Viognier Wine Tasting

Gary Vaynerchuk and Alan Kropf from Mutineer Magazine sit down and taste 2 Viognier’s and a Condrieu.

Gary: 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. I don’t want to have the bottles in front of the guest, that’s rude but I have a tremendous guest today. It’s sustaining the theme of bringing young people that are doing right stuff in the wine industry. I met this gentleman in California, we did a really, really cool sit down interview. I think he’s doing something pretty right on the side. You know what, you want to come on the show, you’re in the dirty jersey, stop by, be on the thunder show. Actually, I’m not doing many more guest for a while now, so if I’m going to stop it, it’s going to be what somebody that kicks some butt, and so I’m very excited to have you in the show, man. Thanks for being here. Alan: I appreciate it Gary: Why don’t you tell the vayniacs, out there the Vayner-Nation who you are, what you do, a little bit of that kind of jazz. Alan: My name is Alan Kropf. I’m an editor of Mutineer Magazine. Gary: And just like a magazine or you can rob it right away. Matt, did you see what he did there, so many information. It’s a cool title. Did you do the pictures on this? Alan: No. Gary: No, okay. It’s really a nice cover. Alan: Thank you. Gary: So go ahead. Alan: So it’s a new magazine. Well, this is our fifth issue. We went national on March 31st. It’s available across the United States. It’s actually selling out in some places. Gary: It’s getting thicker. Alan: Very thick, it’s growing, it is. Gary: It’s getting thicker, dude. This is a good coup for you. Alan: Yeah, we cover everything wine, beers, spirits, coffee, tea, soda, and water, anything that you can drink. We’re into it. We do no ratings, we don’t tell what’s good or bad. We just tell what we’re excited about. We have freelance writers all over the US, and really, we’re just kind of letting the beverage culture guide the magazine. You know we’ve develop this far, and now it’s kind of on the tail now. Gary: Now, I hear a little bit of a little different, and you know, it’s all beverages now, which seems a little, I mean felt more whiny when I first met you. Has there been a subtle ship? Because there’s just more to engulf that way. Did it start off more whiny or was I wrong and just might innuendo? Alan: It definitely started out. Gary: I want to be using the innuendo. Alan: You know more wine, but now we have a wine feature, a beer feature, spirits feature, an interview. Gary: Why did you make that shift? Alan: Well, there are so much happening in beer, beer and spirits right now. Let’s hangout with some of your boy’s back in the lunch room, and the one hour. Gary: Was that when you were drinking with them? Alan: No, we’re just having, having a little conversation with food, and the one article they picked out in the new issue is we interviewed Charlie Pasian and Garrett Oliver, and those guys, they’re flipping out over it. Gary: Nice. Alan: So there are a lot to be excited about in all kinds of beverages and it’s almost kind of boring just always doing wine. I can remember I saw your cheese episode one time. Gary: Yeah. Alan: And you guys, are all into it. It is fun to mix it up and gives you perspective. Gary: That’s delicious. Alan: Exactly, so we try to mix it up as much as possible, keep it fresh. Gary: Good for you, man. Listen, I’ll be thrilled to have anybody on, people you know, plugging away, but there is a good dude doing some interesting stuff. How old are you? Alan: 26 Gary: I love that young entrepreneurial stuff. Let’s definitely link up, you have a website for that, right? Alan: Yes, sir. Gary: So let’s link that up, you guys should definitely check it out. This is quality stuff, and that’s not because he gave me my first cover. Alan: Yup, it’s right here. I’ll show you. Gary: Now, you brought it. Alan: Yeah, there it is. Gary: Now, look at this, look at the beer, the play off beer, I mean Alan: That’s the third issue. Gary: Why was I unable to secure the first issue? It wasn’t cool enough yet? This would have been a tough start. You want to lose all the reader’s right after that. Alan: Yeah, I didn’t know, actually. Gary: Dude, honestly, I’m really glad you get to stop by, so I wanted to do some Viognier today. Alan: Let’s do it. Gary: Tell me, I didn’t really ask you, or consult with you, that’s a little bit of rude of me. What have you seen on viognier? Have you drunk it? Do you like it? Do you not like it; tell