Napa Valley Cabernet Battle Royal And The BOOK Is Now OUT!

Napa Valley Cabernet Battle Royal And The BOOK Is Now OUT! – Episode #464

May 13, 2008

Gary Vaynerchuk goes BLIND on this HUGE day for him and his Family and the Vayniacs. Napa Valley Cabernet is the epic and most sought after wines of America and this tasting will be a battle Royal!

Note: the wine listing is in tasting order.

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Comments on this episode(380) Leave a comment ›

“Hi, first time lurker here, QOTD: The first napa cab I fell in love wi…” by Sam
“Absolutly love your show and the way in which you describe wine. Your…” by Susan
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Neyers Ame Propreitary RedNapa Cabernet
2005 Tor Kenward Cimarossa Cabernet SauvignonNapa Cabernet
2005 Paul Hobbs Napa Cabernet SauvignonNapa Cabernet
2004 Rocca Cabernet SauvignonNapa Cabernet
2004 Bennett Lane Cabernet SauvignonNapa Cabernet
2004 Altamura Cabernet SauvignonNapa Cabernet

Links mentioned in todays episode.

380 Responses

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May 14, 2008

cs
QOTD – My favorite Napa Cab is a Mt Veeder wine – Wing Canyon. Seek it out.
May 14, 2008

VinoVixen
Love the blind tasting! Thanks!
QOTD: Do not have a favorite Napa Cab…..
May 14, 2008

W Miree
Great show! I have had the Rocca once in another vintage and liked it a lot, so I was glad to see it win the blind tasting. By the way, I like the blind tasting format.

QOTD: My favorite all-time California Cabernets are the older Beaulieu Vineyard Private Reserves from vintages 1985 and older. I started drinking them in the 1968 vintage. For vintages in the last couple of decades, Joseph Phelps Insignia and Stag’s Leap Cask 23 have been my benchmark Cabernets wine from California.
May 14, 2008

John Watson
Just want to say that I loved the blind format. Don’t have an answer for the QOTD, since I’ve really had very few Napa Cabs in my wine drinking career.
May 14, 2008

KWC
Gary, great to see one of my own favorites on your show. The Rocca is incredible. Although I think my current favorite Napa is Harlan (boring I know) the Rocca is actually a good value at $60 and an awesome wine. If you have not YOU MUST TASTE THE ROCCA SYRAH! it is an amazing wine, I think cheaper and better than the cab! Both are these extremely well balanced fruit bombs, fruit but under controll. Love the show.
May 14, 2008

Tim Hayes
I really enjoy Neal Family Cabernets. They are well made & have good value! I enjoyed the show today. Where can you buy some of those Big Ass Glasses you use?
May 14, 2008

fatdoi
qotd…… never had nappa cabs…. hard to get hold in Oz…
May 14, 2008

Daniel O
Great episode Gary! And congratulations again on the book! I’m sure it will be a hit.

QOTD: I don’t drink much Napa Cabs, so I can’t say I have a favourite, and none have ever knocked my socks off.
May 14, 2008

Ricky B.
QOTD- The older Groth Reserves 85,86,91,92.
May 14, 2008

phil brazeau
Im trying to get more of a handle on this old world/new world thing. I’m from Washington State and a big fan of Walla Walla wines. I enjoyed the show you did about their wines, but maybe a show with a match up between old world vrs new world? East coast folks seem to frequently refer new world wines to be over-oaked fruit bombs.(Grrrr!) My experience with many old world red wines has left me perplexed. I purchased some Cote du Beaune grand cru and was advised to cellar it for ten years which I dutifully did. On trying it 10 years later I found it to be still overly acidic and overly tannic for my palette.

Love your show
May 14, 2008

Ian Watt
Congratulations Gary you have reached a new pinnacle in your media career with an article in the Vancouver Sun this morning “Amateur videographers turn blogs into bucks.” Ian

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=1a4d7217-c96e-4f3a-a87b-287ada5e3a4f

or

http://www.ianwatt.ca/ViewBlog/1197/
May 14, 2008

Rossodio
You know, out of the 600 or so wines I’ve tried, I’ve only had four (count ‘em, FOUR) Napa Valley Cabs. My tastes are not so much aligned with over-the-top, overoaked, or overly fruity stuff like many new world offerings, so I’ve leaned away from them to some extent.

