor first approach and then just experience the knowledge and I think delicious is very important. I agree with you, I think that you know, probably similarly to what you want to accomplish with this wine and I don’t know if we are going to pull it off that this probably an introduction to a lot of people. Zack: Yeah, totally. Gary Vaynerchuk: What do you think about this wine scoring in your role. Zack: I would give this, let me just try one more time. I mean, I really like it, I would say I would give this wine like—maybe like a 91 plus something like that and I dig it. Gary Vaynerchuk: You know to answer with 90. Zack went 91 plus. You know, I’m going to go 92 plus, I think I am the most bullish. I am excited about this wine, I think there is spectacular Riesling, 29 bones, what’s amazing when it probably straddles the line of being a valued in my opinion, that is a lot of money for a bottle of wine. I get the boy oh boy, I am going to say it again boy oh boy. They are just going to say boy oh boy does this wine crush a 140 dollar Rieslings, I can come to mine with right now. I think the fact that is a little aged. Zack: I was about to say. The fact as 04 helps a ton. Gary Vaynerchuk: Tremendously and it is just a very interesting drinking experience, not only am I yearning for food but I am yearning to drink by itself and we will have feeling, feeling, you want to suck this down. I know we are talking about a serious wine. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Good stuff. Zack: And I also feel like it almost has a little Chinon character for some reason like the pineapple that you get sometimes in those in like hard wines exactly. Gary Vaynerchuk: You know like Cotes de Beaune. Zack: Exactly. Gary Vaynerchuk: Oh here good job. Wait a minute Jinx is he allowed to talk now. I think I got him, Mott rewind the tape. I just want to say your name three times and honestly, I am not going to do that. All right anyway, a little rinse. Now your wine, which is, we’ve done, several Oberon wines on the show. This is the 05 Gewürzts, the first room 92 plus Steven Stanzer 35 bones great single vineyard, great vintage Vieilles Vignes old vines if you are converting just a very exciting wine, I mean again one of my favorite producers from the entire region so I am excited you brought it thank you. Zack: Yeah no problem Gary Vaynerchuk: Sniffy sniff time, what are you getting. Zack: I mean Gewurzts just totally— Gary Vaynerchuk: Lychee fruit. Zack: Yeah Lychee and papaya it also looks like a Gary Vaynerchuk: Seltzer component right, but if you like if you take seltzer and you mix it with like tropical juice. Zack: Like had you ever had those Pellegrino limonatas. Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah. Zack: There is a little bit of acid. Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah, I totally agree because there is a little fruitsy action real quick so it is a little first. Zack: Right exactly. Gary Vaynerchuk: So there is just a hint of like graininess, there is something about this that makes me think like cereal that comes in a box that is very small but cost me like $33. Zack: Like Muesli and one those really expensive. Gary Vaynerchuk: Really. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: It is like on the backend that graininess. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: But you know I agree with you, I mean the papaya action is definitely legit on this wine. It is very fresh. Zack: Right, I just feel like that there is not a lot of people that are into wine or not into wines especially wine novices that would smell this and not enjoy this bouquet. Gary Vaynerchuk: Yeah it just got a pretty nose. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: You know it is almost like you know appreciating a good looking dude. You know what I mean, Mott your face. He’s like that’s a good looking dude. I mean you could say it and that is kind of this like you know you could just say wow. I don’t like wine but this smells good. Zack: Yeah, definitely. Gary Vaynerchuk: Good, lot’s give it a whirl. I knew that line was going to get you Mott. What do you think? Zack: I mean very supple, sweet, pretty sweet. Gary Vaynerchuk: Is it too over the top for you. Zack: I mean, I think it is, I don’t thinks so not for me just because I just count what I expect my grand crew Gewurzt, it is going be like bombastic and a little spiciness on the back like the Gewurzt usually likes to do. I mean, I don’t know how, you could drink this by itself as sort of an after, I feel like not even with food necessarily. Gary Vaynerchuk: Well, I feel like that is one of the point is in this wine. I actually think that this wine is a little bit too over the top, especially the finish. It gets goopy as it gets like towards the end there. Listen the flavors are very enjoyable and it is a humanistic play. Zack: Sure, yeah totally. Gary Vaynerchuk: I agree like this will be very difficult to pair with a lot of food and I don’t know how much of this I can drink by itself. It is almost relegated in my mind to a dessert wine. Zack: Yeah, exactly. Gary Vaynerchuk: With just wine, but I also think that this is vintage specifically probably had a lot to play with that, you know it is a big year I France across the board and to me, it ran away from them just a hair. To me for my palate and again there is some palates that this might not even be big enough for. Zack: Right. Gary Vaynerchuk: And I feel like if you are here and I am here with it and just kind of it ran away for me a little bit because at some level it becomes a little bit of a boring dessert wine for me towards the end. Zack: Okay, yeah, for me I really like it just there is a little lack of acidity on the back end and that is really what kind of doing it. Gary Vaynerchuk: A lot, I mean that is where the goopy kind. You know that to me is the defining premise of why I would