me a little a bit about it. Alan: I love it. It’s a value wine; I used to be a Sommelier. Gary: You know why you’re here, why don’t you give them a little back drop to who you are and how you got here a little bit to this point to being you know an editor of a beverage magazine. Alan: Sure, so I used to be a Sommelier first at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. From there I started working with Gordon Ramsay. Gary: That sounds interesting. Alan: Yeah, man. It was crazy, just celebrities everywhere, Oscar parties Gary: With these pretty girls. Alan: A lot of pretty girls. Gary: Interesting. Alan: Yeah, it made my job kind of tough to do. Gary: Sure. Alan: But it was a blast, and there’s some works with Gordon Ramsay and being so young and having so many opportunities. I saw the opportunity for a publication like this to come about. Gary: Why were you able to be a Sommelier at the Beverly Hills Hotel? How did that happen? Alan: I think I just didn’t let wine intimidate me, I mean wine is so— Gary: So do you work as like way from the bellboy all the way up or what happened? Alan: No, I just came right in. Gary: You just walked in and say, “I am a Sommelier here, let’s go.” Alan: I beat out like 300 applicants. That was my first real Sommelier job. Gary: You’ve been into wine before to be a good Sommelier so I figured it out Alan: Yeah, I was into wine. I studied with the Court of Master Sommeliers, Wine and Spirits Education Trust. There are so many opportunities. Gary: Why did you get into wine? Alan: I love it. Gary: God bless, but why? You didn’t wake up and start saying— Alan: I didn’t know what else what I wanted to do. Gary: There’s no way you woke up at 17 and said, “I love wine.” Alan: Pretty much, you know. Gary: No? Alan: Pretty much. I just— Gary: Seriously? Alan: Well, actually, I got into bartending first. Gary: Thank you, now we got okay. Alan: And I knew nothing about wine, but I always wanted to. Gary: Did you get into bartending because you want to pick up chicks? Alan: No, because I needed a job. Gary: Fair enough. Okay, go ahead Alan: So I went at the Bartending School, you know and just everything I’ve done I’ve just had one thing with the Bartending School. I went to Court of Master Sommeliers. I’ve got the book. It’s so approachable. It’s so easy. Gary: Hold it, you went to bartending school, when? Alan: Oh, geez. January. Gary: January 26. You keep it like an old cheese. Alan: It’s like two years ago, three years, no three years ago. Gary: That’s exact. You know many people just laugh. They said two or three years, no, but that’s great, I mean so bartending school. Alan: Uh-huh. Gary: How quickly did wine hit your radar while you’re bartending? Alan: Immediately there, you know I’d already had some--my dad. He works in an agriculture side. I have a lot of experience with— Gary: Now with farming. Alan: It’s like a self-discovery. Gary: Okay, well, I’m using that. It’s what I do here. Alan: Kind of thing we’re doing right here. Yeah, I guess. Gary: You know, but I’m curious. I think that it’s interesting. People call me not, to have a reference one. I want a reference point. I think it’s fascinating, so you dad pop us a little bit into that well. Alan: Being with the farmers, I learned how to talk to farmers. I learned how to respect agricultures and art. Gary: Sure, was he into wine because of that? Alan: Not at all. Gary: Okay, so then you go to Bartending School. Alan: I go to Bartending School. Gary: And because wine comes from that world, it probably is an interesting way for you. Alan: Yeah, my first bartending job, it is kind of like a jackass, getting only what the wine we’re serving. Gary: Sure, you don’t like that. Alan: So I wanted to learn and then it was just— Gary: You don’t like that feeling. Alan: Yeah, it’s just all over after that. I never stop. Gary: You started reading and all that stuff. Alan: Uh-hum. Gary: Very cool, then what? So, you went from a couple of bartending jobs right to the Beverly Hills Sommelier. Alan: Don’t ask me how it happened? I really have no idea. Gary: No, I think here’s how it happened. Did you read the whole a lot about it? Alan: I read a lot about it. Gary: And how about your tasting? Alan: My palate I think is my weakness. It takes so long. It’s a life long process Gary: Dude, honestly, when I was 26, I was running my wine library. At that point, it started becoming one of the bigger stores in the country and quickly. Yeah, we’re already starting to