Blind Tasting – Episode #197

March 9, 2007

Wines tasted in this episode:

Question of the day: “What’s the biggest discrepancy you’ve seen in a bottle of wine?”

Here it is the blind tasting episode. Can Gary Vaynerchuk be fooled?

Having trouble seeing this video? Click here for the Quicktime version

170 Responses

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March 12, 2007

Jim CT
Would much rather have the .MOV format that I can download and watch fullscreen, or convert to Divx for my TV. I hope the flash is only temporary. Otherwise, another great job.
March 12, 2007

Jason R.
Love this ep.

Have to mention the 2003 Leoville Barton & 2003 Montrose. A few retailers towards the end were at $70 while others were $140

Best Buys:
1988 Diamond Creek – $39.99 from Brown Derby – Listed everywhere else for $130-150
2000 Heitz Martha’s – $42.00 from Hy-Vee (Grocery Store) – Listed elsewhere for $100
March 12, 2007

Grasshopper
Sensei,

Great epsiode and like many others, I would love to see more episodes where you taste blind. You did a great job and should try it again on a day when you are not approaching palate fatique.

I have to agree with Lars….Uffda!!…..Was very sorry to hear what you thought of the Nalle, I really like this winery and have 8 or 9 2003’s in my cellar. I have had the 2004 and do think the 2003 was better, but they really do make some nice wine. I hope you give the winery another shot sometime soon. I am not sure it was a fair test after the over the top fruit bombs you had just tasted and I think you were guessing they slipped a very cheap wine in the mix to trick you….

Grasshopper
March 12, 2007

Jon Keeneth
Biggest Discrepancy was Phelps Insignia. Bought 2001 at CostCO for $40 a 750ml, but everyone else $120+. Only bought 2 bottles. Should have filled up the basket. Probably mispriced as their Cab. Conversely, my wife brought me high end Bordeaux from Paris duty free that was twice what I can buy it here.
March 12, 2007

CW
QOTD: A case of 1966 Lafite that fell (lightly) off a truck.
March 12, 2007

cyrock1
Thanks Julius! I’m kinda new to the comment section.
March 12, 2007

bradyt
Only 173 days left till, the one year anniversary of Chad Pennington being named the Jet’s QB….
March 12, 2007

TimInFL
I had to watch this again….I luv the expression with the Purple Angel…That was priceless! I already trying to see if I can capture the facial expressions to use a Gravatar…LOL. Thanks again for choosing my wine, you guys are the best.

QOTD – I am an impulse buyer and everyting I buy I find for cheaper later on. shame on me.
March 12, 2007

SoCal
G,
If you had tasted as much wine Friday as you claim and then did that episode I am impressed.
My pallet would have been cashed.
QOTD: 1999 Merryvale Profile $69 at Samâ€™s Club on line for $99
March 11, 2007

Corrado
Comment #111 nailed pretty much everything I had to say.
1) This was single-blind, not double-blind tasting. I don’t *THINK* this happened, but Eric knew what the wines were and *COULD* have keyed Gary in. Again, I believe this was legit, but that’s the difference between Single-Blind and Double-Blind.
2) That must’ve been a poor Zin because I would have expected Gary to nail Zin like a cheerleader on prom night.

I loved this episode. This is something WLTV should do often.

QOTD: with the exception of a competitor-site (who will go un-named out of respect for WLTV) who puts some REDICULOUS deals up on wines, my PERSONAL experience is:
$47 2001 Panther Creek Bednarik Valley Pinot Noir (winery price) on sale for $19 (which is about where it belongs, IMHO).
$30 2005 Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir (winery price) for $17.50 @ Costco; unlike the Panther Creek, this wine is worth it’s $30 price tag.
March 11, 2007

Julius
To Cyrock1,
I just want you to know that I took no offense to your comment regarding my comment, but do appreciate the graciousness and spirit of your apology. What you should know is that I have “taken Gary to task” quite often (always in a good-natured way) and have always received a pleasant response from Gary. In fact, my comment of this episode elicited an email from Gary saying, “LOL thnx for the 85 Ill take it. well have to sit down and go man o a man o and see how we do .”
March 11, 2007

Trish da' Dish
Watching the set-up, and execution, of the blind tasting was loads o’fun…now my goal is to get up to Jersey and visit WL myself. We have a place here called Lukkas Liquors which is as big as a grocery store, but with 2 levels it looks like Wine Library is even BIGGER!!! (And bigger is always better–as far as selection goes). Back to the tasting–Gary, I’ve never seen you more nervous! It was so cute that you cared so much about what we would think if you guessed the wines wrong. It really tells us that you are a person of character and integrity, that you even CARED! It was obvious that the show wasn’t “staged,” and that’s what made it so fun, that we got to go through all the suspense and worry that you did about how you would ultimately perform.

