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

Moselman
Fun ep; a nice change-up.

Cramer is so right: “You’re the Best!”

QOTD: Unfortunately, my budget makes ANY over $50 wine a PA$$$$$.
And with no Wine Library clones North of the 48th, no $50 buck wines selling for $30…
May 14, 2008

Troy
Silver Oak = Sliver Oak.

why pay $100 a bottle when I can ask a friend to hit you over the head with a 2X4 at no cost.
May 14, 2008

Billyd
really liked the blind tasting and sniffing.
qotd: 1997 silver oak Christmas last year, really smooth nice buttery nose knocked everyones socks off, nice sharing a bottle like that with family
May 14, 2008

Keith
Really like the blind tasting format…may have been fun to throw in a couple $20 bottles. QOTD: I need to try more Napa cabs
May 14, 2008

Mondavi4Life
The 2004 Rocca Cab would not have the finish nor complexity to a Mondavi Napa cab…for sure. it would be like comparing an Yugo to a BMW.

Top 5 Napa cabs:

Mondavi Napa Cab
Mondavi Oakville Cab
Mondavi Reserve Cab
Screaming Eagle
Harlan Estate

Shafer Hillside Select & Bryant Family cabs almost make the top 5 for me but are not as good as the above 5 Napa Classics.
May 14, 2008

Cookiedds
Regardless of vintage, my favorite Napa Cabernet has been the Jessup Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The do a great job on all of their wines including an skillfully crafted Bordeaux blend “Table for Four”, luxurious Merlots and Zinfandels that age gracefully.
I also love the three Cabernet offerings from Ladera; Howell Mountain, Lone Canyon and the Napa Valley Cabernet.
Finally, Pine Ridge is coming back with some fine Cabernets and exceptional bottlings of “Fortis” and “Andrus Reserve”.
May 14, 2008

elMattador
Great episode. Cant wait for the book to arrive. Should be anyday now

QOTD. Favorite Napa Valley Cab is definatly now the 2004 Anderson’s Conn Valley Reserve. You had it on the show a while back and we happened to sell it at our store. So i grabbed a bottle, tried it then grabbed the rest! No sharing with customers..haha.
May 14, 2008

Roberto
well I’ll be darned… my favorite is the 2004 Rocca Cab… UNREAL. and more unreal is I had it recently (Feb) for the first time in Vegas at a tasting. (this is so weird I’m not even gonna comment on it anymore)… plus I said I liked Kravner the other day… which it turns out you loved…

Great to see you and Lizzie last night at Bounce, that was FUN !!!
May 14, 2008

Meg Collins
Gare — Love the blind taste test. Please do it more.

Very exciting day for me — just got a PC hooked up to the bigscreen so I can watch your show like a normal person (that makes me sound less like a lurker and more like a stalker, but no).

QOTD: ZD
May 14, 2008

mtlhabsfan
Congrats on the book GV, I shall be getting one or two copies! Great show on Conan last night, it was quite funny!
May 14, 2008

Mondavi4Life
QOTD: For me this is easy, the best Napa Cab is the Robert Mondavi Napa Cabernet due to its extremely good value. I’ve tried Harlan, Bryant, Sloan, & Foley cabs and for $20, I’d rather take a case of The Mondavi Napa cab from the 2001-2005 vintages than 1 bottle of the so-called cult Cali cabs listed above.

I also love the Mondavi Oakville & Reserve Cabernets which offer great value & I’m a big fan of the Mondavi Napa Chardonnay when the weather is hot outside.

The Mondavi pinot is also a very nice wine for the price. Definately a case buy for sure!
May 14, 2008

Jaybird
Mad Money was great, Jim really focused on your plug!

QOTD: THE BEST WAS A 2002 Shafer Hillside Select… here is a picture

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=81690846&blogID=386804280&Mytoken=F3EF481D-FC46-4547-A651E9E1242F153874709879
May 14, 2008

BobMac
QotD: My wife says the Ceja. I say the McKenzie-Mueller.
May 14, 2008

Tilly
Jones Family Cab but I also had a great Miner Family Cab at tasting there a few years ago
May 14, 2008

Tim R
92 Far Niente. Had it with a porterhouse and nearly fell off my chair. Soo BomB!

Conan was cool, but I was amazed at how well the Jim Cramer thing went.

Congrats, you deserve it all..
May 14, 2008

Jeremy Q
Gary, love the episode. What coincidence that I mentioned to you at the booking signing this evening that one area I am focusing on learning and trying wines from is Californian and Napa … and hey presto .. an episode dedicated to Napa Cabs. Thanks man .. will be reading the book on the train tomorrow

QOTD: dont have one as I am only beginnig my Napa Cabernet experience. Got to try the Rocca now
May 14, 2008

J Crazy
Excellent!
QOTD: Turnbull 2002

YES, get Conan on the show!!

Absolutely loving my family
May 13, 2008

David Scott
QOTD: Lewis is my personal best so far…keep in mind I don’t have the opportunity to run through 4 or 5 $60 bottles in a row, so my exposure is a little more limited…but Lewis rocked my socks off.
May 13, 2008

Jason Clements
Gary,

I will probably start drinking and enjoying wine because of you.

Brother, you rock. I called my wife in to watch and she said, “He’s a regular guy that would probably eat a hot dog with you any day.” (We happened to catch you on Conan last night – GREAT JOB by the way!)

Web 2.0 works – you are right! I am a guy that doesn’t drink wine, doesn’t know wine, and doesn’t care wine. I am in recycling – what’s that got to do with wine. NOTHING! And yet . . . and yet, you with your Web 2.0 stuff, have now raised my interest in wine.

All I can say is “thank you.”

Jason
May 13, 2008

amgryger
QOTD: I’ve had very few Napa Cabs, actually, and none of them have impressed me all that much so far. In theory I’m not one to give up on a region very quickly, but Napa is a game I’m largely priced out of at this point in life so I tend not to think about it too much. It is what it is.
May 13, 2008

Chris in Tulsa
QOTD: I love the Meadowlark Cab you had on WLTV!
May 13, 2008

Cory
Just seen you on mad money and decided to check out the show. Great job, I don’t know jack about wine but you got another viewer!
May 13, 2008

John D.
Great show Gary. Love the blind tastings. How about a Bordeaux blind tasting?

Congrats again on your new book and your tv appearances! Stayed up late to watch Conan.

Oh yeah, I just bought my first Viognier thanks to your show, 2006 Triennes, Sainte Fleur. Looking forward to trying it out this weekend with a nice dinner! Thanks for bringing the Thunder!
May 13, 2008

laposte
QOTD:
Harder than you think GV. I must have 1000-1200 bottles in my cellar but probably only 20-25 from US. I have some 1995 Clos du Val that are drinking nicely and the 1997 Lewis Cab, but Dominus may be my favorite.
May 13, 2008

Wes M
QOTD: I haven’t had many, but I really liked the Louis Martini Napa Cab 2005 (I think that’s the vintage I had).