build this building. I mean it was already like often running and I remembered being very book smart, being able to know that stuff about wine, and feeling good about my palate. Alan: Uh-hum. Gary: Because I was in a great place of the buyers, so I was getting to taste 50 or a hundred things at that. It was a big buyer, but you know, a day, but you’re right. I feel like, even though I compare my palate today from where it was, when I started Wine Library TV, I feel like it’s grown. That’s a very honest answer. I appreciate that. Alan: Yeah, I think those people’s palates aren’t quite as good as they think they are. It takes a long time to. Gary: Probably, that’s wine tasting. I’ll be honest with you, after we taped this, you have to retape the College final four, final five, episode the other day, and I kind of pick those two wines, the amateur Washington. I kind of pick the varietals. I was like “pumped”, because that’s scariest crap, the brown paper bag. Alan: Yeah. Gary: The brown paper bag is the great equalizer. If you have a douche bag wine friend and they are always talking smack about what they know. Host the party, brings some cheese and peppers and whatever, bubble gum, get brown paper bags, blind taste them, what varietals it is, ask them what varietals is, and to rate it how much they think it is, and really mix it up. Put it like $80.00 wine, put it like a four dollar wine, you want to talk about a Humble Plant City. Alan: And it’s very humbling. Gary: Is this scary? Alan: Yeah. Gary: Hope and say. Alan: Yeah, exactly. Gary: Alright, so you got it, and then once you’re at the Beverly Hills, that became your wine world, right? Alan: Exactly. I started writing for the publications and I realized that— Gary: Are you a great writer? Alan: I’d like to think I’m okay. Gary: Let’s just face it. Do you like writing? Alan: I love writing. Gary: Yeah. Alan: I love writing. Gary: Do you like all about that in English like a book report was exciting to you at some level? Alan: If it was an exciting topic, I guess. It could be. Gary: Because I just realized the book deal I signed, I have to right more books than I wrote book reports in my life. Alan: Ohh! Gary: I’m not worried about that. I’m scared by book reports. Alan: But I use the word “sexy” in our freelance article and they cut it, because it was too edgy. Gary: I hate that crap. Alan: That’s when I got the idea to do it. Gary: You’re like “I will not be censored.” I’ll start my own crap. Alan: I’m ashamed, yeah. It was a little, yeah Gary: I like it, good for you. Alan: Yeah. Gary: Alright, let’s go into the wine, Orchard Hill 2006 Paso Viognier, 87 points wine enthusiast, 15 bonuses. So, what do you think? Let’s start sniffy-sniff, my friend? Oh, this guy got a wristband. This guy’s rocking it. I want you know, an extreme dude he needs respect. Thank you so much Chris. That was weird. Alan: Let’s do it. Gary: No, mud is much more. You’re crazy, Matt is endearing, what do you think? Alan: It’s not bad. I feel I like that. Gary: So, that’s why you got the guy who’s coming from— I love your hustle. Anyway what are you getting on the nose? Alan: Tropical fruit, I think some smoke but it’s not over powering. Gary: You know, I’ll be honest with you. I think the oak is pretty, pretty obvious in this wine in comparison to most Viogniers. I get a little kiwi action as well, and a little papaya, so I think I can give really kind of nut that out the bark. To me it’s complete tropical fruit oak clay, and I think the oak is bothering me a little bit. Alan: Yeah. Gary: I think it could end up being an issue. Now, I don’t want to throw the oak monster on you but I will if I have to. Alan: It’s a fine line, it’s close but I’m not going to say too much oak. Gary: Okay, well, listen, we have no idea. We’ve got to taste it, but it coming from nose. Let’s give it a whirl. I was getting worried. It’s like some kind of taste from somewhere else, but it’s like is this breaking, are we broken through. Let’s taste it one more time. I came to party. This is what I hate about my guests. They always clown me. Now this is cool I’m an ass. Alright, what do you think? Alan: It’s the alcohol in that, it seems a little high. Gary: A little. Alan: Yeah. Gary: Because it gets ripping my face off. I would duly feel like I just got a shot of the vodka. Alan: It just covers up everything you know, it’s in the— Gary: Yes, I do. Alan: It finishes all burning. Gary: Yes, I mean I feel like I legitimately just swallowed a