Wines With Funny And Unusual Labels

Wines With Funny And Unusual Labels – Episode #118

October 31, 2006

Wines tasted in this episode:

Today in the spirit of Halloween Gary tries four wines that have unique labels. See if Gary thinks these four have more style over substance and if the labels mask the wine (wink wink). Happy Halloween everyone and Boo!

66 Responses

October 31, 2006

Brandon M
Canâ€™t get enough of WLTV!
October 31, 2006

Brandon M
AWESOME AWESOME OPENING…totally cute
October 31, 2006

damon
wow I’ve never been this early. happy halloween.
October 31, 2006

TampaSteve
wow…I am finally at the top of the list.
October 31, 2006

RCP
Wine Library Televisions Make For Glorious Benefit of Fermented Grapes
October 31, 2006

zerokreap (kw)
top 10
October 31, 2006

Christopher
Nice one, great intro
October 31, 2006

matteo
SCAREY
October 31, 2006

IRA
great into love spiderman
October 31, 2006

Joe P.
thanks for keeping it light. most of us are prob out with the kids or still enjoying being kids. interesting to see nearly all the “dressed-up” wines fell flat. Can’t say I’m surprised. jp
October 31, 2006

Ken
I’m glad you mentioned the chianti again. I think it was a great recommendation, though I see that others don’t agree.
October 31, 2006

Brandon M
By the way…didn’t I tell you a while back that the Three Blind Moose Merlot was unbearable…..what made you think the Cab would be any better?
October 31, 2006

Russ J
Great show! Step into a Slim Jim, Macho Man!
Gary, did someone else wear that Hulkster mask before you did? Are you sure? Nasty!

QOTD: In college, I failed to plan for a Halloween costune party at my fraternity, the “Mad Dog Masquerade”. I ran to the nearest department store the day of the party and they only had kid sized costumes left and only a few of those. I got an 8 year old sized “Welcome Back Kotter” costume complete with a Gabe Kaplan mask and a tiny satin suit with a plastic panel with pictures of Barbarino, Horshack, Freddy “boom boom” Washington etc. I taped the suit to the front of my clothes and jammed the mask over my face after cutting away the mouth to allow for maximum Mad Dog consumption. Terrible costume, but I had an awesome time at that party. Still remember that nice little bunny I met…
October 31, 2006

Brandon M
Favorite Haloween Costume…Went Totally Punk – 8 years old…I felt so awesome, look back DOOOOORK
October 31, 2006

Jonathan G
QOD: Last year I was The Tick! From the comic/cartoon/live action show. I had a full body blue spandex suit with a blue spandex head mask with large blue feelers. The only problem with it though was it was a little revealing!
October 31, 2006

Jaye
LOVE, love, LoVe, lOvE, L O V E the intro!!!! Hope that cute little Spidey got a kick out of seeing big Spidey with the WLTV ad last week.

QOD – Never had a really great costume for Halloween. But I have a friend that makes the greatest costumes every year. My favorite was when he dressed up as Mr. Incredible (because he looks a lot like him in real life).
October 31, 2006

AJ Vaynerchuk
AWESOME AWESOME opening, ridiculously cute!

QOD – Favorite costume has to be this years costume. My facebook profile. http://www.facebook.com for those who don’t know facebook.
October 31, 2006

Brandon M
AJ…were we supposed to be able to see it? What’s your profile ID?
October 31, 2006

Bill Ross
Classic intro! The Pumari sounds good. I recently located a Robert Talbott ‘04 ‘Logan’ Pinot Noir from Sleepy Hollow vineyard ($17.xx locally). The wine was touted on another wine bulletin board by a reliable wino, and I was very, very satisisfied with it. Since you already deal with Talbott for their Chardonnay, how about checking out their Pinots (they produce at least two other Pinot bottlings, ‘Case’ and ‘Kali-Hart’. Maybe you could get us a good deal on one of them.
October 31, 2006

Matty Van, Rochester,NY
that intro was awesome, i will re-watch this episdoe just for the intro

the three blind moose I had with dinner once I think was at a bugaboo creek steak house (a cheap steak house) and they had nothing on the wine list so I tried that….it was bad, we drank about half of it and I ordered something else.

QOD – three years ago my and my brother did the dumb and dumber orange and blue tux, was sweet…I think tonight I will dress up as gary vaynerchuk..I can do my hair like his, wear a button down shirt, with a bottle of wine, a glass and use my spit bucket to collect my candy
October 31, 2006

KAHUNA
Great episode- would have like to see PoiZin, Vampire and a few of the Holloween wines.

