Screaming Eagle (Well, Almost)

Screaming Eagle (Well, Almost) – Episode #572

November 6, 2008

Gary Vaynerchuk is humbled to taste some SERIOUS wines that are made for an amazing cause.

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the Quicktime version.

Comments on this episode(158) Leave a comment ›

“QOTD: Shafer hillside select…” by ulu ulu ulu ulu
“Good show. Great cause. Immediately went to the website to see if th…” by looper
View all 158 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

Lookout Ridge 2005 Cathy Corison Cabernet Sauvignon
Lookout Ridge 2005 Marco DiGiulio Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Lookout Ridge 2005 Andy Erickson Red

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

158 Responses

Pages: « 7 [6] 5 4 3 2 1 » Show All

November 10, 2008

Michael
Gary-

Great show (as usual). I was actually hoping that you were not going to score these wines, given the charity aspect. If the wine, in your mind, is worth $70 and you pay $100 for it, you have, in essence, given a $30 donation to a good cause. (If the wine is worth $150 to you, then you really haven’t given anything away!) I think it is enough to know that the wine are “good enough” to be worth the effort of ordering some — it does seem clear that the winemakers put a lot of effort into making these wines. (Just one man’s opinion.)

Keep up the good work and thanks for raising the profile of this great cause!
November 10, 2008

Jayhitek
QOTD: Loved the Newton Unfiltered.
November 10, 2008

Tim
Great wine for a great cause!

My favorite Cali Cab this year has been the Neal Family 2005 Cab. Really good stuff at a really good price.
November 10, 2008

Cuse Wino
Good luck to all involved with the cause
and thanks for spotlighting people trying to make a difference.

QOTD- Best Cali wine this year is probably Jerry Garcia Merlot (Clos DuBois) 2005 or Martin Ray Merlot 2000. Not a big Merlot fan usually but I am drinking what is in the cellar/basement.
November 10, 2008

Murso
When the new owners of Screaming Eagle up the production to the thousands, and start diversifying and outsourcing the fruit, do you thing the price will come out of the intergalactic heights where it is? Will the wine even be the same as the former vintages? Will we still be seeking it’s wisdom, like a godhead, on top of a mountain?
November 10, 2008

Murso
Putting “Screaming Eagle” in the title is completely disingenuous of you. Not to dismiss Andy’s stelar accomplishments thus far, but he’s only been at SE for about two years. Those wines aren’t even in a bottle yet.

Heidi Peterson Barrett, wife of Bo at Montelena, and lesser known as the daughter of the legend/genious blender/wine brand creator Dick Peterson had been the guiding hand behind SE, since it’s inception around ‘92. Was she involved? No? Were the grapes for this wine sourced from SE’s plots? Highly doubtful. Were Jean Philips, or the current owners involved? Nope.

Going back to the first vintage, with annual production between 200 and 500 cases /year, there have been, by quick math, most likely, less than 10,000 BOTTLES of SE produced. TOTAL. It is something that I, and 99.9% of us simply are not going to be tasting. Mrs. Peterson’s other wines can be found, albeit in small, quantities, to say the least. Usually for less than thousands of dollars/bottle for current releases, which most of us willl find ridiculous, if not outright obscene. I, in no way intend to dismiss the very talented hands of either Heidi or Andy, I’m just saying that the wines in question are not even close, in the sense of ‘itness’, to the Eagle in its mythic, nearly holy grail like essence.

$100/ bottle, on the other hand, and for a benevolent cause, does sound like reason for immediate sellout of every bottling. Kudos, again, and best wishes to Gordon and his Team.
November 10, 2008

Logan
Gary awesome episode, I love how you identified “weeeeed” as one of the characteristics on the Digiulio Cab, priceless!!

QOTD: Haven’t had too many California big boys, but I really liked the 2005 Napa Cellars Zinfandel.
November 9, 2008

Glenn Schliep
Check out this video about the cause,
http://www.inwinecountry.com/?cat=7274242&subcat=5901916&video=96#VideoList
November 9, 2008

Dirtnut
I’ve never spent a hundred bones on a bottle of wine. Your review of the Andy Erickson wine convinced me to try. I was a little disappointed to find out on their website that this wine is only available as part of the TWELVE pack. But this is a great cause and I congratulate all involved for pulling it together. Most recent Cal. wine is an 05 Columbia Crest Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet.
November 9, 2008

Shawn_944
Wonderful Cause, that is awesome to see the greats team up!
November 9, 2008

David Dadekian
QOTD: This is a tough one because when you said you haven’t done a big California wine show in a while I was thinking, I’ve hardly had any California wine in a while. That’s not by design, I think we’ve just been trying a lot of different things from around the world this year. So I’d have to go with a 2004 A to Z Pinot Noir for my answer.
November 9, 2008

Rich
Gary, good show.

