White Wines for Labor Day

White Wines for Labor Day – Episode #82

August 30, 2006

Wines tasted in this episode:

Today Gary Vaynerchuk tastes and reviews two wines for the upcoming Labor Day weekend. Watch and see what Gary thinks of these two wines. More viewer questions answered and a new QOD.

103 Responses

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August 30, 2006

Burton
Shafer Winery. Awesome juice in every bottle. Also the winery is tucked away from major traffic. The Lab (dog) is laying around the tasting room, the owner(John) and winemaker(Elias) are there to share and discuss their wines. So there’s my one Mr. V. Whats yours??
August 30, 2006

miriam
hi gary,

another great show. we watch you every night.

two things:

1. i found this surprisingly good wine for 5 bucks – charamba, 2004 – and wonder what you think.

2. can you taste some organic wines.

thanks!
August 30, 2006

TimF
Great episode — loved the rant on the Bears. I almost snorted wine out my nose (Joseph Drouhin 1998 Vosne-Romanee).

QOD: Put a gun to my head and I’d choose Bien Nacido in Santa Barbara. I don’t think I’d do well living outside the US.

I want to address Justin’s comment on Napa. For the most part I had a good time last week in Napa. I visited 10 wineries while out there and I’ll let you know what I thought of each. Maybe others could do the same…

Domaine Carneros — Very uptight and pretentious, but beautiful. Meticulously clean and very well staffed.

Bouchaine — Very casual. Great vineyard view and very relaxed. The pourer allowed us to go outside and sit on the deck and kept coming out to fill us up. Server was very nice and made good conversation. I think we got 8 or 9 pours for $5. If you’re driving around Carneros, it’s worth stopping in.

Etude — They don’t have a tasting room. They do the tastings in their office which was pretty funny. The pourer was extremely knowledgable. This winery was pouring the most expensive wines for the price of a tasting of any we visited.

Whitehall Lane — We had a good time with our German pourer discussing the merits of screwcaps. She spent time with us even though the place was hopping. Very clean tasting room.

Hall — The pourers were not knowledgable at all and kept talking to each other about what cars they wanted to buy. They couldn’t have been less interested their customers. The tasting room was beautiful, but we quickly tasted and left.

V Sattui — My wife made me go here. I _HATED_ it. Total Disneyland atmosphere and the wine was awful. The pourer we had seemed intimidated by the questions I asked (not everyone knows what green harvesting is?!?). The place was jam packed. I couldn’t leave quick enough.

Provinence — This place was great. We got a less knowledgable pourer, but she knew that and went over and got the guy who knew what he was talking about. This place had some of the best wine I tasted while I was out there. Very nice, relaxed, empty tasting room.

Domaine Chandon — Another Disneyland winery. This is the place where people were visible drunk and couples were making out. We took the tour but it was really dumbed down. We tried some great sparklers but the tasting room was extremely crowded and not very comfortable. This place was all about revenue generation and not so much about the wine.

Ridge (Healdsburgh) — What can I say? This was unbelievable. The tasting room manager took a full hour showing us around the winery and tasting with us. She was incredibly knowledgable. Definitely an experience I’ll remember forever. I should note that Gary hooked me up with the tour. She specifically mentioned that they don’t give tours to people who aren’t in the wine industry.

Harvest Moon — This was a relaxed tasting room. Pourer was knowledgable but I wasn’t impressed with the wines so I didn’t ask many questions. I think my palate was getting tired by this point.
August 30, 2006

Susan
Gary-
Another super episode:) I give it a 96.
Thanks especially for trying another surprise red.
I would go to any vineyard on the right bank in France.
Keep up the good work!!!
August 30, 2006

Jason R.
Adam #10 – I am there with you on Chateau Latour – They could make a winner in a draught, in the rain, in a nuclear holocaust, etc. It has to be the Mecca for us wine geeks.

