Napa Cabernet and Chocolate

Napa Cabernet and Chocolate – Episode #579

November 17, 2008

Gary Vaynerchuk welcomes Suzanne Phifer Pavitt to the Thunder Show for some Cabernet and chocolate.

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Comments on this episode(125) Leave a comment ›

“Seemed like you didn’t really like the 05 at first but then later, you…” by looper
“Puppet Master…that was funny. It would have been a lot better to ha…” by Justin L. Ove
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Phifer Pavitt Date Night
2006 Phifer Pavitt Date Night

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

Thanksgiving Secret Pack
Phifer Pavitt Wines
Vayniac Party at Fort Mason
If you’re interested in the Vere Chocolates please Email Justin. ($6.99 / package)

125 Responses

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November 19, 2008

Sharon
Interesting show! Comments here are interesting too. I would never spend $75 on a Napa Cabernet.
QOTD: Don’t have any recent salacious date night stories. They all happened in my wild youth.
November 19, 2008

BobbyTiger
An “”88″ for the ‘05? Ouch! I could buy, (and actually have bought), a case of 88 pointers for the price of that one bottle. However, looking beyond the price point, I enjoyed the video, and had no problem with the fact that your guest did not have a wine background, (ie, the “Rocketboom” guest several months ago).
QOTD? Ummm.
November 19, 2008

Andy
QOTD——— Date night is at least once of a month ,,,, dinner , maybe a movie or just ride up to the mountains to see the beautiful country.
November 19, 2008

AMM3RD
I love the Gossip Girl ref., I like Dan’s charachter better than Chuck’s. I will never admit in public that my wife and I watch that show. XOXO AMM
November 19, 2008

apj_bobswineguy
Don’t get too caught up in the fact she didn’t get the % of oak right. Matter of fact, maybe the website is wrong. 2005 was 3 yrs ago.
I get to meet & speak w/ many winemakers (the actual winemakers) and they don’t remember exact % of oak or the % of Cab, Merlot, CF, PV in the blend from yrs ago. They are working on current vintages and and thinking forward. Several have flat out told me they don’t remember exact specs but could check if I really “needed’ the info. Trust your palate I guess.
I see differences in tech sheets, website prose, and winemaker speak on almost every wine. Plus, she is relatively new to the business.
November 19, 2008

Sarah
Gary.. I can’t believe you made a Gossip Girl reference! I actually paused the video and got my roommate so she could see! Chuck Bass vs. Dan Humphrey indeed.

Anyway this episode was fun, although it must have been tough to say what you REALLY wanted to say with the proprietor sitting right next to you. As a college kid, it is definitely not within any sort of feasible price range, but the story was interesting and your guest was very cute. Just IMO, but maybe you shouldn’t have the winemakers sitting next to you if you are tasting? Maybe have another guest who isn’t tied to the wine? Maybe then you could give your honest opinion, because it felt like you were holding back.
November 19, 2008

AB
Why do you spit the wine? Do you not like drinking wine or you can’t bear that much of wine? I have started watching recently but try not to miss any episode. I don’t like the spitting part on the shows. any specific reason of it?
November 18, 2008

Matt R
Long time lurker, but this episode is forcing me to speak up… I have to take issue with this one, although not for the same reason as a lot of the other comments here.

There’s WAY too much focus on the price point of these two wines.

Running a small winery is tough work (I would have to assume, I’ve not gotten around to trying it yet.) Economies of scale aren’t there, so the price points are going to have to be higher than the factory down the street that can knock out a thousand cases before lunch. Trying to live the life of a small wine maker requires a serious commitment and a lot of passion, and almost without fail, at least from what I’ve experienced, ALWAYS has a story attached to it. I respect the quality/price ratio, but for some (myself included,) the story is a big part of the experience of drinking the wine. I can buy X National Brand if I just want the wine, but if I have a bottle from a small passionate producer, it makes it special.