fireball from Donkey Kong. Alan: Then you go that way. Gary: What, I think you need to be careful. What do you think about that statement? Here’s the dirty jersey. This is in California 49, which right away tells you that this is probably 15 something and the alcohol got away from them. Alan: Yeah. Gary: And you know what? It was obvious, right? Alan: Yeah, there is stuff I want to like in there, and there’s a stuff I’m looking for but the alcohol just covers it all up. Gary: Yeah, I agree. I mean I think the wine enthusiast is drinking too much of the alcohol in these wine when they go 87. It means more comes into the 78-79 point range because the heat is over bearing. He can call me a light weight for referencing Donkey Kong, but I think that’s makes me kind of cool, well I guess we’ll have to let the Vayner nation decide, though unfortunately they kind of go with you because that’s how they roll. Yeah, I’m not feeling this wine. I’m a little bit disappointed because Paso is an interesting little place. It’s at room temperature, so we’re going to feel it more, no doubt. There is some acid on the back end, which kind of makes me happy and it was like a peachy, fuzzy, kind of thing got, right? Alan: Yeah. Gary: It was a whole in the peach fuzz thing going on, that was kind of legit, but it got destroyed on that finish. Alan: The peach here now starts to come through. Gary: They are. They were there. Alan: In the nose. Gary: What’s that? Let’s move on. So, what are you doing more of these days? Beverage wise general because you are beverage guy, you’re on a beer kick right now, a little root beer action may be. Alan: A lot of beer, I remember when you said root beer is your guilty pleasure, exactly. I’m really into the Rhone valley Gary: Yeah. Alan: And it’s interesting you brought viognier because my favorite viognier is from the Rhone Valley. Gary: No kidding. Alan: Right now, I love them Gary: So, who you like in for there? Alan: Joe Hoves. Gary: Yeah. Alan: And I saw you have stuff downstairs, too. Gary: Yeah, I’m a big fan. The Foundry 2006 Viognier from South Africa, 90 points wine spectator, 16 US dollars, I know I get yelled at every time say it but I’m not changing the joke, Matt. I hate then it test already. You want to become a patriot after all those years. It still makes no sense to me, deal with it. Alright, a little bit more of the golden color here. Obviously, you’re getting a little bit more color. I think South Africa is a very interesting place, in general. Getting very excited how long conversation with Lissie last night about going to South Africa for the World Cup, so we can bring the baby. What do you think, bringing a one year old? He’ll be about one-year-old. He’ll be about one for next year’s World Cup. It will be a long plane flight. But it’s going to be amazing plus South Africa want to teach him episodes, maybe, Matt. Matt: I’ve got a passport. Gary: I love it. Are you okay? Alan: I’m all right. Gary: So, you know I think South Africa with its Sauvignon blanc, with the viognier is starting to become a very intriguing place for white wine. What do you think about South African wines? Are they on your radar? I mean you live in Cali, right? Which is a very interesting state, big state, big wine but very hometown, right? You’ve got west coast wines, gets harder and harder. Grapes are okay now, wine exchange. There are places to buy wines from all over the world. Alan: Definitely. Gary: But it’s a totally different scene in the East coast, I’m sure you have to check out the selection there first. You can see we’re heavy in other places. Alan: Definitely. Gary: Have you had a lot South African experience? Alan: Yeah, they’re really hit and miss, though. I find the ones that I like, I really like, and the ones that I don’t like, I really don’t like. The nice thing is they are more value price. You can have a little bit more fun experimenting. Gary: Have you a lot of viogniers from South Africa, there’s not a lot on the market. Alan: I’ve had a handful. Gary: Yeah okay, let’s give it a sniffy-sniff. Alan: Oh, yeah. Gary: It’s totally different nose. Alan: I would never guess this is a viognier. Gary: Yeah, this could catch me, too. Yeah, this would definitely catch me. It smells like something is on fire. Alan: Yeah, yeah. Gary: Like the smoke, right? Alan: Camp fire smoke. Gary: Total campfire, holy crap this is smoky. Matt, smell this. I mean this is really smoky. This is like pipe smoky. Matt: Oh, yeah. Gary: Wild, right? Alan: Yeah. Gary: I mean like, if you’re into smokiness and I am, if you’re into barbecue, I mean this is considerably off to walk kind of nose. Alan: It’s like you’re close after hanging around campfire, like it matters or something. Gary: Right, like the next day, right? Alan: Yeah. Gary: Like you know how your clothes get that smell Alan: Yeah, exactly. Gary: From certain things like campfires and other things. Alan: Exactly, that’s exactly it. I was thinking herbaceous right after about, but it’s definitely more of a smoky. Gary: The wine will give you that, I think there is some underlining, you know, kind of herbs in here. It is kind like smoky herbs kind of you know. You’re getting anything else? I even have a little bit of a plastic play, too? Like burnt plastic, like you almost you put your GI. Matt: I thought it was more burnt rubber. Alan: Yeah, I’m with that. Gary: I’m with him on it, you know like, Matt, whoa double hit, double fist in the air for Matt by the way. Matt, I’ll be honest with you, you’ll probably more, as it opens up I get more of that burnt rubber burnt plastic, I feel like I took the iron cheek figure and put in the microwave for four hours and open up, that’s what it smells like. Alan: You know, like driving on the freeway with the parking break on or something. Gary: A little bit, right? Alan: Yeah. Gary: A little BMX bike action. Let’s give it whirl, I talked plenty about the nose. Alan: Wow! Gary: What do you think? Alan: Wow! Gary: Fire away, to your palate. Alan: I need a second, wow. Gary: Fair enough. Alan: So, I get a little bit of fruit on the nose, but it remind me of like unripe fruit, where you kind of smell it, but it’s not there, but the palate is nothing like the nose at all. Huge acidity but balance, and that’s the one thing I look for on a wine’s acidity, compare it with food just makes you want to have another glass. The finish is still just insane. A lot fruit, I mean the smoke is there especially on the finish I don’t even know how this is possible. Gary: I almost feel like there’s a little bit like bake banana play in this as well, it kind of like underlining banana skin flavors on the back end, which I like quite a bit. There is also guava action play in the mid-palate. Alan: Yeah. Gary: Guava is really singing to me. I’ve been eating a lot of guava and papaya and mango, because I feel like I’ve been a little off. I’m really calling them in wines and I don’t want to lose, not for you, or for you, and so for that reason, the amount of tropical fruit that has been going down my pipe hole has been shocking, and now I feel I’m in position to be able to articulate the fruit properly, hence guava. Alan: And more dried fruit. Gary: I got excited. I’ve been eating a crap load of junk food. Alan: Yeah, it’s just like dried, dry tropical fruit that does finish kind of drinks on, and on. Gary: Yeah, I agree and there is a little smokiness and I agree the acid is un-point, and I agree that this is a very, very interesting not typical Rome like viognier, a different style in its own right. There is some oiliness on the back end, it does start making things, “Okay, yeah, yeah that gets a little white roamy. But, this is a very intriguing wine. Alan: It’s awesome. Gary: You like it. Alan: Yeah, this is not wine, jigs wine, you can pour in this, and this is a very approachable wine. Gary: And weird enough to be a geek wine, too. Alan: Oh, yeah. Gary: I think this is really a double bubble. Alan: I have no idea what does means. Gary: Don’t worry, it’s a double bubble, meaning nerds like it, and the cool kids like it. I feel this is a very good wine, I think this is an experience, and worth the price of admission at 16 bones. I’m going to team up with the wine spectator, like that, high five, kind of weird, 90points agreed, I like this wine a lot, 90 points for all the different reason. Most of all the acid, because I know this wine will pair kick but with a lot of different foods, even things like chicken with a lot of heavy sauce on it. The acid is primed and ready to go yet, intriguing and easily drink by itself on your porch. Alan: Yeah, definitely. Gary: I like it Alan: This is killer Gary: You like it Alan: I love this wine. Gary: Cool, nice wine Alan: This is insane. Gary: Okay, now. Alan: Thank you. Gary: Time for some Condrieu, which to me since it hits the scene, AOC’d 1940, I think 1940. Since 1940, AOC’d in the France and the Rhone region, Condrieu, 100% viognier wine, if you don’t know