Half Bottles Of Wine On The Thunder Show Today

Half Bottles Of Wine On The Thunder Show Today – Episode #357

November 26, 2007

Many people want to drink wine during the weekdays or have a spouse that won’t drink with them. The rise of quality wines available in halves has exploded over the past few years and today Gary Vaynerchuk tastes 4 different wines in this format.

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“Half bottles are also good for CKCs who want to get into nicer wines f…” by ulu ulu ulu ulu
“Great episode. I see half bottles around all the time and never give …” by Dessert Wine Nerd
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Defaix Chablis Cote De LechetChablis
2000 Chehalem Rion Reserve Pinot NoirOregon Pinot Noir
2000 Chateau La CardonneOther Red Bordeaux
2001 SenaChilean Red Meritage

237 Responses

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November 27, 2007

J Cray-in-a-half-bottle
QOTD: You should shave your head. That will change the wine world, mos def.

Half bottles are definitely a good way to try a few wines without breaking the bank. Also, getting samples from wineries is another good way to try wines without paying much (or anything) for them.
November 27, 2007

ninefingers
Why would you want to become PC? Your show is a direct contradiction of “Wine PC”, which is great.

But, the show of the two little girls watching the show on the computer was also great!

I guess, its difficult to do all things well to suit all tastes!!
November 27, 2007

Yoni Rabkin
Also…

I don’t think you need to disclaim anything at all. People should get over themselves and accept you and what you do. If you start caving in to requests to change what you do, when will it end.

That having been said… “The Show” with Ze Frank used to have a thing where they asked viewers to tape the intro and send it in. It was usually pretty good.

So maybe instead of getting rid of the into, you can get everyone to do it for you!
November 27, 2007

Yoni Rabkin
That was an above the standard mean show. You had more energy and pizazz, oomph and zing on this episode than most. Keep it up!
November 27, 2007

YoungDave
“WOOT!”…that was for liking Tina Turner’s “Private Dancer” too, but don’t tell anybody.

QOTD: I like the idea of a quick intro theme song under 15 seconds of video cut together from your episodes, then start up the show with the same intro as always, enthusiasm to the max, and being yourself 100%. I like you the way you are, as well as the show, and a production value-boosting edited video intro is the only addition or change that I would want to see…as long as you keep everything else the same. See you in San Fran on Saturday, Sir!
November 27, 2007

CliffAberson
qotd- i love the intro… don’t change it. Maybe serve up a “Sir Gary” episode & then everyone will want the “real you” intro…
November 27, 2007

Jai
Throwing my two cents in here…(regular poster now baby!) I say keep doing the show the way it is. I think it becomes apparent right away you’re completely authentic and true to yourself and I believe that’s what makes the show unique and worth watching. Why change that to possibly satisfy a few extra “viewers” at the expenses of those many true viewers who already do love the show. I understand the desire to appeal to as wide an audience as possible (you are promoting a business after all), but at what point do gimmicks like a “fan” intro start turning off your true audience and customers.

I’ll admit I hadn’t the faintest interest in wine (I drank it, but only when the table was), never mind a desire to watch a wine podcast. I first saw you on the couch of a certain other little podcast where two guys drink beer (go figure), I was curious, so sought you out and it was your intro with your over the top enthusiasm in wine that got me hooked. Sure maybe it’s off putting a little at first, because that’s probably the last thing you expect from a wine show, but it works, because it’s who you are. Please don’t become Sir Gary Vaynerchuk. I wouldn’t have lasted a minute that first time if I got Sir Gary, it was Gary Vay-ney-chuk that got me to think who is this guy and made me want to watch. Keep that in mind.
November 27, 2007

Luke. W.
KEEP THE INTRO

DONT FORGET ABOUT YOUR VALHALLA HIGH SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHIC

PLEASE
November 27, 2007

Andy Drinkard
Great to see those half-bottles being felt out for a couple of rounds. I’ve seen them in the decent wine shops around here, but I was always a tad intimidated about grabbing one since it seemed that nobody else in the shop seemed to care about them at all. To heck with it, next 2 bottles I buy will be half-bottles… just fits my single-and-just-out-of-college culture better. Not enough wine-friendlies to share the THUNDER with if I happen to find a wine that really brings it on, and I’m not THAT interested (anymore…) on just getting loopy.

QOTD: “What should you do?” Do another Barbaresco show! Do a blind Barolo + Barbaresco show to see if you can figure out which is which. The subtleties of the differences still elude my palate, especially if we’re talking about a mix of producers and vintages.

To answer your real question, I think you’ll get plenty of responses if you ask for more intro vids. Doesn’t have to be for every episode, but when you get a worthy one sent to you, let ‘er rip. Also, it doesn’t have to be a “sucky” intro. Why not ask folks to give intros that will totally pump people up for the show to come? Or a random mix of both would be fun.

Keep trying new things (and wines) bro, cuz that’s what you’ve inspired me to do!
November 27, 2007

FJDR
Your opening drew me in right away, not sure what people are looking for. You’re going to have critics no matter what you do, especially on the internet.

So, uh, are we saying that you have to drink the whole bottle of wine in one sitting? Because I don’t. I’ll open a bottle and pour a glass and put the cork back in, and then have another glass the next day from that same bottle and then the day after that again. Tastes fine to me. But I don’t know anything, so…..
November 27, 2007

Casey Reed
Change the show and I’ll stop watching and buying from wine library. Nuff said. Okay, just kidding but don’t change or I might. Or might not. Uhh…anyway…bye.
November 27, 2007

Jason S
GV and camp,

It appears as though my previous comment may be redacted due to poor phrasing on my part. I wish to clarify my intentions as apologize for any offense.