QOD- I dressed as a Hooker and won sexiest costume a $500 prize- at the time I was 6ft 240lbs- Dead sexy if you ask me! that was about 10 years ago- good lord.
take a peek.
http://autographout.com/scan503.jpg
October 31, 2006

LevM
Sophmore yr of college, I dressed up as santa’s little helper, only I was an escort service girl with a feather boa. I borrowed a friend’s little black dress.
My accomplice was my roomate dressed as my santa-pimp.
October 31, 2006

Italian Stallion
Hey guys,

Eugene, your son is adorable, that was the best intro yet….I was on the floor laughing.

QOD: My favorite costume was back in like the 5th or 6th grade, I was the terminator from T2. I had the makeup and everything and I had the light up red light for an eyeball. It was great
October 31, 2006

Italian Stallion
Gary, I got a question for you…

Can you try the Lamelson Pinot Noir?
October 31, 2006

Joe Hoholick
Gary,

Thanks for the Pumari tasting & reco. I LOVE Talbot but it is to expensive for an everyday House Chard – - maybe the Pumari fits the bill!

Gary, what is your FAVORITE California Chard under $100?

My favorite kids costume was a skelaton outfit with skull mask (this was the 1960s – - not the too creepy stuff like today). My favorite part of any movie back then was when Jason, of Jason and the Argonauts, fought the skeltons. I wore that costume from age 4 to 8. I thought I was pretty creepy (now my employees do).

Joe
October 31, 2006

Matty Van, Rochester NY
“Sophmore yr of college, I dressed up as santaâ€™s little helper, only I was an escort service girl with a feather boa. I borrowed a friendâ€™s little black dress.
My accomplice was my roomate dressed as my santa-pimp.

Comment 22: By LevM ”

figures theres no link to a picture of that….
October 31, 2006

Matthew from Barossa
Never had a Halloween costume… glad to get that out of the way!

Re today I would have to say the most god awful wine that was ever put out in Australia marketed specifically to the younger / (don’t beat me up about the next bit) female teeny bopper wine drinker was SOHO by Southcorp. The white was in this lime green bottle and was a Chardonnay and then the red (or should i say pink) was a Shiraz / Chardonnay blend. And when I say blend it was like they got half a tank of Chardonnay and half a tank of Shiraz and just mixed ‘em up! Not a great experience.

I’ve never seen that last wine here in Australia. Who’s the producer in the Barossa? It must be a pure export label…
October 31, 2006

TimF
My first year in the working world out of college, my company did a big Halloween celebration where everyone dressed up. I was the Selson/Denorex Challenege. I went to work in a bathrobe and had shaving cream in my hair with a part down the middle. “This side tingles!”
October 31, 2006

MarcT
Kahuna…that is funny!!

Great episode Gary! How about that phone call? Great opening also.

QOTD: Loch Ness Monster…9 years old…my mom made it and I wore it. Awesome!
October 31, 2006

GeneV
Gary,

Great intro.

Disagreeing with you about a wine is not bashing you. I think saying “what was he thinking” when the wine doesn’t work out is actually a backhanded compliment.

Have a happy Halloween.
October 31, 2006

AnthonyS
Loved the intro today. I think we found your replacement for when you’re ready to hang up the wine glass.

QOTD – My last two costumes have been winners in my book. In 2004 I think I had a little too much to drink and put on a Wonder Woman costume, and last year I was in full Gorton’s Fisherman gear. If you’re all lucky I won’t post any of my Wonder Woman pics.
October 31, 2006

Godfather
Out of the mouths of babes!!!!!!!!!! My favorite opening to date.

GV – great selection of wines. Truly trick or treat
October 31, 2006

GeneV
By the way, check out my re-taste of the Chianti.
October 31, 2006

PeteB
Great call on the Pumari! People you have to try it – it is a great, great wine! Cook up some fish or have some good shell fish, pop the Pumari and enjoy! Besides the price, some proceeds of the sale goes to local animal shelters, so how can you beat that – you get a great wine and help some homeless pets as well.. win, win!!!!

QOD: Love halloween, so every costume was the best to me!

P.S. – Hey Holla Back GV….. Nice cell tone!
October 31, 2006

Susan
Love spiderman doing the intro!
He was truely good!
October 31, 2006

E
Must have been a little volatile acidity in the OJ. I hate when that happens.

So. Cartlidge & Browne (of whom I only know for decent cheap Pinot) has their Rabid Red, St Francis has their red blend with the splattery label, Fess Parker has his Frontier Red with the screwcap … what’s with the plethora of value-priced smorgasbord red blends all of a sudden?