For best in North America – I would say that I would like to hang out for a day @ Diamond Creek. What amazing fruit!!! I just wish that the pricing had not gotten out of control at back in early to mid 80’s you could snag bottles for $15-$25 – Now you are looking $100 – $150 I think that is a problem with a few CA Wines – They have priced themselves right out of the market and many stores will not cary their wines any longer.

Sleeper – I would also like to have a look around Kathryn Hall’s vineyards – What other place has more dollars than sense???
August 30, 2006

joe
Gary,

I would like to visit Niebaum Coppola. Not so much for the Rubicon or Godfather sets or cars or estate grounds…..but for the cellar of Inglenook Cask Researves that tell the history of the best California winemaking
August 30, 2006

Roxanne
Gary,
I have been watching for months, but I am not a troll…I found you looking for info on Bordeaux 2005 futures and have been watching and increasing your international fan base every since. I have people watching you from here in Calgary to to Quebec to London to Moscow. So now that I have picked and purchased my futures I would love to visit a few chÃ¢teaux in Bordeaux to see where these beauties are coming from. Good show but not my favorite – 87 points. SantÃ©
August 30, 2006

Justin
Despite the slow load time, I still enjoyed todays episode. I totally missed yesterdays and watched it today. Gary, thanks for responding to my comment about organic and biodynamic wines. I can’t wait to see the episode.
As for choosing one winery and one winery only, thats a hard and unfair question!! Gary what are you doing to me. Making me choose. I just recently returned from 11 wineries in the Napa Valley. The two I liked most were right accross the street from one another on Hoffman Lane. Elyse Vineyards and Havens Cellars. So If i could just go to Hoffman lane only then I would be migthy happy bouncing back and forth between the two. Thats the closest I will get to choosing.

Gary, have you ever had bad tasting experience while visiting the Napa Valley? For example, were tasting room hosts rude to you, or were the tasting rooms just so dirty that you didn’t even want to taste? As a former Tasting room host, I took pride in my tasting room, but on my recent trip I was surprised to find extremely rude hosts. Made me want to leave without even tasting.

Cheers!
Justin
August 30, 2006

Ed R
Bedell, only kidding. For all you sports fans,Wine Spectator has an article on Steve Trachsel and his 2000 bottle collection. Looking foward to next issue with Gary showing off his 12 bottle collection. Gary do you enjoy all the bitching that goes on in this blog ? God bless you for reading all this winey b.s. everyday. Keep up the good work, 90 pts for the episode, I have to deduct 2 pts. for twice calling the wine bad imposter and not bad impersonator as the label reads. Just Kidding,
ED
P.S. I ordered both the Eaglepoint and Clos Mimi Syrahs and look foward to tasting them.
August 30, 2006

Richard Periut
Hi Gary,

Excellent review as always.

I would love to visit some of Spain’s wineries; especially in the Rioja and Jerez areas. My roots are from Spain and France, so I feel that the region begs me to visit them : )

I also enjoy their brandy a lot; especially Osbourne (spelling?) and Cardenal Mendoza. Lepanto is also fantastic. Maybe it’s me, but I prefer Spain’s quality brandies over France’s cognacs–and I have tasted very expensive ones.

Be well,

R
August 30, 2006

Russ J
Don’t let the sheep lead the shepherd?
Are you kidding me with that? Dude, you asked, we answered. No sheep here, and you know what they say about shepherds…..

QOTD: I don’t know enough about any individual wineries to answer that. I will go with Jaye and pick Tuscany as a region.
August 30, 2006

Bill Nelson
Super episode Gary! If nothing else you have stamina, tasting 8 reds and then going home and doing 12 whites! I love the big, bad zins so I would like to visit a Rosenblum tasting room. With the gazillion wines you carry I don’t think you have Rosenblum; why not? Your new format is great and I will look for one of today’s whites for Labor Day weekend.
August 30, 2006

Chris
Hi Gary,

I’m also having a slow feed day.