That being said, my favorite of the NV cabs I have tried is the 2001 R&B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. I gave it 90 points, which is the same as wine spectator, but that being said, it still wasn’t doing it for me. The tannins are rougher than those in ageable Italian, Spanish, and (most of the time softer) French wines, and the oak was a bit too much.

I’m sure I’ll have more Napa cabs in the future, though.
May 14, 2008

jett
2004 etude napa, my brother. this one rocks with well balanced fruit, intergrated tannins, great mouthfeel, soft, yet huge and powerfull, with a finish that works for over a minute. i’m hanging with you g.v. with respect to oak and cali cabs. way too much, most of the time. the etude is clean and polished even @ this young age, and the oak is really under controll on this one. a great effort and a wonderful addition to anyone’s cellar. jett
May 14, 2008

Ernie Bello
Great format to this episode, I loved the anticipation that you showed and it brings your viewers along with you.

By the way, I bought the book @wine.woot.com. Can’t wait to get it!
May 14, 2008

Rick
Congrats,

Both shows were great and looking forward to my copy being sent.
May 14, 2008

Donna Marie
Loved the blind tasting–well mostly blind tasting.

QOTD: Haven’t been drinking too many NV Cabs lately, but Jarvis is a Fav, along with Kent Rasmussen. I have several that I haven’t tried yet–looking forward to the Egelhoff—(think that’s Napa)…
May 14, 2008

Susan
Gary- QOTD: Since I have little $$$ have not had any Napa Valley Cabs yet…………………………………………………………………………………………………
May 14, 2008

Susan
Gary- REALLY LOVED this ep!!!! LOVE the blind tastings ALWAYS!!!
May 14, 2008

RickM
No cabernet faves – I try different ones all the time. Some should not be called wine, but rather juice. Not many wine stores around me give ratings from anywhere (Costco seems to do the best job, but the wines are too expensive for anything but occasions) so I do not have much to go on other than vague memories.

I had some Lewis Cellars cab recently that was better than decent, but WAY too pricey for my budget.
May 14, 2008

Steve B
QOTD: Cain.

More blind tastings, GV!

Today’s show gave good reasons why, overall, California cabernets have become ridiculous. They’re over-priced and out of balance — they all strive to score big with Parker. And that’s the whole damn problem.
May 14, 2008

life's too short
QOTD: Waypoint To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon (thanks, G).

To EliteWino: Oh, I feel you, brother. My basic palate enjoys anything over $1.50, and if it’s an unnatural color, even better! But for me? Man, nothin’s better than weaving around town on my old beater bike whilst taking big quaffs offa my brown bagged 40 oh zee! Oh yeaaaah, life just doesn’t get better than this. Well, there was that time I accidentally ran into this pompous jerk getting out of his M6 convertible when I was pulling a seriously big gulp off my 40, but I digress.
May 14, 2008

Adam J
Great show GV, I loved the blind format! Qotd: I really have not drunk many at all actually…Opus One has a special place in my heart -(I was lucky enough to have lunch with the winemaker while drinking the ‘97), but no paricular 100% cab’s stand out though. Thanks Gary, have a great day!
May 14, 2008

Johnnyutah
Congrats GV! Now you are a gentleman AND a scholar…

QOTD: Flora Springs Trilogy 2003 (Rutherford) – Based on the sediment surrounding the neck, i knew i was in for something special. In a blind tasting i would have guessed St Emillion. This wine has beautiful cigar box and earthy notes with a lovely soft mouth feel, strong mid-palate and a long finish.
May 14, 2008

stephen
Wow, shows you people still buy on names and reputation rather than quality of wine.
one of my favourite CA Cabs is the St Clement Napa Valley, reasonable price point at todays prices and good value!
good show, more blind tastings on the show would really blow up some reputations.
May 14, 2008

SaraMHCRU
Congrats on everything. Great episode. I haven’t found a napa cabernet yet that I’ve LOVED. I’ve had a few that were acceptable, but I think my budget holds me back on that one.