Alsatian wines because I know I am going to get that acid. And when I don’t and it gets a little goopy sugary on the backend. I feel like wow I can get that in California at Bonny Doon last year for like 13 bucks, you know what I mean, that is what concerns me with this wine. Now I don’t kow how much that changes with age. I don’t think a lot. Zack: Or being chilled probably. r. Gary Vaynerchuk: Maybe, but I don’t think so either, I just feel like, it is a good wine and it is very sweet and there is some excitement to it. But this is where Tanzer goes 92 plus and I kind of go the other way whereas I was more enthusiastic about the last wine and I hated the first wine. I think I was being even to kind to it and just like I was excited about the new car. Zack: 83 yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: I feel like this one kind of goes in the 88/89 point, I don’t hate it. I think it does its job, you know ,maybe going into it I was excited about the acidity and I think I love the 04 of this wines so that kind of bothered me a little bit but. Zack: I haven’t had this vintage either. Gary Vaynerchuk: Which was a killer. Zack: Yeah awesome. Gary Vaynerchuk: So if you can find the 04 of this, I would highly recommend the 05, you know, I wouldn’t pay 35 bucks for a wine that is in my mind an 88 for my palate. What do you go with this, you go a little higher? Zack: I do, I go a little higher just on the hedonism factor just because it does have, it is kind to be more of an experience. Gary Vaynerchuk: Sometimes it is fun to date fun girls ones or twice. Zack: Yeah, I would say probably 90 plus maybe 91 for me but you know not perfect but. Gary Vaynerchuk: Mott, get in here. Curiously your palate you know you’ve been in to the dessert wines. You like the—you like those kinds of things. Where is this going because it is balancing that of being still wine but with dessert like tendencies. Mott: You get grapefruit too. Gary Vaynerchuk: Like Ruby red juice a little bit. Mott: Yeah, a little bit. Gary Vaynerchuk: A little bit, I think you are innuendoing a little bit to us. Yes of course. Just like—you know do you like it? Mott: It’s not bad. Gary Vaynerchuk: I mean based on the things you’ve like I think you are going to like it. Mott: Yeah, I mean it is in the wheel house— Gary Vaynerchuk: Is it to dry for you? Mott: No, it is not too dry that I actually— Gary Vaynerchuk: Like the fact that you’ve been swinging a little bit more towards like the red wines. Mott: Oh stop, stop. Gary Vaynerchuk: You are getting a little sneaky I’m watching you but you know it is moving no doubt from pure dessert a year ago to where you are now. Mott: Yeah but I think to me it seems a little boring. Gary Vaynerchuk: Okay, you know to me, you know what reminds me of that little dessert wine we had that was at 8 dollars. There is a wine that I am going to show you before you leave. Zack: Oh sure yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: This dessert wine is like 12 bucks for half bottle from like South of France or something like that that kind of reminds a little bit, I mean that is much more of a dessert wine. To me I can’t find the food pairing with this. I think it is a great probably after dinner drink, I agree. You could maybe go with an upper tip because it will get the, I am worried that it is a little too heavy. Zack: Right. Gary Vaynerchuk: But it will get the taste buds going a little bit. Zack: Yeah, maybe like if you are like an Italian like a panna cotta or something like maybe just something like that. Gary Vaynerchuk: No, question, I think there is definitely room for it to do some things. I do not know, I do not know for you but this to me really stood out and then you were pretty close in ratings and what did you say. Zack: And I rated this a little higher just because I think it is a definitely more— Gary Vaynerchuk: Real. Zack: It is a little more nuance. Gary Vaynerchuk: Sure. It has got more layers Zack: Yeah and it is a little older which is nice so. Gary Vaynerchuk: No question. It will be fun. So what else is interesting in the wine world for you, what is going on in the it is a smaller New York Wine shop what are people asking for anything interesting going on? Zack: I mean you know economy. You know people like, people want value you know, people want you know—. Gary Vaynerchuk: So you are selling more Malbec. Zack: Yeah, a lot of Malbec’s, I mean I probably am the biggest fan and I hope you shown it. It is just like Languedoc-Roussillon like other weird grown appellations that are just making just I think such balanced wine for the money so I hope people will not stray outside of oh I want burgundy, or I want a Malbec, or I want California Cab and just try to you know. Gary Vaynerchuk: Jump into those. Zack: Yeah. Gary Vaynerchuk: Question of the day fire away. Zack: Question of the day. All right to tell you the two-part question, all right first part of the question is when Gary is away for some days at a time do you want a guest host? First question and Gary Vaynerchuk: Are you applying for that position? Zack: If you would have me, I would—depending on the comments in this episode who knows and second question something interesting. Gary Vaynerchuk: I’m never going to be away. Zack: I got the flip cam, true that is true, yeah. Second question is a, if you had the right tasting, short tasting out about you, about your personality what would it say? Gary Vaynerchuk: Oh this is—good job, that is a great question. Zack: I was thinking about when I was down. Gary Vaynerchuk: That is a great question, this is a good time for a lot of lurkers to come out. This is a good time to definitely leave a comment, love to see it, thanks for being on the show my man. I hope you enjoyed it. Zack: Thanks a lot, yeah absolutely. Gary Vaynerchuk: You with a little bit me and the next generation, we are changing the wine world.