QOD: Based on wineries I have visited, the answer would have to be David Arthur. Beautiful grounds, great wine and David is a spectacular host.
August 30, 2006

Jaye
Hi Gary, I enjoyed your episode today (again). I especially enjoyed it because while I was watching I was sampling a lovely little boutique wine from Amalthea Cellars in Atco, NJ – 2000 Chancellor Reserve. Great $10 wine. Couldn’t quite decide what the nose reminded me of though, I was wondering what you would come up with . . . but I digress.

QOD was a toughie. I could never be happy just visiting one winery or chateau — there is a “region” I would love to hop through though . . . Tuscany. That would probably be my dream vacation, tasting wines throughout Tuscany.
August 30, 2006

Gene Mishkevich
Looks like you finallllllly fixed the time issue..
August 30, 2006

Brandon M
The winery that I would spend the rest of my days at would have to be Far Niente. It’s a little pretentious and I’m not even a huge fan of the wine…but the house, the car collection, the Mayacama Mountain Range sitting behind it and tons of world class vineyards sourounding you.(Marthas Vineyard, Mondavi Reserve, Harlan). Then there’s the caves dug right into the hillside. If you want to take a drive all you have to do is get on the Oakville Grade and see all kinds of vineyards twisting and turning through the mountains. It is REALLY a special place.

B
August 30, 2006

Dan
Bandwidth does seem to be a problem. And this with only 4,000 hits? You need to upgrade you service provider.

It would be painful to choose only one vineyard. So I won’t!

Loved the wines reviewed, today, though.

Content: 90
Delivery: 82

Dan (In Houston)
August 30, 2006

Sue Z.
Hi Gary,
I admit I’m a troller. I watch WLTV with great enthiusiasm but usually do not comment. This question of the day has intrigued me, however. If I could only visit one winery, although I am a Bordeaux freak, it would have to be E. Guigal. I’ve had their budget friendly Cote do Rhone as well as their Croze Hermitage and have been blown away by the fruit and silky smooth finish of both wines (vintages 2000 & 2001). I bought their Wine Spectator wine of the year, the Chat De P (which I could barely afford) and am waiting for a special occasion to crack that baby open! E. Guigal is certainly a reliable winery that comes through at the price ranges I can afford, and maybe a few splurges every now and then!
You’re doing a great job with the braodcasts! Keep up the excellent effort! When are you planning on doing an in-house tasting like you do on WLTV? Maybe even a few week course to wine tasting at the store? Watching the Vaner-nod would be ten times as much fun in-person:-)
Thanks-
Sue
August 30, 2006

Adam
Hey Gary,
I’m going to complain a little bit today about a couple of things. First, it took over 45 minutes to download the episode…what’s up with that?
Second, I’m kind of bummed how you asked people to suggest wines to taste because that’s what you were going to do today, but then didn’t pull through with your side of the bargain. Come on buddy, don’t promise things you won’t deliver.
Episode rating: 70 points. All hype with a poor showing.
With that off my chest, I want to add I am one of your biggest fans! Keep up the good work.

As for the QOD, I would love to visit ChÃ¢teau Latour. For me, the best wine made in the world, Period.

Adam
August 30, 2006

Tony S.
I’m having trouble loading up the episode (it plays faster then it loads!) so I’ll have to watch tomorrow, but I wanted to see if the Gravatar thing worked. I think it might take a day.

But I love Sancerre, so I can’t wait to watch, but I gotta get out the office now.
See you later,
T
August 30, 2006

Tony
Doggin’ it big big time. Seems frozen. Gary, you’re too popular!
August 30, 2006

Jason R.
Top 10 – AWESOME – How is the Marquis D’alesme Becker 2003 doing – I am sure each day that passes my wondering will get me closer to buying a load of it based upon I have to keep the trend going and need something to compare the 2000 with.
August 30, 2006

Francis E
Same problem. Very slow feed which has been getting worse over the past few weeks. Might be the cost of WLTV success.
August 30, 2006

diego de la p...
top 5
August 30, 2006

Brandon M
Is anyone having problems viewing the video SLOWLY?
Just wondering…mine seems to becoming down SUPER slow today.

B