what Condrieu and you’re looking to be a little bit of a baller, to top economy, I respect that. But if you got the dollars to pony up and explore and you know kind of change your world and stop drinking Georges Hill’s and foreign things and chocolate shark every meal of your life, mix it up and go out and find a Condrieu. This one moves up in 45 bones, so it’s far from inexpensive. This comes from Eric Texier and this is the John Rouge, single vineyard, little rinse on this. How much experience have you had in Condrieu? Alan: Quite a bit. Gary: You’re into it. Alan: Very into it. Gary: That’s something you’re excited about. Alan: Very, we sold a ton of this with Gordon Ramsay with a preparing menus— Gary: And whom did you serve it? Alan: What? Gary: Which producer? Alan: Oh, definitely, we have like 20 different bottles of this. Gary: You’re deep on the White Rose. Alan: Yeah, very deep. Gary: How come, because of food pairing aspect. Alan: The California wines didn’t work with the menu as a lot more subtle menus, we did a lot of— Gary: Do you remember some of the guys you had? I’m a big, big Condrieu fan. I think Condrieu is amazing. I’m sure you had him. Alan: I’ve been, just we got begging the deals, Austrian, the Germans, all the big white, all the obscure white rums, you know, all over the world, Condrieu all the Northern Rome whites, New Zealand, anything we can really get our hands on, that’s was other than the big oaky Chardonnays. Gary: Got it okay, zoom in here, Eric Texier, great producer. If you ever see any of these Rhone wines, it’s just excellent stuff from this guy across the board. He’s one of the real producers that I find, like I can almost always not knock the ball out of park, it will always be adequate. 45 bones, Condrieu 1940 or 1941 got AOC’d, It’s about 75 producer’s producing Condrieu these days. I’m a very, very big fan of this type of wine, 100% Viognier, gets a little pricey for me, God, if this was in the thirty dollar range across the board for quality producers like this, you would hear me scream about it just as much I probably talk about Portugal. I think it pushes the envelope of what it is. I think it is what it is, and sometimes under valued, I mean, I got plenty 40, 50 dollar Condrieus that I thought were 70, 80 hundred dollar white burgundy values, so it’s something to think about. Very golden color, great wines, just great, great interesting wines, a pair, tremendously well, and one of the few white wines that I pair with meat. Let’s give it a sniffy sniff. Alan: I’m already on it. Gary: I see that, what do you got? Alan: A lot going on, it’s got a lot of personality, very unique, especially from the last two. Gary: It’s very different. Alan: Very different. Gary: Do you get the green pepper kind of odd, a little basil, it’s very green vegetal at some level. Alan: Uh-hum Gary: What else are you picking up? Alan: Honey, a dried honey Gary: Yeah, that a very good call actually, I didn’t picked that up at first, but you know. Alan: White stone, a very kind of stony quality. Gary: I think there’s a heavy dose of minerality on this nose Alan: Yeah, definitely. Gary: And that’s kind of what it attracts me to these wines in general. I also get a little bit of like bathing material, like soapy kind of like, kind of like that freshness. Alan: Yeah. Gary: You know like, you know like after you do the Irish Spring and it smells good, just like I’ll do you just took a shower didn’t you after like you play like video games, three days in college. Alan: Oh, yeah definitely. Gary: That’s kind of what this smells like, I like that. Alan: Yeah. Gary: How’s like that the three days stinky dude smell as well, comes across in a lot of burgundies. Alan: There’s a lot of going on in this wine. Gary: Yeah there is, listen. Alan: Sorry, I’m not ignoring you, I just kind of Gary: Knock yourself out, the fact that you’re so enthralled with this wine gets me nothing but thrilled, unless Alan: The Viogniers, I’m not excited about are those who just taste like a Chardonnay. Gary: Too old. Alan: You know, and I feel like that’s a style people trying to do trying make their vineyards more approachable, but this is, this is its own bits you know. Gary: Yeah, let’s give it a whirl. Alan: Alright. Gary: Light weight, Oh, my God! One of the only 15, Matt, what do you think 20 wines I’ve ever swallowed on this? This is serious wine. Alan: This makes you like go wild. Gary: What’s that? Alan: Go wild. Gary: Yeah, it does make you like