Opus One yes Opus 1, Insignia, Mondavi and Caymus Taste Off. Do I Need To Say More? – Episode #122

November 6, 2006

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Wines tasted in this episode:

Today it’s the war of the wine titans! Watch today as Gary tastes these four world renowned wines. See if these heavyweight wines measure up to the palette of Gary Vay-ner-chuk. Also a new QOD.Opus 1, Joseph Phelps Insignia and Caymus Special Select what a NAPA valley tour of a life time, or is it?

105 Responses

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  1. December 6, 2006

    Denise

    How did I miss this episode? Loved the spirit of that “Braveheart” opening!

  2. November 15, 2006

    tonyo123

    Gary-

    Nice gutsy job on calling it as you taste it. Yes, it was comical when you tasted the Insignia. It became sad when you tasted the Caymus SS. Here’s too highly priced wines not holding their own. Thank goodness the Mondavi Reserve saved the show. With that company and the recent Mondavi history it was like the Jets beating the Pats…Keep it going.

  3. November 12, 2006

    Vinacull

    Gary, Another one of those episodes where I could see you pausing and perhaps thinking “jeeezuz am I going to get blitzed in the background for delivering this news”. But you did it as you always do, and I so thank you for that. I’ve had enough great/classic wines in my day to know that they can provide a valuable dimension of education, and for that they are worth it to me to spend the big bucks. The problem has always been having big confidence, some kind of strong assurance that the so-called classic will be what its supposed to be when I crack it. I just don’t have major cushion cashola to buy “hundy-plus” major leaguers but a couple times a year. So thanks for the straight shot reviews and perspective. BTW, your QOTD doesn’t even deserve a response (dude). Cheers, C

  4. November 8, 2006

    shrtstockyindian

    Gary,
    I agree 100% on the insignia had a bottle the other day when I went out to eat. I couldn’t help but thinking maple syrup its the first thing that came out. Quite shocking acutally, and i must say i was pretty dissapointed with the effort and i drink a lot of these cult wines. No structure it tasted like a wine that had no real direction. Great show, especially for a first time viewer. Thanks!

  5. November 8, 2006

    Dan C.

    Gary- Great job on calling the expensive wines as you see them. I don’t usually buy in that price range (OK never) but I did receive a 1993 Opus One as a gift and that bottle got me started on wine.

  6. November 8, 2006

    Scruff

    Hi Gary,

    Maybe you should use your field trip to check out the wines offered on your airline. What about an airline wine episode? I have usually never heard of them or wonder if any ever get imported(even the business class wines). When I see the airline wine awards listed I have never seen any of the wine mentioned offered on the airlines I travelled. Do they really serve them more than once?

    I assume they are all low QPR so this might be an interesting tasting!

    Just a thought,
    Scruff.

    P.S. Of course you have to taste them from the wonderful plastic glasses! ;-)

  7. November 7, 2006

    chito

    Hell yes we miss you ( that’s the way we say it in Texas ). Great info, great show. Have a safe trip.
    Great slogan at the end of 122!!!.

  8. November 7, 2006

    ChrisR

    Of course we miss you. You are like family.

    I can’t thank you enough for doing this episode. It reaffirms my thoughts on these overpriced wines (that they are hit or miss) and also takes down the wine snobs that seem to put these wines on a pedestal. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt like the pink elephant in the room when everyones raving about a bad or average vintage of these kinds of Cabs because they are seduced by the label. I don’t believe any of these people would even like these wines sometimes if they were tasted blind.

    Great ep!

  9. November 7, 2006

    Jim Kay

    Gary – you have got to change the way you hold the spit bucket! With both hands on the bottom, your head disappears into the bucket like you’re about to puke.

  10. November 7, 2006

    John Roi

    Hey Gary, sounds like you’re getting a cold. I just got over one… pissed at the world because I couldn’t enjoy wine for a couple of days. I was wondering if your nose was a little compromised during today’s show. All the best, John.

  11. November 7, 2006

    Dominus

    At the end you say the Caymus is ‘04? Your link shows ‘03.

  12. November 7, 2006

    Dominus

    Wish you compared those Cabs to Dominus.

    Agree with you on the Opus. Try the ‘85 Opus, it is great.

  13. November 7, 2006

    Julius

    Hey guys. A PALETTE is an thin oval or oblong board that an artist uses to mix his paint or the selection of colors on that board or the range of colors used by the artist but it is NOT the sense of taste that you are referring to in the description of the episode. That which you refer to is a PALATE. Unless you are metaphorically comparing Gary to an artist using his colors to paint a picture of wine characteristics.

  14. November 7, 2006

    Lawrence leichtman

    Nice tasting. Glad to see it wasn’t 2003. I have never been impressed with Opus One and thought it was overpriced out of the gate. Insignia hasn’t had a good showing in a while for me. None in this century. Was nice to see a favorable review for the Mondavi. They have had lots of bad years. Caymus seems to produce good wines regularly. Will you hve more of that or is it gone for this allocation?

  15. November 7, 2006

    Don S

    I second the second that you have to be a man to second a man law.

  16. November 7, 2006

    Brandon M

    You have to be part of the Man crowd to second a Man Law

  17. November 7, 2006

    JBelleJinx

    I second the man law. :) Miss you? Have you gone somewhere??? I see you on my computer everyday!! You are always in that room…….right? Aren’t you?

  18. November 7, 2006

    Brandon M

    Chris…what are you talking about?

  19. November 7, 2006

    cgf

    beetz,
    when he held up the bottle of Caymus it read 2004 on the label.

  20. November 7, 2006

    Michael P

    I’m surprised that the RM Reserve did so well. I’ve been down on them lately. I still can’t see myself coughing up the $88 bones.

  21. November 7, 2006

    Sam Zen

    Excellent, excellent, excellent!!!!! This what I’m talking baout when I say that Gary G and WLTV IS a revolution. This is without doubt one of the top episodes to date. Great work Gary!

  22. November 7, 2006

    Pat L from CT

    Lurker no more. Really enjoyed your podcasts and have been in the shadows since the WSJ article. This episode was terrific and really enjoy your views and it propelled me to come out. I love wine and have been fortunate enough in my wine tasting experience to have a 61 latour, 82 petrus and 95 montrachet (all at the same dinner no less) while also really enjoying a $6 bottle of Bodegas Mas Que Vinos 2003 Ercavio Roble with a good burger. Wine is an experience that just makes life fun. Keep it up and I look forward to your podcasts everyday. Have fun and come back soon!!!

  23. November 7, 2006

    SeanM

    Miss you? Did you miss me while I was over there last week? ;-)

    We need a 4 show series for Turkey Day:
    Apertifs
    Whites with turkey and cranberry
    Reds with turkey and cranberry
    Desserts with Pumpkin Pie

    You’ve gotten so only 1 or 2 wines are not “Passed” so you can’t do a single T’day wine show, we’d end up with one wine!!!

  24. November 7, 2006

    Chris From NY

    It should be man law that you can only post once or twice a day, anymore than that you are not acting like a man.

  25. November 7, 2006

    Beetz

    Gary,
    You said 04 Caymus Special Select but the list of wines shows 2003.
    Which wine did you taste?

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