Zinfandel tasting – Blind.

Zinfandel tasting – Blind. – Episode #583

November 24, 2008

Gary Vaynerchuk is sky high after a huge Jets wine and his beard is getting thicker and thicker as he tries 6 California Zinfandels BLIND right before Thanksgiving.

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the Quicktime version.

Comments on this episode(231) Leave a comment ›

“Used to go to the ZAP at Fort Mason when I lived up in the Bay Area. …” by G
“Gary,
I’m just getting into wine, for I have only been able to legall…” by Brandon
View all 231 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Sebastiani Dry Creek ZinfandelSonoma Red Zinfandel
Coppola Diamond ZinfandelOther California Red Zinfandel
2005 Thomas Henry ZinfandelSonoma Red Zinfandel
2006 Outpost Zinfandel Howell MountainNapa Red Zinfandel
2006 Rosenblum Richard Sauret ZinfandelOther California Red Zinfandel
2006 Ravenswood Napa ZinfandelNapa Red Zinfandel

Not in this episode

2006 Neyers Zinfandel High Valley.

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

231 Responses

Pages: « 10 9 8 7 6 5 [4] 3 2 1 » Show All

November 24, 2008

Roberto
Hi Gary, like your bearded look, you kinda look like a famous actor (sorry, dunno who)

Love the blind tastings, please revisit my comments from the other day for ideas on that, if you wish. Thanks again for friday’s shout out, we had a great weekend in NJ (A City w/ ex Mrs. Ritchie)

QOTD: Four Vines 2005, Maverick… great zin… try it.
November 24, 2008

hugh
I tried the Thomas Henry about 6 months ago as a recommendation-hated it, thin, herbacous, like a cheap Cote du Rhone….I recently had two I like, on the lower end, Klinker Brick 06 from Lodi-this Zin delivers well in the price range of $15-17, maybe a bit over oaked but good…..also had a Turley 2006 Cedarman Vineyard at the Palm in Atlanta-surprised the sh-t out of me. Good pure fruit, well-integrated oak and showing no heat despite 16.2 alcohol…and barely lasted 15 minutes in the decanter…..just purely delicious and what u want from a Zin.
November 24, 2008

EricB
hey it was educational regardless of the outcome – if nothing else, it’s what NOT to get for thanksgiving.
QOTD: the consistently best zin is the Ridge Geyserville for me.
as far as bad ones go, I have had several lately that had a secondary fermentation, “frizzante” character which i find disgusting in a red. I think it’s a flaw – not sure what causes it.
November 24, 2008

Dennis Ray Nestor Jr.
I goes to show that it takes a lot to tear down a well build Brand.

Just of kicks you should do Brand taste challenges for different products every once and a while.
November 24, 2008

ryan
frank family zin rocks my boat
November 24, 2008

DAve A
Gary. Rocking show. These blind Tuesdays are great. LOVE your energy and passion even if you don’t like the wine.

Best Zin I’ve had this YEAR? My own Zin, made from WinExpert kit. yum! man. Bad Zin? Ravenswood. yuck.
November 24, 2008

Askold Shegedyn
I had the Edmeades Mendocino Zinfandel 06 which was not bad. it needed some air time to open up where the nose changed from black pepper to cassis. A bit of oak but integrated with nice fruit.
November 24, 2008

Murso
Zin’s just too much fruit for me anymore. Note that Robt’ Parker’s, and I’ll bet others’ vintage charts rate the vintages ‘05 and ‘06 BELOW 80 points for Zin. That’s in the blue, and not good, friends(pertinent to North Coast appelations, only, so you can keep on lapping up the central valley rubbish they bottle on the CHEAP end with no more adverse affects than you already suffer.). Maybe Paso’s ok, but I haven’t kept up , as of late. Tobin James was just one of many goodies down that way, once upon a time. Yes, Scott Harvey had impressed me w/ vg quality, and under $20 as I recall. Sorry for Ravenswood, but I’m sure they won’t lose any shelf pull, even if they failed on several bottlings. Happy for Sebastiani – they’d been pretty good across the varietal line, and top releases like the Domenici Zin were killer. Very Happy for Mr. Rosenblum, as well.

I think Michael and David Phillips got it down in their Earthquake, but, again, it’s been a couple of years. And finally, Mr. Peter Franus, Brandlin Vineyard (Mt. Veeder) somehow intensifies the fruit, but subdues the annoying sweetness aspect, sort of taking it in a Cab direction.

Sucked? Is that a bit of a loaded question? And there are many who will slug the stuff down, almost expressly for the stupid levels of alcohol they can get without breaking the $9.99 barrier. I seen it, week in, and week out. But the real vile offenders are the major campaigns that wish to speak for quality through their sheer voluminous displays and signage boasting to be something great that they are not.. Like Gnarly Head ( and many others in that realm).