You could probably do a whole show just on these kinds of wines. Are they trying to be the next Big House Red or Red Truck or what? Any insights as to what’s going on here?
October 31, 2006

Darlene O.
Hey, Gary…l-o-v-e the episode!! Have to comment, though, on your comment about women and wine. Did I understand you to say ‘more women buy wine than anything.’ Meaning more than men? Would love clarification…I’m on a few wine boards and am one of the few women among gobs of men (not that I’m complaining :}).
October 31, 2006

Susan
QOD:
I was a nurse when I was in the second grade for Halloween costume contest.
I got a blue ribbon in the contest.

It is a shame I never got to be a nurse!
October 31, 2006

Susan
Gary-
Love the Hulk Hogan mask!
It shows creativity!!
October 31, 2006

garyv
Oh i know Gene was just bringing it up, it’d great people don’t just agree with ME,WS or RP, I know it’s all love Im trying here and I think you guys know that and more importantly I respect your opinions.

“Disagreeing with you about a wine is not bashing you. I think saying â€œwhat was he thinkingâ€ when the wine doesnâ€™t work out is actually a backhanded compliment.

Have a happy Halloween.

Comment 30: By GeneV on October 31st, 2006 at 8:01 pm e”
October 31, 2006

eyeguy
Gary,

Great episode… and since you brought it up, that Chianti for 7 bones was a real looooser – just had nothing going on. Plan on giving a case of it away as a door prize!

Rich
October 31, 2006

KAHUNA
Susan,
My wife is a nurse, my mother is a nurse, my godmother is a nurse, my aunt is a nurse, my best friends wife is a nurse- They are wonderful people but all I ever got was put on it. Now if I go for an X-ray the doctors are always asking when I broke something that I did not know was ever broken- ribs, scapula, toes, fingers, AC joint- they always had ice on them though!

Sad they do not even were those cute little Nurses dresses anymore. No offense to any doctors on line but my god having to deal with a nurse after being in the operating room with a doctor all day is not an easy task- It is probably why I have so much wine in the house!
October 31, 2006

DJA
Excellant opening – move over Gary V and for that matter Alister Cook.
Fun show!Thats getting with the spirit!
October 31, 2006

KAHUNA
“but all I ever got was to put ice on it” good lord I am drinking and typing again
November 1, 2006

Wildebeest
Vayner-chums,

fav costume: Freshman year of highschool, I dressed up as Hugh Hefner. I went to school wearing a robe & slippers, had a pipe hanging out of my mouth, and even spent a good portion of the day with a girl in each arm. Fun stuff!

I’ve been wondering for some time now about the scores on the show. Mainly, it seems that there’s a MUCH bigger gap between an 89 and a 90 than there is between any other consecutive scores. 88’s and 89’s are often “a little bit disappointing” whereas, a 90 can often mean that GV is “BLOWN AWAY!” What’s the deal? Why don’t we ever see a score of 60 or 70?
November 1, 2006

Matthew L
Gary…GREAT episode. It went right to my question about the wine behind creative labels.

QOTD: I dressed up as many cartoon characters as a kid, but the costumes where much more…how shall I say this…creative. We didn’t have all the ready-made cosutmes. At best, you would have a cheap mask with a rubber band to hold it on. The rubber band would always break and you would have to either hold the mask to your face at someone’s door or just abandon the mask and say “Speed Racer” when the person said “Ohhhhh…and who are you supposed to be?”
November 1, 2006

Lynne
Great intro! Very clever, Eugene.

QOD: I had a broken leg when I was younger and couldn’t walk to go “Trick-or-Treating”, so I was dressed as a bloody victim of something resembling a nuclear war and my mother
made two of my siblings dress as a doctor and nurse. I was carried all over the place on a stretcher. Sounds like fun, but I got dropped several times “accidentally”. (Such were the recounts of the story when relayed to my parents ). Sibs are great!
November 1, 2006

stewart l
Favorite costume had to be a Conehead[from Saturday night live]-complete with pizza and the sex rings
November 1, 2006

Sam Zen
toothpaste… yes, as in C-R-E-S-T. Not my favorite costume, but definitely the most unique.
November 1, 2006

Susan
Kahuna,
Boy, you are FUNNY!
That’s alot of nurses in the family.
Typing and drinking – that’s ok. Just as long as that’s not drinking and driving.
I am pretty sure typing is allowed!
I was in nurse’s training just long enough to know most doctors are a big pain.
I also went to college with some who became doctor’s. Most of them are sooooooooooo stuck up!
Ouch! I know maybe 3 doctors total out of hundreds who act like people. The rest act like royalty or worse!
All of my friends who are nurses, are just great!
The nurses usually end up doing 90% of the work
and the doctor’s take about 140% of the credit!
November 1, 2006

