90 point wines 2 reds 2 whites - Episode #60

July 27, 2006

Today Gary Vaynerchuk tastes 4 different wines all scored 90 points or higher. This is a great episode and one that we think will drive a lot of comments. Enjoy the Chardonnay’s and Barolo.

episode60

Fold a Star website

2004 Catena Chardonnay

2004 Bv Napa Chardonnay

2003 Chateau Cantelys

2000 Fontanafredda Barolo Lazzarito

63 Responses

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  1. about a month ago

    Kristen

    QOTD: I don’t even know GV. I’ve truly taken the Vayniac doctrine and I don’t look for scores. I just drink some wine and see if I like it or not.

  2. about 3 months ago

    The Fanjestic

    Qotd - I don’t think I’ve had any terrible 90+ wines but I’ve had a lot that were way overrated - Columbia Crest 2 Vines Shiraz comes to mind. Best wine over 90 - too many to decide. Good episode.

  3. about 3 months ago

    Deeve

    QOTD - Worst - Kendall Jackson 1997 Stature Cab. Nothing but tannin, way too dry without much fruit.

    Best - 2001 Joseph Phelps Insignia. Most incredible thing I have ever tasted.

  4. about 8 months ago

    Kevin

    Best that I didn’t want to like: Baron Rothschild Almaviva 2001
    Worst that I WANTED to like: Maurice Ecard Savigny-les-Beaune Les Jarrons 2000

  5. about 8 months ago

    WA Ambassador

    The best wine that I had that *should* have been a 90+ wine was a Heartland 2002 cab/sauv. I don’t know if it was ever rated, but if it had been, I’m sure it would have made the list.

  6. about 10 months ago

    David Canada

    QOTD - Best 90 point wine is 1970 Domaine de Chevalier. Worst is 2003 Hecula

  7. about 11 months ago

    dkeck

    Gary
    You said you notice additions to old blogs so I thought I would give a comment.

    I have been working my way through all your blogs starting at episode #1. I understand your show much better now after watching how the show has developed. I like the crazy you much better.

    KEEPING IT REAL

  8. about 15 months ago

    ThomasS

    It is nice to see how you evolve after #59, the naughty Gary is taking over. Kudos, kinda like that!

    QOTD: worst? Difficult choice, I had a WS 96 Chiara Boschis Barolo Cannubi in october. Was very excited about it, and man, what a bottle of junk was this. You know the supermarket style Barolos? Even they were better (nothing wrong with sup-market wines though): unbalanced, searin sour tannins, fruit completely dried out, no focus or poise, and virtually no nose … yuk! Gave the sink a good time. Second worst on the list: RP 94 Chante Cigale CdP Red 2003. Same story: did not open up, even after 2 hours in decanter, a huge oak monster, oak tea in fact, unpleasantly bitter mid palate (somewhat like stewed coffee), very faint fruit (a bit plastic, undefinable mix between Grenache and Syrah). Third worst: Leffe 9°, the new Leffe beer, got 92 from some Belgian beer critic. No means, this is suppossed to be a food beer, ‘to be combined with fine food’, … what? This tastes so ARTIFICIAL: applejuice, sour butter and in the end a very unpleasant tinge of junk mustard. Smells like garbage and rotting onions (you know - no probab. you don’t :-P - beer can be stinky, but in a good way, think of an old Gueuze). Gave it a try three times and was never able to finish a glass. Appalling! Anyway, InBev makes money, no beer.
    Okay, wen’t of my head there. Best experience 90+: Morris Farms Avvoltore Rosso Maremma IGT 2004, just the best Merlot I have ever had. Not a cheap one, OK, but not really expensive either. Very profound and brooding, but with so mmuch joy around the corner. Unforgetable. Or, Poliziano Vino Nobile di M. 2003, Veronelli 90, very animal and terroir driven, dark fruit, smoky, brushwood and all that jazz, … bit of a metaphysical wine.

  9. about 17 months ago

    Joe

    Thanks Gary. Very helpful when I watch your tastings. I like that I can quickly tell if you like the wine by how your head moves while you’re diving in to the bucket! Side to side or up and down…before you even say a word!