It’s like when I cook dinner for someone I love. The food is excellent (duh!) but I would be insulted if it were compared to a similar dish from a fine restaurant. When I cook it, it’s my time, my effort, my passion, and ultimately, my love on the plate, and it’s every bit as tangible as the food. This is my gift to those who have given me the honor of sharing a meal with them.

If we’re talking about a French or Italian wine, from a wine maker whose vineyards have been in the family for generations, I pop a cork and I’m tasting that family’s good name and reputation. In the case of this wine, it comes with this lady and her hopes, dreams, passions, and values (no focus in this episode at all, but she did mention the word “organic” at least a billion times. Might be worth exploring.) For me, at least, these factors are part of the value proposition, and as such, I would pay a premium over the latest Yellow Tail or Mondavi.

To me, it’s more than just a “from the vine to the bottle” situation. There’s an added “from your family to mine.”

I understand that the Napa Cab is almost a commodity product, but this would have been a *much* more interesting episode if the distraction of the price point hadn’t been as prominent.
November 18, 2008

lawschooldrunk
yeah, it seemed like Gary wanted to give the 2005 a major PAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ at 75 ridiculous bones.
November 18, 2008

late-start
QOTD: last saturday, Hamersley’s Bistro with a nice bottle of WA Cab

Not that bad of an episode, but some important information for those who love the CA/WA mailing lists
November 18, 2008

Timinspokane
Ahhhhhhhhhh Gary,

You were quite the diplomat on this show! I really thought you wanted to rip the guest, after trying the first wine, on yet another $75 Napa cab that has gobs of fruit, some oak, and a hefty price tag. It actually sounds like you liked the 2006, which is great. I have no problem spending $75 on a bottle of wine if it delivers something that I already haven’t had pounded through my grill piece a thousand times. Napa cabs? Boring……… at least, most of them. For $75, I can get any of a number of Washington cabs or blends (Walla Walla, Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, etc) that bring a lot more to the palate, or a few different killer merlots, or a couple of monster syrahs, or a whole host of other wines that will make me smile. But what the heck….. She is an entrepeneur, and if she can sell her 300 cases at $75 a pop, more power to her! And, we all must admit, Napa Valley fruit, new French Oak barrels, and a top winemaker don’t come cheap, especially on a small scale. That price, compared to production costs, may very well be realistic. The question is, do we want to pay that much for it???

QOTD – date night!!! My wife and I love those, and, with 6 kids between us, we NEED those! Our nights without kids are rare. Last two – great dinner and wine (2003 Grande Ronde Pepper Bridge Vineyard cab sav) at the Whitehouse Grill in Post Falls, Idaho, and some grilled ribeyes and caprese’ here at home with a Robert Biale 2004 Grande Vineyard zinfandel, followed by….
November 18, 2008

JudeMurphy
QOTD- : (
November 18, 2008

Deano
Gary Great episode….I will be on the lookout for the 2006 when it is released

QOTD:
-Of course we go on dates all the time (we dont have kids yet) haha
November 18, 2008

DaveyDonut
Gary, I gotta give you props for letting your guest speak. It always bugs me and I think it’s quite rude when you were constantly interrupting your guests and not letting them finish thoughts. I can tell you’re trying to be better about this and it really shows. I know you only do that because you’re so excited, but it does come across as a bit rude… so thanks for calming down a bit and letting the guest speak. I’ve noticed it in the last couple episodes, and the shows are much better for it (and your guest doesn’t look like they’re getting hostile like some of the other ones ).

QOTD: The special lady just got her Visa yesterday, so she’s not being booted out of the country! So just last night we went on a date night, and we will be having a more formal one this weekend.

David
November 18, 2008

Hido53
QOTD: It’s been way too long. Will do so soon. We’re both really worn down from the day to day work-life (both work) plus child-rearing (two boys – 5 & 9).