Lawrence Leichtman
I have always avoided the cute labeled wines as marketing gimmicks without much wine to them so I have never tried them. Thanks for doing it for me Gary. You may have to try Fat Bastard etc. as well so I don’t have to. Loved the intro.
Spent 28 years in a costume provided by Uncle Sam so can’t really remember any other.
Question, you say you really respect Robert Parker but seem to disagree with him every time. Are there any wine writers who you agree with frequently?
November 1, 2006

TimF
Gary – How about trying this wine on the show today: Aphillanthes Cotes Du Rhone Villages Les Galets 2001?
November 1, 2006

Mets fan 13
best opening ever!
November 1, 2006

Julius
In addition to the WL spot in the NY Times, I think you should read Asimov’s article (on Jancis Robinson).
November 1, 2006

Italian Stallion
Gary, I would also love for you to try twenty bench….I thought the wine was horrible, but I would love to see your take on it
November 1, 2006

Bruce S
Gary,

So did you have a Miss Elizabeth with you when you were the Macho Man?
November 1, 2006

Tony S.
Happy day after Halloween! Great intro. Best ever. My question for you is: I usually don’t watch these until the following day at lunch time, because I’m never around my computer at work, and at home, the LAST thing I want to do at home is sit in front of my computer. Anyway, if I’m watching these the day after, around noon, should I bother with a question like this or even commenting? I’m just curious when you stop reading the comments and start the next expisode of WLTV. Thanks.

QOD: Actually, I think my favorite costume ever was 2 years ago as a 34 year old, I dressed up as Da Coach. You know…Ditka! I had the vintage 80’s Bears sweater over the shirt and tie, had the hair right, found the perfect moustache and glasses. And dressing up like Da Coach in Chicago, you get A LOT of respect. I seriously thought that I was Coach. It was a great night. And I had a LOT of cheap beer all night. Perfect.

SEe you later,
T
GO BEARS!!!!
November 1, 2006

JR Laz
Really great intro, still smiling.

GV, you looked a bit off your game today as the red wines disappointed — or was it me? Anyway, I really dug your episode on decanting, it makes me wonder why you don’t decant all your reds before tasting — or at least pour all the wines into their glasses a couple hours ahead? I recall reading that many wine ‘experts’, judges, etc. do this consistently to make sure the wines are given a real chance to open up. I’d have to imagine the aeration from a glass-pour is superior to just opening the bottles in advance — what do you think?

Also – ever thought about occasionally adding a ‘mystery wine’ to the show? Would serve as a control sample for your palette, especially if you’ve tasted it before. I think many of us would find it interesting to see how you score wines blind from time to time.

QOD – definitely Count Drac, cape, fangs and all, around 12 yrs old. Short, dark, dangerous and handsome, at least in my own mind.
November 1, 2006

Rafa From Mexico
Grat episode, the opening was the best.
November 1, 2006

JR Laz
Ditto on the questions from Tony S. and Wildebeest.

I think we can take one guess at WB’s though. No matter how hard he tries for objectivity, GV is in the biz of selling wine and therefore has a personal stake in what happens to sales if he totally trashes a wine. While I think Gary does a fantastic job trying to stay 100% objective, my hunch is his scores will not vary nearly to the degree they would if he was completely independent from the wine industry. Statistically speaking, I don’t think it would be very hard to prove this out Vs. other critics. Just another good reason points alone should not be your guide. Caveat emptor!!
November 1, 2006

Josh
One of the best intro’s so far. I think that kid has a future as a co-host.
November 1, 2006

Katie
Great Intro!

QOD â€“ The best costume was not what I wore is what my Golden wore. I dressed her up as Paris Hiltonâ€™s dog Tinkerbell two years ago. She wore Chihuahua ears and a lot of bling. I think she is still mad at me for dressing her up.
January 29, 2007

J Crazy
Costumes rock. College. Second year. An ’80’s jogger. Funny story is that I don’t remember most of the night. I only remember waking up in a stranger’s apartment (no, not like THAT, unfortunately) and having to jog home the day after halloween in my high school track shorts, bright green wrist bands, a n orange top two sizes too small, thick black rimmed glasses and a head band to match the wrist bands. Needless too say I looked like Shreck meets Freddy Mercury. Didn’t have any wine that Halloween thought.
February 20, 2007

TommyBoBo of WI
5th grade, The Green Hornet,, damn I still wish I had that costume.
February 2, 2008

Klassh
Pretty sure that intro was the cutest thing ever. Wonder why no one is doing that anymore? Did Gary put the Kibosh on that little operation? What a heartless bastard.
September 22, 2009

John J.
qotd: Alex DeLarge from A Clockwork Orange. But I wanna ask you about yellow Gary. How about a vin jaune episode? Or an episode tasting a bunch of the 13-18 charbono’s that exist out there?

Wines With Funny And Unusual Labels – Episode #118

Wines tasted in this episode:

66 Responses

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