    Worst: 1990 Pio Cesare Ornato Barolo.( a 95 Parker score).I have had other vintages and love this wine but not this vintage or not this bottle.
    I expected big things when I came across this bottle. Opened it for a friend’s birthday… waited & tasted, waited and tasted…3 hours and 2 different bottles later, it never did open up to anything..Disapointment.
    Best: Many many great bottles over the years…but the surprise for me was a 1997 Grgich Yountville Cab.Kept opening,expanding.Gorgeous…

  10. about 17 months ago

    Lawrence Leichtman

    Too many good 90+ point wines tasted to list but bad ones stick. The Pannaroz makes my list of bad ones. I tasted the Catena at the Sante Fe Wine and Chle Fiest and couldn’t believe it had gotten a 90 from anyone. It was one of the hotter Chardonnays I have tasted.

  11. about 17 months ago

    Jason Spitz

    Gary,

    Enjoying your videos - trying to make some time and go back and watch some older ones. Haven’t decided on worst or best 90+, but the Panarroz definitely was no where near a 90 - ok, drinkable, maybe, but a pass even at $6.49. J

    ust tried the Rosenblum Petite Sirah I picked up a few weeks ago. Very good - will cellar the remaining - maybe even pick up a few more. Keep up the good comedy.

    PS. I haven’t recommended you to 150, but more than I can count on one hand - I’m all for free wine deals!!

  12. about 20 months ago

    Sean

    I recently tried Excelcior Cab Sauv 2004, South Africa. It got a 90 from Parker but I felt like I was drinking a bottle of chocolate. It was much better after airing out overnight. The chocolate stayed, but other flavors appeared.

  13. about 21 months ago

    Andre

    Hi Gary,
    Just getting back into WLTV; I had “sobered up” after the Mondavi episode, but couldn’t resist the newer ones. Sorry to say, but it pleases me when BV gets a bad review. A few weeks back, on my way to class @ NYU, I stopped in at Astor wines where they were holding a tasting of 4 BV wines with the winemaker present. He completely ignored my standing before him for 5 minutes, serving others around me who had arrived later. He then proceeded to take a jab at my youth, laughing with two other tasters whom he had previously known. Eventually one of the store employees served me after the winemaker checked my i.d., returned it, and continued his conversation with complete disregard for my presence, wine snobbery at its worst. Thus, I shall never purchase a bottle of BV wine, rejoicing at the sight of bad reviews. BTW the chardonnay was one of the wines offered that day; I am glad to know that my perception of the wines uneventful and slightly medicinal nuances was correct. Oh yeah, I’m 22 and after reading “Wine for Dummies Cover to Cover” I’ve had the bug for a year or so now. It’s very disheartening to have such experiences; luckily they’ve never occurred in your establishment.

  14. about 21 months ago

    Italian Stallion

    Hey Gary…two things….first off, what the HELL is that sqeaking on the background…it sounds like your in a pet store. Second, I had this wine called EDGE CABERNET, from Napa. This wine is absolutely delicious..I would love for you to review this wine….EDGE CABERNET!!!! PLEASE GARY

  15. about 21 months ago

    Italian Stallion

    Hey Gary….get used to seeing the Italian Stallion give comments on your shows….I think your great….First off, I hate Steve Tanzer. He under-rates the wines to set himself apart from Suckling and Parker….I feel your reviews are dead on balls accurate

  16. about 21 months ago

    Julius

    Sorry Miles (”Sideways”) but two of the three best 90+ wines I ever had were Merlots. The first was the 1982 Petrus, WA98 and WS96. The second was the 1993 Castello di Ama L’Apparita, WS96. The third (non-Merlot) was the 1970 Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Riserva, WA96 and WS92. And best of all, they didn’t cost me anything. The Petrus was a result of being in the right place at the right time and the other two were gifts.

  17. about 21 months ago

    Ron Obvious

    You’re blowing me away, keep it up. Wine marketing is so pompous and inflated, combined with the narrow views available from the press, voice like Wine Library are an absolute MUST!

