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.

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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
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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

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November 25, 2008

Vinifeinda
What up Gary! Been watching the show about a month now…. Loving the energy and enthusiasm you bring to the table! My dream is to become a small scale but high quality vintner and you are stoking the fire big time! Thanks bro…. keeo it up!
Some good Zins are Bogle old vine ‘06, Peachy Canyon ‘Incredible Red’, and just tried one last night called Zagan’s Fire that was pretty darn good too, and all for under $10 on sale! Cheers!
Santa Barbara, CA in the house!
November 25, 2008

stewart l
I’m not surprised at the scores, the first four wines are entry level.
My most recent favorite zins-Ancient Peaks and Four vines-either the Biker or The Sophistcate.
Worst zin- I had the Sebastiani and was not impressed
November 25, 2008

Braden Loves Zin
I too have been hugely disappointed with a number of Cali Zins. There are of course some exceptions… Hanna 2005 Bismark Mountain is exceptional, and A. Rafanelli makes great Zin (both the 2005 and 2006 are outstanding) which you can only buy at the winery. If only I could get on their mailing lists, but no such luck here in Canada.
November 25, 2008

Scott
I think that the best zins for your buck are made by seghesio. They make several and I would love to see them tasted on the show.
November 25, 2008

Grasshopper
Sensei,

Love the blind tasting and as you even admitted, I think your scores are more honest without the preconceived notions and without knowing which large producer you might be slamming..:)

QTD – Love Gravity Hills Tumbling Tractor, Most Seghesio’s and Lambert Bridge Maple Vineyards.

Hopper
November 25, 2008

Matt_inAZ
Loved the show. My wife and me look forward to each and every show that you do. Funny thing is my kids love to watch also. I mean they were busting up on todays show. You brighten our day even if you can’t find a good Zin. Keep trying to find wines of decent quality that we can find on the grocery store shelf!

Keep us laughing.
November 25, 2008

Rob B.
Loves Zins. Of the Zins we have had recently, the most interesting would be from a small producer from Dry Creek Valley, called Bluenose. The 2005 Bluenose Zinfandel had 884 cases produced and was very nice. On the flip side, the one that was bad was the 2005 Ravenswood Vitners Blend. Terrible.
November 25, 2008

Bill T
Forgot to mention…
Had a Montevina Zinfandel Port which was a great QPR …search it out for somethig different.
November 25, 2008

Bill T
Great show! I appreciate your honesty, Gary. QOTD – Favorite Zin ever has to be a 2004 Elyse Howell Mountain Zin …just a fantastic bottle of wine! Next favorite would have to be a 2005 Seghesio Prati Zin. Least favorite would have to be a Rosenblum Cellars Vintner’s Cuvee Zinfandel.

I just recently had the 2006 Neyers High Valley Zin, loved it and looking forward to trying the ‘05.
November 25, 2008

Lance Bradstreet
QOTD –

Recently tried the 2006 Bogle Old Vine Zin, for the $10 – $12 price range I thought it was a good play.

Great weekend for the Jets, pathetically awful weekend for the my Browns!
November 25, 2008

Ken T
There is no better than Brown’s!!! I also drink Frank’s Family Vineyard, Biale, and Neyers.
November 25, 2008

Justin
Really liked the show Gary. Sometimes you win and sometimes you loose eh.

“Massive amounts of wood exploding on my palette” – Hilarious.

Keep it up.

-Justin
November 25, 2008

italianwinelover
Great format! A shame you seemed so down wish one of them could be a zinger…but do have to agree with you….

QOTD: Rosenblum Cuvee XXX is my favorite so far at least what I’ll be bringing to T-day dinner!! Had Klinker Brick but whoaaa the oak monster was on that one.

JETS WIN!!!!
November 25, 2008

Paul Stonier
I also like Cline’s Zinfandel. I had that about a month ago with some pasta. Nice and peppery with decent structure, good dark berry.

However, my favorite is Joel Gott’s Zin. The greenness of the nose is awesome. Let it open up a bit more and the fruit gets very bright, almost like nectarines with some blueberry.

I had some really cheap zin, and didn’t care for it, but I don’t remember the name.
November 25, 2008

Al French
Neyers Pato Vineyard, which I liked a little better than the High Valley. Also, The Pines 1852 from the Columbia Gorge AVA is a favorite. Haven’t had any really bad ones lately.
November 25, 2008

Andrew
QOTD:

Biale Black Chicken 06, a bit pricey (had to order through their mailing list to get any), it is amazing
November 25, 2008

SaraMHCRU
I like cline’s entry level zin with pizza, and i was a huge fan of the ‘04 gravity hills tumbling tractor, which i can’t find anymore. there are a lot of crappy zins out there and i have found that the crappiest usually do some play on “zin” because they have nothing else going for them… i.e., “artezin” “7 deadly zins” and so on.
November 25, 2008

Susan
Gary, Have to agree!!!! JETS, JETS, GO JETS!!!!!! GGGGOOOOOOOOO JETSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!JETS, JETS, GO JETS!!!!!! GGGGOOOOOOOOO JETSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!ETS, JETS, GO JETS!!!!!! GGGGOOOOOOOOO JETSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!JETS, JETS, GO JETS!!!!!! GGGGOOOOOOOOO JETSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!
November 25, 2008

CaseyLee
before i start this episode, gary i have to admit that im pretty excited that it is yet another blind tasting.

that was neat that the wine you decanted wasnt that great. it seems like mayeb it was better before you decanted it? i dont remember how you thought of it on friday of last week.

LOL cinamey? after 4 but its all good. this wine was still a good expirience. show you whats going on with zin i guess. .
QOTD havent tried alot of zin
November 25, 2008

adamd
J-E-T-S, jets, jets,jets. just happened to pick up big tattoo, find out this weekend.
November 25, 2008

theemptyglass
From the comments it sounds like Zins are polarizing, people are either fans or not. Personally, I am not a fan. I have not had any zins that rocked my world. But that’s not to say I won’t ever have one that will. So I’ll keep on tasting.
November 25, 2008

brian
thanks for putting a smile on my face, I really needed it.
November 25, 2008

John M Heavey
I, too, love the blind format–it’s the real deal. It takes label rep–a la GV’s reference to the Ravenswood–right out of the mix. I have always gone for the Ridge line-up of zins. I don’t think they have sold out to the New World syndrome of overly extacted, candified fruit bombs. Used to love the Rafanelli Zins when they were distributed. Anyone know their quality now?
November 25, 2008

Susan B
Two Zinfandels I have enjoyed are: Folie a Deux Amador County 2005 and Sobon Hillside Select Zinfandel Amador County 2006.
November 25, 2008

shawnandlu
Great show and brought me back out of lurker status. You really hit on a big problem in California right now. I used to be a Zin freak and drank it up like water zin, zin and more zin but not so much any more. The quality and the styles have been all over the board. Maybe that is why I have switched over to drinking so many Paso, central Coast and French Rhone blends.

My personal belief is that a lot of producers are going Barrosa with over the top flavors/extractions. Zin the red Cali Sav blanc.

Worst Zins for qpr Turley Why do so many people rave about these out of balance, over the top, wines I will never understand.

Best Zin for qpr Edmeades Mendocino Zinfandel 06 twelve bucks and solid wine you gave it an 89 but so wanted to give it a 90 but the “finish” You tasted it on a day when you were just being tight with the points. It is a good wine give it the extra point you owe it!