QOTD: 2004 Hewitt Rutherford Cabernet
November 8, 2008

Brian
Another great episode, and for a great cause! QOTD, tough, tough. Hmmmm. I’m going to say a 1999 Sebastiani Cherryblock Cabernet Sauvignon. Beautiful, beautiful wine drinking fabulous.
November 8, 2008

CollegeFootballisNumberOne
2004 Rodney Strong Alexander Crown Cabernet
November 8, 2008

YoungDave
QOTD: 2001 Rudd Oakville Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
… first to come to mind, but probably not the best for the whole year.
November 8, 2008

Tony & Lisa
6 Liter 1987 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Such a treat to share it with great people, and even better someone else purchased it.
November 8, 2008

Big D
Good show Gary!

QOTD: Shafer Hillside Select 2004 – Outstanding wine!
November 8, 2008

PaulW
One of the funniest shows you’ve done in awhile GV! Off the top of my head…favorite California wine…Lang and Reed Premier Etage 2003. Explodes with beautiful Cab Franc fruit…just a wine that seares it’s self in to your memory.
November 8, 2008

Jim in Atlanta
I have had some very good wines from California this year, especially from Paso Robles. But my favorite California winery is Navarro so I will say that their 2000 pinot was the best one this year.
November 8, 2008

Smahlatz
Aaaahh – there’s that use of the word atypical again – been using it a lot of late Gary – it means NOT typical

Anyway QOTD :none – had very few cal wines – I live in the UK, impossible to get anything here at a sensible price
November 8, 2008

Greg
QOTD: 2004 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
2004 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
2005 Qupé Roussanne Hillside Estate Bien Nacido Vineyard
November 8, 2008

Dom
Emneades zinfandel, i thnk it was an 06
November 8, 2008

Jim Stephens-Wine Dude
Gary, a fabulous cause you have featured on todays show! I would encourage you to later consider such great causes as the Big Tattoo line of wines from Billington (Chile and California), and their constant efforts for cancer research and local charity funding, or Inambu Malbec out of Argentina, who buys fruit from the smaller farmers and then gives all profit, up to and including U.S. import back to the growers themselves! (Sorry, that was the longest run-on sentence in history) Keep up the good work!

QOTD: Coincidentily, the best California wine I have had in 2008 in the 2005 Lokoya Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon =) Although I am not the biggest cabernet fan, this wine was powerful in its finesse, and its silky tannic structure. I would venture to say it is my favorite Cabernet to date…weird saying that, but, oh well! Kampai!

Jimbob Jones
Superhero for Hire
November 8, 2008

Weston
QOTD: Well a company in Vancouver called Pacific Breeze buys grapes from California Vineyards…. so There High End Cab is yummy (so is the the other two cabs gsm also) their 2005 Chardonnay, Barrel Fermented etc etc Buttery, Butterscotch goodness.
November 8, 2008

Ray Barnes
Note to Glenn P..although your tear-inducing wine question was addressed to Gary, since he has not answered it here at least and I thought it was a good question, I would appreciate your indulgence in letting me respond. In the last week of December 2005 I made a return visit to St. Josef’s Estate Winery in Canby OR, not far from Salem. The husband and wife owners, from Hungary and Germany respectively, are delightful people, and their 100-acre vineyard is a delight to visit. They both happened to be in the tasting room. The gentleman was having trouble deciding what wine to have with dinner that evening, with neighbours attending, so he decided to open and sample for our benefit and his, free of charge, his 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine was absolutely fabulous and combined with his generosity I literally was moved to tears by the experience. My wife loved it too, in spite of generally hating red wine. Yes we purchased a bottle of it (and several others); I plan to open it on my fiftieth birthday in late 2011, the wine should still be drinking very well.

As for your reaction to the great Sauternes, I am not at all surprised.