The $12 Wine Challenge – Episode #185

February 19, 2007

Wines tasted in this episode:

2003 Di Majo Norante Contado Aglianico
2001 Aries Los Carneros Merlot
Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon Vintner’s Collection
2005 Winner’s Tank Shiraz

Links mentioned in todays episode.

The Introduce Yourself Forum (Remember you have to register before you can post)

Gary Vaynerchuk today looks at $12 wines and sees how much of a value these wines are. Is 12 the new 10? Watch and find out.

122 Responses

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February 19, 2007

Denman Dave
Good ep Gary… DeBortoli Petit Syrah $11.99 canuck bones. Rated Best buy Wine Access Awards
http://www.wineaccess.ca/
cheers
February 19, 2007

Susan
QOD: 2005 Cavit Pinot Noir – $6.99.
It is smooth, medium-bodied with
good dark fruit integration.
Good for the price point.
February 19, 2007

ChuckW
Gary, I was at a recent Devils’ Game…and guess what??? You are a huge hit with Devil fans. They were yelling Vay…ner…chuk almost the whole game. Although one of of my buddies said it wasn’t Vay…ner…chuk but it was really Rang…ers…suck.
February 19, 2007

awin
Avalon 2004 Cab.
February 19, 2007

Dom
Bodegas Norton malbec 2004 reserve. I picked it up for 10 bucks. Actually, I bought a case. It is fantastic. You should taste that one sometime.
February 19, 2007

sheila
Gruet Blanc de Blanc.
February 19, 2007

Slick
A great episode. I’m always on the search for elegant, cost effective wines. Thanks as always Gary. As for QOTD it was a nice Italian white – 2005 Castel di Salve Santi Medici Salento Bianco (nice blend of Garganega and Malvasia di Candia). Very yummy. Hope merry ol’ England is treating you well (bitters instead of wine?)
February 19, 2007

K Spengler
Aglianico, that’s a new one for me. That’s what I like about you GV, always giving me something to research. Thanks for the episodes while you’re gone. A day without WLTV is like a day without sunshine…
February 19, 2007

Celia
I ordered the aries and winner’s.
I’ll rewatch this epi after I receive them!
February 19, 2007

John Blue Label
Gary,
You’ve got college kids watching now. You are changing the wine world!!! Or at least the next generation of wine drinkers.
JW
February 19, 2007

Matt B DC
QOTD: I just picked up a bottle of 2005 bordeaux for $12. If the hype is to be believed, even though it’s a budget wine from a budget winery (Anyone have any info about Chateau Prieure St Laurent?), then it will be the most incredibly wine experience of my life.

Not that I’m expecting the hype to be believable or anything . . .

Nice episode; I hope London is going well!
February 19, 2007

Nathan Day
I don’t know the quesion of the day.. But hey, you should fix the website (whoever) to make the comment and links open in a new window, I usually remember to press apple, but if I don’t it’s a pain. Anyway, I’m drinking Avalon CAB 2004. 7.99. try it on the show sometime.
February 19, 2007

TommyBoBo of WI
Not a $12 btl but I did try a Yellow Tail two weeks ago…. just had to. But watching thru the episodes to get caught up, I now know how to identify “fake fruit” taste,,first couple sips was ok then Yikes! ;-(
February 19, 2007

Ken
Hi Gary,

As you know I tried many wines in Boston at the Expo. But as it turns out, few were $12. Here are a couple of unknown whites I reviewed and posted on KensWineGuide.com. 2006 Craftsman Cserszegi Fuszeres from Hungary $9 & 2005 Greenvale Vineyards Vidal Blanc from CT $12. They were both Very Good for $12 or under. Enjoy!
February 19, 2007

labmat
Great episode! Glad to find out about more wines in my price range. Keep it up.
February 19, 2007

Scruff
QOTD: Forefathers 2001 Shiraz McLaren Vale (bought it by the case on sale before the review came out!)
February 19, 2007

orie0704
QOTD: 2005 Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc for $10

January $12th, 1969… Jets win Super Bowl III
February 19, 2007

Neurodoc
Las Rocas Garnacha (Spain) 2002 $6.99 on release.
I’ll have to check out the Aries, sounds great.
February 19, 2007

E
And the Contado’s the same price as last year–always a good sign.

QOD: two come to mind right off hand, the 2002 Huards Cour-Cheverny from WL (Romorantin! Extra points for novelty) and the ‘03 A Mano Primitivo I had the other night. Out here it qualifies as a $12 wine, and it was as good as if not better than the Renwood zin I had on Sunday.
February 19, 2007

Taco John
“It’s not a very refined fruit bomb.”

I didn’t know bombs could be refined.

QOTD: 39 days? Hmmmm. $12? Hmmmm. I’ve been drinking too much from Trader Joe’s, I don’t know if I’ve had a bottle of wine that cost more that much in a while.

I’ll say the 2004 Las Rocas Grenacha, since it’s the most expensive thing I’ve had in a while.
February 19, 2007

Dionysus
Hate to nitpick for my first post but Aglianico is pronounced: “Ahl-yahn-ee-koh”. Also Carmenere is pronounced “Carmenair-uh” not “Carmenair”. Finally Meritage is not pronounced “Mer-it-tahhje” but rather “Merit-edge”. It rhymes with “Heritage”, one of the words it was derived from, the other being: “Merit”.

As for the question of the day: I would say the best twelve dollarish wine I’ve had of late, has to be the 2004 Deen De Bortoli Vat 1 Petite Sirah from Australia. My first Petite Sirah, it was amazing and really turned me on to the grape. Tons of flavor and major Oak Monster!
February 19, 2007

Wil Neverspit
You fixed it CHEF! Thank you!

Thanks Gary, …loved the SUCK-ASS-FRUIT comment.
39 days must be how long since the Jets were elimnated???
A sad day for Vayner-Nation.

QOTD: I just tried a 2000 Marques de Riscal Rioja $11.99.
The ‘02 was a Vayner-Pass, but I wanted to try a Rioja anyway. I was inspired after ep-180.
I really liked it, maybe 2000 was a better year than the 2002???

Lastly, CHRIS S, I think the Sterling was a 2004. I saw it on the bottle when Erik zoomed in. Add that to the extremely excellent spreadsheet.
February 19, 2007

Lars
Rocky Creek would be it for me. Tasty.
February 19, 2007

Dom
Hmmm, no gravatar?
February 19, 2007

stewart l
Aglianico is pronounced Iyanico in Italy.
QOD Best recent $12 wine was Yalumba 2005 Viognier