Gary -

To be candid, and with all due respect to your guest, but this was a REALLY tough show to get through . . . It was painfully obvious (to me at least) that you found it very very difficult to give us your honest and thorough breakdown of the wines with the proprietor sitting next to you. Very, very, disappointing. Not what this Vayniac has come to expect from WLTV. As I’ve stated before, not a fan of the guest episodes, unless they’re actual winemakers who bring some actual winemaking knowledge/information to the table (or in the case of Everett, cheesemaking knowledge/information!).
I’d rather see some episodes with your Wine Library staff tasting and discussing some of their favorites. Maybe a series of episodes going over what they plan on drinking with their friends and families during the coming holiday season?
November 18, 2008

David Dadekian
QOTD: Yes I have, just last week my wife and I went to dinner and the philharmonic.

Great episode, not sure I’m sold on $75 cab but who knows.
November 18, 2008

Phil M'Glassup
No question, this guest is only rivaled for pure hotness by the magnificent Jennifer Pipes. And I have never rewinded to watch a guess spit in slow-mo as many times as I did this one
However, I guess I’m with the consensus here that such is more marketing than oenophilic substance. Especially at that price point. Althought the ‘06 is something I might consider.
If you want to pear chocolate and cabernet (which does work by the way), grab a bottle of that ConnV Valley Prologue y’all were flogging a while back. A mid-palate of pure chocolate cherries and about $25. It won’t save the world but it will save your wallet.
November 18, 2008

M
XOXO Chuck Bass vs Dan Humphrey

QOTD: Went out for my birthday date night this weekend. We had good food at a nice BYOB restaurant.

$75 is out of my league but I enjoyed the episode.
November 18, 2008

Garry M.
I gotta be honest.
I figure that $75 cabs is what we are trying to change
the wine world FROM.

She is pretty cute though.
November 18, 2008

Scott EJ
As much as I like having the wine proprietors on the show, I think it holds you back. I understand having to be a diplomat, but you gotta stay true. 75 bucks, G….really?
November 18, 2008

DF
This was fascinating to watch, quite apart from the wine itself, which I will most likely never have the pleasure of drinking.

For those who are wondering about Suzanne’s “nervous” affect or whatever: I’m a 30-year resident of the South– yes, she sounds like she’s from Alabama– and have learned that a patrician Southern woman is absolutely 100% brought up to be polite, courteous, and *reserved*. For a well brought up Southern woman, Suzanne was giddy and borderline delirious. GV has a way with women, clearly.

Loads of fun. Love your guests. I went to the knitting blog and had a great time with that, even though I don’t knit.

QOTD: Am currently available for a date night. You bring the wine, I’ll cook.
November 18, 2008

SteveF
Just an OK show…… felt a little thunderless.
Gary it felt like you held back on your critique.
QOTD: Chicago Concert Chateau Ste. Michelle winery.
November 18, 2008

J3rome
LaLaLori and I have a date night every Thursday. We had a streak of 155 Thursdays in a row and then she went on a trip to Seattle and ruined it. Oh well.
November 18, 2008

Rob
LOL…GV…did you *seriously* just bust out a Gossip Girl reference? Here I thought I was the only guy who watches that with his wife
November 18, 2008

italianwinelover
Good job GV that you gave your true opinion even with the puppet master sitting next to you. I don’t mean to be critical but she didn’t seem very excited about her wine?? It’s a great idea I think all marriages/relationships should take time to reconnect with each other, my parents did it and it made the families life much more pleasant not to mention how romantic it is, but I feel that simple touches mean much more than extravagent $75 wines. I’m sure it is a very nice wine but I would rather have hours with my lover and a wine we both can enjoy. This I think would be a nice “SPECIAL” date night if you both enjoyed that kind of wine and had the extra money.

I just spent $90 at a local wine warehouse (cause I live in IL and the laws suck) bought 5 different bottles from 5 different regions of France and almost had a heart attack by the bill…so spending $75 on one bottle just isn’t in my budget right now…maybe someday.

Wish you good luck with your wine…nice idea, nice concept and great story!

QOTD: Last two dates have been train wrecks so can’t really answer the question…maybe if he bought me a bottle of your wine they wouldn’t have crashed and burned!!!