My point was that GV has a great thing going and I truly believe the community would readily accept any change Gary wanted to make. The WLTV community is growing and that is largely due to the word-of-mouth of fans. You can’t get better advertising than that. One of the best things about the show is Gary’s honesty and purity.

What I really want is for Gary to trust his own opinion, to not make changes to the show because someone else said he should. It’s great to try new things, but do it because you want to; not because someone else said so. Does any of this sound familiar? The palette evolves, but trust your palette; it hasn’t let you down so far…

Thanks to Gary and the WLTV crew. Speaking of which…I’d like to see more crew appearances on the show. I want to see Mott more…and the rest of the crew.

Again my apologies for any offense. It was not intended.

Jason S
November 27, 2007

Sassodoro
QOTD. I like the Vay-ner-chuk intro. Maybe it’s an acquired taste, but then so is wine, isn’t it? (Well, maybe alcohol in general.)
November 27, 2007

mattyO
this is just my opinion, but…i LOVED the opening to WLTV the first time i saw it. with GV getting all excited, it drew me in! i like the passion, the fire…the THUNDER! anywho, great show, i am definately looking forward to expanding my flavor profile every time i watch this show. thanks GV and everybody connected to WLTV…you people rock.
November 27, 2007

Ron
I am relatively new to your show (one month or so). Absolutely love it. Been enjoying wine for a over a decade now and kind of took your ‘wine-dividualism’ approach even before watching the show – but boy does your show pin point this concept. Brilliant endeavor and well executed- and I wish you (and us) the best of luck with changing the wine world…

QOTD: Frankly, I could not care less about the intro. I like it as is, but that’s not the point. Point is that the show (including the intro) is you, and YOU should not change. Your show is quite perfect as it is. My two cents – I did notice that the show tended to get longer and longer recently (closer to 25-27 minutes now compared with some archived shows I watched – around the 15 minute mark) – which is fine, your little anecdotes and stories are fun and interesting, and again, makes the show yours, but life is about hitting the right balance, and so, for your show I would stay focused more on the … well … wine (and teach us more about the different grapes, wine making, great vintages for different areas/growers, etc.)
November 27, 2007

Phil G
QOTD – Don’t do anything differently to begin the show. Since you think wine should be fun, why can’t the into to your show be that way?
November 27, 2007

monkuwino
QOTD: You be what you be – that be you! Don’t change a thing from your intro! That is who you are and that’s what I expect and I like that enthusiasm. The people who don’t like it – would they like it if someone told them to change the way they said “hello” on the phone? Tell them to mind their own business!!! They don’t know anything!!! Don’t they have anything better to do than to try and make you into something you aren’t? Tell them to go work on their kids instead and give psychologists and counselors some more business!!! Seriously, I say leave it as is unless YOU decide to change it. Those dweebs know not what they speak. If it were up to them, Pat Paulsen would have played the part of Indiana Jones.
November 27, 2007

brorjace
QOTD: Gary, the people who love you, love you for who you are, crazy and highstrung as that is. You bring the energy to the table and it makes watching and tasting wine a whole lot more fun. So don’t change anything!
November 27, 2007

KW
I am disappointed with the 2000 La Cardonne. I was hoping to get some if you found it decent. I used to buy it in the early 90’s the 88 and 89 vintages which I found to be very good for my taste. Then the 91 -93 vintages were awful – as were many French wines during that period, but I haven’t seen La Cardonne improve much since then. So I have been hesitant to invest any more in it. I’ll stay away.
QOTD: Don’t change your stripes unless your are looking for a change for change sake.
November 27, 2007

KAHUNA
FIRST
November 26, 2007

Scott from Salt Lake
QOTD: Start with a toned down intro of what the theme of the day is; cut into a 12 second intro clips of you from the show, clip from Connan, clip from Ellen, clip eating dirt, in the wind, on the roof, in the vineyard; set to a “hip soundtrack; then roll into a “HELLO EVERYBODY…..”
November 26, 2007

PaVo
I rant and in the midst have a horrible mispelling…

Line 2: VaYniacs

JEEBUS
November 26, 2007

mrzitro
QOTD: don’t change a thing.

Private Dancer…OMG…gag me with a pitchfork
November 26, 2007

PaVo
QOTD: Don’t change the intro! I’m more than happy to video up a warning, but to be fair, the intro is part of WLTV. Something from the Vaniacs before the start is great, but the people that want/NEED a warning are the same people that read Spectator and run to their nearest wine store to pick up this months 90 point wine. They’re the same people that won’t decide for themselves, the same people that won’t say “You know what Gary, I disagree with you, for ME, that wine tasted like poo in a glass” (and mean that in a bad way)

Not that I’m saying they should be excluded, everyone should come and enjoy WLTV, but if you need a warning…I don’t think you’re going to go out there and be adventurous and decide for yourself. I see them everyday, walking around IN the wine stores with Spectator or Parker or whomever they feel knows wine better than them. I want to pull them aside and shake them…but I don’t…

Ok enough of the rant. Having said all that, I’m going to make a vid with the city of Chicago as my backdrop for proper dramatics!
November 26, 2007

Andrew Kellner
Gary thanks for doing the 1/2 show. start fo the show is like waiting for th ekickof……BANG.

QOTD. keep on going with your gut and your heart