that. Alan: Yeah. Gary: Like this in— Alan: The finish just kind of keeps coming. Gary: How sick is the acidic minerality come on this wine? Alan: It’s crazy Gary: I want you to try this. I’m very curious where you’re going to go with this. So, I mean to me the lemon zest, right? Alan: Yeah. Gary: It’s just like completely undeniable. You could probably replicate it with like a water jag, a bread, raw bunch of lemons and a little alcohol, but that being said, Matt. What do you think of this wine? Matt: You must be getting used to the acid. It’s not absorbed to dig it. Gary: I love it. Seriously, this is a wine you would have hate it two years ago, like punch me in the neck, after taping. Matt: I don’t think I would have hated it, but I would definitely. Gary: You would have Matt, right, not bad, huh? Matt: No, it’s cool, I guess. Gary: You like it? You couldn’t even imagine what this wine would do if you had like seafood salad, right now, like a whole lobster. By the way, Viognier and lobster. Alan: Yeah. Gary: Was that a big thing? Did you push that hard? Alan: Yeah, like an original pasta with like a lobster. Gary: Yes. Alan: Like notes, like a Meyer lemon accent, so get a little bit more— Gary: Meyer lemon is exactly, yes, it’s exactly— Alan: Exactly, it’s a spicier lemon. Gary: Absolutely. Alan: It’s not two-dimensional. Gary: Absolutely, I think this wine completely rips people’s faces off. I think that this is a wine that will change a lot of palates, and the biggest reasons asked not to taste, and your hard core being asked as I’ve watch your show forever, I never asked Matt to taste a white wine really. That would be the first white wine, I’ve actually, well the Reisling, but outside a Reisling it’s probably the first white wine I’ve ever ask you to taste. Matt: I think I just like I taste the white burgundy wine. Gary: I think you might be right, but I mean it is not my common move. The reason I did is, because Matt, you know, in the young stage of drinking different wines. I have a feeling this wine had transitioned, written all over it. Meaning, even people that are not that into wine, or not that into white wine, the quality is so un-point, and so epic, that it’s just delicious, the acid is appealing and I’m very into this wine. Alan: They’ve mention the mouths fill, it’s just perfect. It’s not heavy, Gary: You’re too excited. You’re right. Alan: It’s not too heavy. This is just right balance in the middle. It’s not relying on the oak, its not clawing. You don’t feel like you’re only going to drink a half a glass of this before you are over it, I mean it’s kind of got that same thing like orange marmalade has, or it has the bitterness and the complexity, but you’ll like it. Gary: That’s a very good job, my friend Alan: You know, I’m into this Gary: It’s a great way to put it. I think this is insanity. This is probably one of the best white wines I’d ever had in Wine Library TV. I’m going to score this wine is 95+ points and I’m not joking, and Matt gets excited because he knows I rarely go to that zone. This is killer juice, write it down, text yourself the name, find this wine, taste it, it dominates like axe, and smashed it in the 80’s in the WWF. Alan: It’s just pretty ridiculous. Gary: You like it. Alan: Oh, yeah. Gary: Then I packed more for this. Alan: Yeah. Gary: This wine like it rips face Alan: Yeah. Gary: I’m pumped. This is really good Alan: This is good. Gary: This is really good. Alan: This is really good. Gary: This is really good. Alan: Yeah. Gary: This is really good. Let’s try it one more time. It really makes me understand why I didn’t like this wine, by the way. Alan: Yeah. Gary: I’m sorry, actually. Nice, what else? Talk to me, I don’t know, I’m just like so, like talk to me. Alan: Okay, a couple of things. Gary: Yeah. Alan: First of all, very important, got a shot out, my little brother turned 23 today and he’s getting married. Gary: I hate that number. Alan: Really, why? Gary: Jordan, I hate him. Alan: Ohh. Gary: I hate you, Michael. Alan: Well, he’s getting ready to deploy with the 80 second Air borne back to Afghanistan so I know, all of these boys you should be watching this. Gary: We should, what is his name? Alan: Bryan. Gary: Bryan, I think all the Vayniacs, that all of this new room should thank Bryan for what he does for us, please send him my love. Alan: Yeah, I will and all the second airborne, cheers guys Gary: I like that number. Alan: Exactly, appreciate it Gary: Hard court 80’s jet span that