Collector California Wine with Opus, Silver Oak and Ramey

Collector California Wine with Opus, Silver Oak and Ramey – Episode #338

October 23, 2007

Gary Vaynerchuk gets back into the swing of things going Blind and going serious with 3 wonderful California Red wines!

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Comments on this episode(206) Leave a comment ›

“I think you need to do a blind taste-off on WLTV against that fancy la…” by Chris
“QOTD: I dont know what Im waiting for. I feel like Im stuck in a rut…” by Dessert Wine Nerd
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2003 Silver Oak Alexander Cabernet SauvignonSonoma Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Opus OneNapa Red Meritage
2005 Ramey Larkmead Cabernet SauvignonNapa Cabernet

Links mentioned in todays episode.

206 Responses

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October 23, 2007

John M
Thanks for the honesty and guidance. You have been accurate everytime so far…why would this be different?
October 23, 2007

John P
QOTD: I’m waiting to hear some final reports on how the Willamette Valley harvest went. I’ve gotten some good, some decent, and some more good news, so I’m cautiously optimistic about the 2007 vintage. It definitely wasn’t a hot year, so the wines will be more refined and balanced, without the jammyness of 03 or 04. From what I can tell, 2007 will be a vintage of the winemaker.
October 23, 2007

David
Nice episode, Gary. I had a similar opinion when I visited the Silver Oak vineyard two years ago – overrated and like $25 per person just to taste!

QOTD: Waiting for the Vayniac Cab.
October 23, 2007

sky
cali cabs are wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy overrated! see-you proved it. but i hope all the wine snobs keep buying them so those of us with a sense of adventure can drink stuff from spain and italy and france ect. i love blind tastings. fun fun. qotd: i’ve been waiting all day to finally get off work and come home so i could watch todays episode.it was so early today and i had to work late. its the first thing i do when i arrive…..everyday. love ya thanx gary
October 23, 2007

Neil
My wife and I were dining at La Toque in Napa and the table next to us had a vertical of Opus. It turned out that the folks from Opus were treating two people to a vertical tasting with dinner. After they left, there were still half full bottles on the table and the waitstaff poured us some Opus Vino at the end of dinner. I can say that Opus is waaayyy overpriced and did not blow me away.

Regarding Silver Oak, Gary they pride themselves in Oak. Lots of oak. They brag about it. They love the oak monster. He’s their friend. They have him over for Thanksgiving dinner. Their kids are on the same soccer team. They car pool. For you to put Silver Oak on the show and then say it tastes “oaky” is entrapment. I agree that they’re overpriced as well. Incidentally Alexander Valley is in the Sonoma AVA, not Napa.

Never had the Ramey.

Regarding the Vayniac Cab, hopefully we can come up with a wine with balance.

QOTD: What am I waiting for???? The Vayniac Cab of course.

Cheers!
October 23, 2007

Chargers Rule
QOTD: My wristband! Step up Vaynerchuk, you drop a G! at a Manhattan dinner and you wont supply enough wristbands for everyone because postage went up?!?!?! Leave that weak suck program to the Jets and take care of your peeps!

Good show, we need more single and double blind shows.
October 23, 2007

SS Chris
I’m waiting to see whay you’re doing for MY birthday tomorrow!!

Maybe a Tensley tasting….
October 23, 2007

chenin
Great show !

Although you sounded a little bit like you
had a cold, and also pale… you did a
great job and nailed it perfectly.

Very interesting stuff, more to come?
Hopefully
October 23, 2007

GrapeStuff
Good ep. GV – the result was pretty much was I expected from these three. At the end of the day, there are just better values to be had out there – even from CA!!

QOTD: I am looking forward to the announcements coming to us in the next few days!
October 23, 2007

crank
Wristbands…What about those of us that requested one way before that garyissorry thing? I asked for one almost a year ago!
October 23, 2007

KenP
RandyB on point! Good ep, GV! Love the idea of balance between fruit and vegetable! Respect the ‘tough love’, from Cali on fire.