Booooo.
November 24, 2008

Hawaiian Vayniac
QOTD: 2005 Frank Family Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel ROCKED MY WORLD!!!
Rosenblum Cuvee Zinfandel made me GAG!
November 24, 2008

jjmabaseb
Good Zin–Renwood makes some good Zins. have liked their 02 Grandmere, Ravenswood Lodi and Sonoma old vines are decent too
Bad Zin–Cellar 8 (I think it was called)…not good

Gary–Any wagers on Jets/Broncos next weekend??

-Jon from Colorado
November 24, 2008

DirtWineKen
Blind tastings rock as a great playing-field leveler!
QOTD: My favorite zin recently was a Steele 2005 Catfish Vinyard Zinfandel that I had with a fabulous meal at The Burning Tree in Bar Harbor. PLEASE try and get some of this wine!!!
November 24, 2008

Farley
Gary,

Nice show today – too bad the results were not better. Keep calling them like you see them.

QOTD – Rombauer and Ridge Lytton Springs are two Zins I enjoy.
November 24, 2008

amgryger
Great episode with the blind tasting.

QOTD: I don’t remember, I haven’t had a zinfandel in a really long time.
November 24, 2008

Tim
worst zin to date: 7 Deadly zins. I know a lot of people love it, but i have no idea what the hype is about.

best recent zin: Robert Biale Black Chicken Ranch, small production but try to get your hands on some Biale stuff.
November 24, 2008

RANDI
GARY!!
Still so luvn that facial hair!!

QOTD: Rocked the boat!! TURLEY
QOTD: Sunk the boat!! Bogle
November 24, 2008

Alaska1
QOTD: Love Love Love ZIN!!!

Best Zin to date? Turley 05′ Cedarman Or Rosenblum 01′ Rustridge

Worst Zin to date? Black mountain Zin 05 ( Got it at Trader Joe’s)$5.80 Should have expected that.
November 24, 2008

Neil
QOTD:
Best- http://corkd.com/wine/view/57192-Sin_Zin_2006_Zinfandel
Worst- http://corkd.com/wine/view/58225-Camelot_2002_Zinfandel

This is what I am drinking now-
http://corkd.com/wine/view/64458-Ventisquero_Reserva_2006_Carm_n_re

I love this wine, especially for $10.
November 24, 2008

T.K.
GV, enjoyed the show but was disappointed like yourself with the quality. I was given a bottle of the inaugural release Maples Vineyard 2006 Zinfandel. I am told that it is the only Zinfandel Tom & Tina Maples will do as the subsequent vintages will be a Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignane blend . . . a BIG wine.

The 2005 Zahltila Dry Creek Zinfandel is also a nice wine for the money.
November 24, 2008

ncwinetravels
gary,

nice show. blind tasting tells the true story…zins are hit or miss most of the time anyway.
best regards,
ncwt.
November 24, 2008

elmattador
qotd: I had the 2007 Seghesio zin that got top 10 in the spectator. They were dead on! It was spectacular. Best zin i’ve had in a very long time. Worst zin I ever had was Woodbridge zin that someone brought to a party. WOW was that bad!

Better luck next time on the blind. Love the format. How about a Spanish blind with you guessing the regions. Or do the same with Italian or French.
November 24, 2008

Casey
I had the 7 Deadly Zins, a Cali blend that was actually pretty interesting. Would Recomend.
November 24, 2008

Adam B
The 05′ Hartford Highwire Zin really impressed me on my last tasting day trip. In fact it’s going to be accompanying Thanksgiving dinner. I can’t really recall the last zin I had that was just a total disappointment. May have been a Davis Bynum a few years back… no idea the vintage – maybe an 03 or 02, but I remember tasting at the winery and not being impressed by any of their zins.
November 24, 2008

Aaron
QOTD: Best Zin I have had would have to be either the Preston of Dry Creek Old Vine or the Viansa Zin. Both were fantastic. If you can find the Preston in particular, you should find good value. Laura Zahtila’s Napa Zin is excellent as well. And the Scott Harvey InZinerator; expected it to be gimmicky, but it was exceptional; a terrific Zin/Barbera blend.

Speaking of gimmicky, avoid any other Zin with a pun in the name – 7 Deadly Zins, Zinfatuation, etc. These kitschy wines are the reason I almost skipped on the Scott Harvey; glad I didn’t.
November 24, 2008

manonthemoon
Nice show, too bad nothing really showed well.

QOTD: Sineann Old Vine from Oregon/Washington really did it for me at a tasting recently. Haven’t really been turned off by many here lately, but then again I haven’t really been trying that many other than ones from my cellar.
November 24, 2008

DF
QOTD: The last really good Zin/Zin blend I had was a Zaca Mesa Cuvee Z.