  18. about 21 months ago

    joe

    So many good 90+ point wine experiences - and how do you rate a 90 pointer with value vs a 98 pointer that you paid $150 for. too hard.

    Much easier to have a level playing field and disucss the most dissapointing 90 pointer (sans corked bottles which can happen to the best). I think it was the Marquis Phillips 2003 Shiraz that Parker gave 90 points too. His writeup was so fnatastic and the wine so cheap (I think about $11 at WL) that I bought a case without trying it. It was so hot, and one dimensional. Grape juice with Vodka. I gave 3 a try, and cooked with the rest. I love Parker in Bordeaux - and Napa- but believe Parker overrates Australia.

  19. about 21 months ago

    GeneV

    I am a huge fan of Spanish Wine. In fact I have some wonderful memories of camping on the beaches in southern Spain years ago drinking Spanish wines you open with a Coke bottle opener.

    However, most of my big disappointments are Spanish wines for which RP has gone overboard. (There are a few cough syrup Aussies he has rated a bit high as well) Probably the worst in recent times was the Desc. D J. Palacios Petalos del Bierzo D.O. 2004. RP gave this up to 93. To me it was a tannic cardboard sandwich with a little tightly closed fruit in the middle.

  20. about 21 months ago

    Wolfgang Stiegler

    I just wanted to say that I really enjoy to watch your show.

    Please keep on sliding the glasses on the table!
    Sound and movement during the wine testing is very important to create the right atmosphere.

    Greetings and best wishes from Germany!

  21. about 21 months ago

    Phil Ward

    Hello all,
    Gary’s Father Sasha loves birds and there are a couple of large cages with multiple song birds just outside the office where Gary films.
    I guess the birds were having a good day.
    Phil

  22. about 21 months ago

    Brandon M

    Gary….I think using the word “Sucked” is absolutly acceptable. I think it’s a word that describes, at least for me, too many things wrong to go into it. It should probably be reserved for wine that has no chance (Which your doing quite nicely.) And lets face it, getting laid after sharing a bottle of wine is just another great wine experience a lot of us have!!! So..I think it’s all presented very classy…you do push the envelope, but just far enough. Or maybe you should wear a stuffy corduroy jacket and pick up a british accent, and use words like “Bollocks” and “Bloody Hell”. Maybe that’ll classy up the joint!

  23. about 21 months ago

    David M

    Hey Gary!

    The worst 90+ point wine in recent memory has to be Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet, it really sucked!! BTW I do not beleive that your use of the word cheapens your presentation. Best one in recent memory would be Saint Cosme Gigondas Valbelle 2003 cuvee. I makes th syrahs from Saxum, Cayuse and like taste like great grape juice…give it a try!
    Cheers!

  24. about 21 months ago

    Mike F.

    The Allegrini 2001 Palazzo della Torre was a 90 pointer and a top 100 of 2005 for WS. Plenty of fruit, a nice rush of acidity, floral and mineral qualities, measured oak and a long smooth finish. Loved it.

    Most of the bad 90+ were all too easy to forget. The latest nightmare was the Château Sainte Gemme Haut-Médoc 2000. Unbalanced, bitter, and one dimmensional.

    Oh and if a wine sucked, say it. Conversely if a wine is of a terroir driven style and elegantly balanced on a gossamer thread of nuanced complexity and ethereal dimension, say that too. (However this kind of talk may lead too something crazy like doing origami).

  25. about 21 months ago

    MarcT

    Holy crap the star folding is addictive and soothing all at the same time…like sudoku.
    I think lately my favorite 90 pt. (IWC) wine is the 2001 Bodegas El Cigarral Pago del Ama Coleccion Vino de la Tierra. BOOM is the first thing I said after tasting it.
    Least favorite…hhhmmmmmmm
    I think I have been lucky lately. *** knock on wood.
    I love the aviary you have added to your office to. It brings a nice touch to the episode!!! Tweet tweet.
    Marc

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