Sangiovese Taste Off – Episode #439

April 8, 2008

Sangiovese is a grape that has thrived in Italy and we are seeing many California wineries take to the grape as well, who will win this battle ROYAL?

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Comments on this episode(223) Leave a comment ›

“Nice show. I have had a 3 case love affair with the 04 Casanova di ne…” by Tom
“Love the Mr. Wizard action going on! That kind of makes me want to go …” by Dessert Wine Nerd
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Casanova Di Neri Rosso Di MontalcinoRosso di Montalcino
2005 Luna Napa SangioveseNapa Italian Varieties

223 Responses

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April 8, 2008

pete c
I don’t think Cali can make a sangiovese that’s comparable to Italy.
QOTD: favorite Chianti in awhile is the Borgo Salcetino 2000. Beautiful nose.
April 8, 2008

Justo Gonzalez
What’s up with Heart playing in the background? Not drinking any Sangiovese at the moment. Lately I’ve been stuck on nebbiolo.
April 8, 2008

familydoc
I know the wines were off, but you were on today, GV, loved the show, very entertaining!

QOTD: I actually really enjoyed the 2002 Luna Sangiovese, which I had about 4 months ago, a different vintage with 3 more years of bottle aging may have made all the difference. I also had a Brunello over Christmas the 1999 Agostina Pieri Brunello di Montalcino, which was also very nice. Ok, I’ve also have a few very bad chianti’s too in the last few months.
April 8, 2008

amgryger
QOTD: not a big sangiovese drinker, but in the past 4 months I’ve had an 04 Paneretta Chianti Classico that was not bad, and an 04 Corzano E Paterno Chianti Classico Riserva that was actually quite good.
April 8, 2008

Nickyb85
Wicked show GV.

QOTD: Last sangiovese I had was a locally produced bottle made by private label La Diosa Cellars. Grown in the West Texas region it had a lot of good features and the area has a lot of growing potential as the High Plains AVA comes of age.

As far as blending of wines go… I have done the unthinkable. At a party where other drinks were being served some cola wound up in my wine glass. Cringe as you may, it was an incredible hit resembling something of a sangria (only not). Oh well… us crazy college kids… have a good one GV
April 8, 2008

Chris
GV, you should try to get on ESPN. I think you’d be a great color commentator. Then you could avoid being labeled a “one trick pony.”

P.S. You sound really whiny on GARYVAYNERCHUK.com
April 8, 2008

Matt
I havent seen the episode yet, I usually watch the next day (or so) at work! I will say that my Fiancee had Orfila Sangiovese from CA once at Citricos in Disney’s Grand Floridian and we loved it. We orded 1/2 a case and couldnt “save” it … we fixed meals that paired with it every night that week and it was gone. That being said, I think I need to pick up a bottle and do a good tasting on it, as it’s 2 years later!
April 8, 2008

normanzo
I love it that you dumped the 2 wines together to taste the Vaynerlab combo.

QTD: Tiburzi 2005 Santambra Rosso di Montefalco. Sangiovese 65%; Sagrantino 15%; Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon 20%. Only 65% Sangiovese, but that counts, right?
April 8, 2008

JohnL.
I loved this show!
It’s great to see you shoot from the hip and improvise on the spot like that.
This is exactly what you should be doing… having fun with the wine.
Thanks Gary, great show!
April 8, 2008

Justin Viger
No, but I will have to try some and see if I can fair any better.

P.S. Background music is NOT bringing the thunder. I now have a headache
April 8, 2008

Plminer
GV the blending machine, that was classic! I’ve noticed that American S.G. is really over the top fruit and extracted, nothing like the Italian version.
QOTD: I’m drinking Brunello and a few Chianti Riserva’s that are rocking, perfect with Italian food.
April 8, 2008

KVolk
What do you mean no Mott t-shirt!!!!! That is unacceptable Mr…..

QOTD: Nothing I have had I like and today’s show sure didn’t change my opinion….
April 8, 2008

Little Jonny H
Ha! I thought the blending was fantastic!!! I knew that mixing two contrasting wines would bring the best of both to the table to produce a something better than its parts alone. Kind of like Kansas vs Memphis…

QOTD: Not really! but I’m trying to find some good stuff under $13-15…
April 8, 2008

Scott S.
Gary, You finally did it. BLENDING!. Tell me, where would Bordeaux be without the Mastery of Blending. Please dedicate a show to blending like you did in France. Hey a little Cab, Merlot, Cab Franc and PV and now you have Magic. Like all the memebers of this show the sum is far greater the the individuals. Hats off my friend!
April 8, 2008

Andrew H.
Sangiovese is wonderful and I enjoy it very much. However, I have not yet had a multitude of them so I cannot share the one I liked best. I look forward to purchasing a few this summer.
April 8, 2008

Kristen
What a bummer GV, but hey, at least you tried some bad wine so I didn’t have to. The Oak Monster scared me today! Good Lord, why do people like the OM so much?

QOTD: Sangiovese is not my favorite, but there have been some good Italian Brunellos, etc.
April 8, 2008

kallardnyc
We will not stand for it anymore! Give us our damn “Mott, Link it up!” shirt.

Join me my fellow Vayniacs. Twit on over to https://twitter.com/MOTT_TSHIRT and follow me to force @garyvee to give us what we want…

A damn MOTT_TSHIRT
April 8, 2008

Saftig
Don’t listen to your Mother!! Play with your food and wine.
April 8, 2008

tendollarbill
I’m with BargePlus but we’re reasonable people. If we can’t get a “Mott- Link it up shirt” how about a “Hey Mott, give this thing a sniffy sniff” t-shirt instead?
April 8, 2008

SteveW
WOW TOP 70 !!!!!!!
I feel bad for Mott, he deserves a T-Shirt.
I like it when you mixed the wines. I’ve done that many times.
I may have opened 2 wines that both kind of suck, and I will try different
mixtures which will almost always be an improvement on either wine by itself.
Esp. if one wine might be a little too old and the other is a young fruit bomb.
April 8, 2008

Len
Interesting show in any case…..even if the wines weren’t. I thought I was the only one that tried to make two average to not so good wines…blending them to see if it would taste any better. QOTD: Not lately….couple of months ago sis have 99 Fanti Brunello…very good!
April 8, 2008

Joel M
Gary, It’s Masters Week. I thought you were going to do a show on wines from some of the PGA Tour guys like Faldo, Weir, Norman, Els, Plamer etc. Ian did email me to say that the show would be done Thusday of Masters Week. What happened? Who is the Master wine producer of the pros? Joel
April 8, 2008

A-Gar From Spokane
Hey, it happens, bro. It’s almost better when the wines do not rock, because then I don’t have to go and waste my hard earned cash on them.

QOTD: I’ve had one or two nice Chiantis. Neither was really my style, though.
April 8, 2008

Pete G
Great job there sir-mix-alot. I’m a traditionalist so I don’t do many Sangs from outside of Italy. I rock Italian Sangs 2-4 times a month (hey I’m Italian fugitaboutit). Sangiovese Di Romanga Superiore (San Valentino) 2006 has been killin it for me lately.
April 8, 2008

The Shadow
We love the sangiovese grape. A trip to Italy last year turned me from a casual wine drinker to a VANIAC. Brunello is my favorite, but only for special occasions due to the pricing. We sent a case home from Montalcino including several ’97s. We drink Chianti Reserva regularly, dabble in Rosso di Montalchino and some Vino Nobile. It seems most of these wines do need time to age for the best drinking. Family coming to town this week so some Brunello will fall, I think a ‘97 Ciacci Piccolomini D’Aragona.