One more thing: For customers and vendors harshly criticize today’s performance, and who believe that they would have done a much better job, I have an idea: Invite one or more of them along to your next blind tasting. All can taste under the same conditions, and if they do better than you at guessing varietal, region, village, chateau, etc., then you will eat humble pie and give them “X” (free shipping for a year? Or a bottle of some good vino? A trip to a Jets game with you?)

Thanks Gary, we all love youuuuuuuuuu!
March 11, 2007

AlisonD
Hey Gary, this was a fun episode and I love, Love, LOVE the new format! Knowing how long each episode will be, and knowing I can stop, restart, jump around is wonderful. Kudos to your team!
March 11, 2007

KAHUNA
Gary, Itâ€™s Saturday morning and Iâ€™m bewilded by the size of the store, which begs the question. How long does the average customer spend in the store? and Do they know what they are looking for?

More bling tasting !!!

Comment 22: By lou from downunder on March 9th, 2007 at 5:15 pm

I was there for 2 hours plus Saturday-
March 11, 2007

GeneV
Loved the episode. You should do all of your tastings blind. It might also blunt some of the issues with suppliers.
March 11, 2007

Jester
QOTD: Last year, from the same dealer, I bought two bottles of 2002 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer-ToKalon Cabernet Sauvignon and two bottles of 2001 Shafer Hillside Select all for $145 per. Provenance was great, the poor guy just didn’t know what they were worth. Since the RP 100, I’ve seen the Hobbs run as high as $450 ( original retail was $265 ). I just saw someone pay $359.00 for the Shafer just the other day. Of course, that is ludicrous, but, what can you do?

Oh wait, I forgot. A few years ago I also got a bottle of 1985 Salon Le Mesnil and a 1988 Salon Le Mesnil for $75.00 and $50.00, respectively. If only I could find deals like that on a weekly basis!!!!!!!!
March 11, 2007

WINO
3 out of nailed is pretty darn good. Nice job. Would love more episodes like that and I need to try that myself. CHallenge the pallete (sp?)

QOTD- Have not stumbled over any huge bargains in my time, but anything at WL is usually a good price.
March 10, 2007

Steve R.
Beautiful store, Gary! Thanks for the peek…. Also, congrats on nailing the PV — that one alone wins you a ton of points!

QOTD: I have two: (1) Veuve Clicquot yellow label — $55 at one store (ouch) and $35 in another, in the same shopping center, (2) Jackson Triggs vidal ice wine — $35 for 375ml vs. $12 at a grocery story (I even asked them to double check and they stuck by their price)
March 10, 2007

big_al
Great episode Gary. Why not make every Friday “Blind Tasting ” day?
March 10, 2007

Elliot Essman
I am presently drinking (gulp) as perfect example of a discepancy: an Oyster Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir for which I paid $18, when Wine Library has it for $12.

But of course I have it here — now!
March 10, 2007

Rick "The Model" M
that was really impressive. very cool episode.
March 10, 2007

lifestooshort
Duuuuuude, that was impressive. Batting .750 in a blind taste test? You doth rawwwk! Gary Vanynerchuk? More like Gary Kasparov! Well played!!
March 10, 2007

EricB
QOTD – I also live in PA, but the LCB has not been too bad in recent years. Hovever, the main guy who made it all happen just got the boot and some ex-senator got a CEO position. Talk about dirty politics. Anyway, there have been several awesome deals I’ve gotten here in PA. St Francis 1999 Behler Reserve Merlot for $13 for example. Also one which I think was a mistake on the PLCB part which was corrected shortly after I made my purchase, 2003 JJ Prum GH Auslese, $25.
On the whole the prices are maybe 2-3 more than in other states but there are also great buys to be had.
March 10, 2007

cyrock1
Comment 108: By Paul on March 10th, 2007 at 9:43 am

You are right Paul, I did type a little too hastily and apologies to all, especially Julius. Being in the industry I feel a certain comradely with GV and I know I’ve been through some of the same things as him, in particular the second guessing of talent. The blind tasting is tough and I thought that Julius – whose qualifications I do not know – was being a little unfair in his judgment of GV. In turn I was unfair to Julius.

Just looking out for GV.
March 10, 2007

dealbhadair
Good job on the Petit Verdot, Chilean, and price ranges, Gary!
3 outa 4 ain’t bad! You definitely showed that you know your stuff!
If anyone got them all right, all the time, wine wouldn’t be so damned much fun!