QOTD: Waiting for rain.
October 23, 2007

A-Gar
Well done. I was not too surprised on your reactions.

QOTD: I am waiting for you to do a Washington budget wine show. Grab some of the big CC, some of the Covey Run, Arbor Crest, maybe a little Columbia Winery. It’s all gold.

Loved the show, glad you’re feeling better. Keep it up!
October 23, 2007

thinkjose
Yo Gary-

Mice: No

AOTD: Waiting on my frickin wristband (you have to figure out a way to give something to everyone that signed up – also you may want to take down the site if you are not going give away any more wristbands – it is still up and running as of today)

Wines: Brown bagging rocks!
October 23, 2007

JizzyLay
I signed up just to tell you to go for the mice and is Bobby’s e-mail really booby or is it a typo?
October 23, 2007

carnyc
Oh yeah,

QOTD: I’m waiting for my ‘05 Bordeauxs!
October 23, 2007

carnyc
Love the blind tastings, but when are you going to do another double blind like episode #197??? If you recall, you picked out the Petit Verdot last time, so “don’t be scared”!

Happy to see you call out the overpriced Cali Cabs of the world. Bottom line is that there is a ton of value out there if you take the time to look as opposed to relying on what sounds familiar or what carries an often undeserved reputation. I cannot count how many great bottles of wine I’ve had in the last six months that were priced between $15 and $30, many of them bought at the WL. The Selvapiana Bucerchiale Chianti Classico Riserva 2003 from episode #333 was a 95 pointer for me personally, and it completely changed my outlook on what was possible out of a chianti.

Thanks in large part to this show, my knowledge and appreciation of wine has grown tremendously in the last year. Thank you for your continued dedication!
October 23, 2007

Taylor
That was a little bit of a let down, kind of sad i had big hopes for the day. I feel if you dont post comments after the show that you shouldn’t recieve a wristband! seriously thats like the ultimate Lurker move order the wristband and not post up!
QOTD the weekend it’s already been a long week. Big plans I hope, maybe try soem big wines.
October 23, 2007

3dvw
The Butter Bandit

http://www.3dvw.com/butterBandit.jpg
October 23, 2007

ev
I’m waiting for my wife to come in the door today and attack me (again) like it’s the last day on earth. (I felt like I could put this on because it’s a family bonding thing, and Gary is into the FAM)
October 23, 2007

wtvLurker
qotd: free shipping.
October 23, 2007

VegasChris
QOTD: I’m waiting tomorrow’s WLTV episode!
October 23, 2007

Lawrence Leichtman
Go for the mice Gary!!! I’m not waiting for anything

I have tasted all 3 of these wines and the Larkmead Cab is my favorite as well. To me it’s worth the price for an occasional splurge but normally I don’t drink that price point of wines. I have been to tastings at both Silver Oak and Opus One. I haven’t liked a single version of Silver Oak since 1994 and I have yet to taste an Opus One I like. The big drawback is that Silver Oak charges a boatload for their on site tastings so I never plan on going back to it unless they make some big changes. Napa prices don’t reflect wine quality anyhow but how expensive it is to produce a Napa wine.
October 23, 2007

Dave Canada
Hell ya I bought Bad…Michael Jackson rules the cosmos!!!
I say whoever has posted in the most episodes should get the wrsitbands….honour the committed few who give you the 2 cents!
QOTD – For my hockey game tonight….I am on a tear! Basketball tommorow night…feel like learning a few moves Gary…
October 23, 2007

wine-ot
Drink the Mice Wine!!!!

qotd – my cellar to be bursting from the seams with age worthy wines…such a panty dropper!
October 23, 2007

Pamela
So I won’t be getting my wristband eh? That’s OK. gary is sorry website was prize enough.
QOTD: I am waiting for one of my comments to finally post to WLTV (sure I did some tech thing wrong) and I was waiting for my birthday greeting to be sent to Bobby till I noticed that the link has his email address as Booby and not Bobby. Maybe that is why he is down on his 40th, you calling him booby!