March Madnesss: 5 College Wineries Battle it Out! – Episode #652

April 3, 2009

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Before the NCAA Final Four weekend, Gary Vaynerchuk tastes 5 wines submitted by college wineries.

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  • “QOTD: NORWICH UNIVERSITY – MILITARY COLLEGE OF VERMONT…” by Mikeeeee
  • “RUTGERS…” by Mike P
  • View all 230 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Spartan Cellars Bordeaux Blend
Chapel Creek Cab Sauv Meritage Reserve
2007 Santa Rosa Junior College Russian River Merlot
2005 College Cellars of Walla Walla Syrah
2006 Northwest Wine Academy Merlot

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

  • Mikeeeee
    QOTD: NORWICH UNIVERSITY - MILITARY COLLEGE OF VERMONT
  • Mike P
    RUTGERS
  • JayZee
    Nice show - very interesting collegiate competition.

    QOTD: O-H-I-O, The Ohio State University - GO BUCKEYES!
  • Andrew W.
    Big shoutout to Frostburg State University, out in Western Maryland (I do wish we got better wines out here in the middle of nowhere thou).
    Gary big congrats on the book deal.
  • yowens
    QOTD: The fighting Blue Hens of the University of Delaware!
  • Dan-o
    Interesting show! The Spartans beat the pants off my Huskies, therefore I am not upset with their place among the wines on this show.
    QOTD - For some reason, Boston College came to mind immediately.
  • EmmaPeel
    I am in the current production class at Northwest Wine Academy (winner of this blind tasting) and we watched this episode in class last night.

    We are about 4 hours drive from where the fruit is grown, but we head over early in the am, pick the donated grapes ourselves (generally), then head back to our winery to crush. The majority of us are 40+ in age and it's great fun...

    Though we didn't have a hand in making the 2006 Merlot that won, we all clapped and cheered when our label was revealed at the end. Thanks for making our night!

    Qotd: Central Washington University & The Northwest Wine Academy at South Seattle Community College
  • GV ~ how do you like that, my home state bringing the Thunder !! Very interesting that NW Wine Academy bested College Cellars who have very serious backing from the wine community in Walla Walla and NW Wine Academy is in South Seattle 4 hours from grape country. Glad you liked the wines and I've been saying it for years that Washington makes wines true to the varietals and is making some serious juice.

    Qotd: Central Washington U., Go Wildcats !!
  • First, LOVING the show!!! Can't remember what show got me hooked but it has been a while. Defiantly liked the wine tasting on the plane, nice way to mix it up and bring the THUNDER at 35,000 feet.

    Interesting show. It is funny how different college wines can be. I would have thought that the California college would have done better. Even though you ripped apart three of them, the students at those schools can use it as a real-world learning experience both to help them make better wines and to learn that out in the "real world" they may make a product that not everyone likes and will have to be able to take that criticism.

    QOTD: ITHACA COLLEGE...have to support my alma-mater.
  • Bwizzle
    Interesting show...was watching on my iphone on way home in traffic. I must say, when the police sirens came on I thought it was actually getting pulled over, had to look around. cant afford another ticket.
  • MattUD
    Nice show, an interesting blind tasting to say the least!

    QOTD: Colby College White Mules and U. Delaware Blue Hens
  • innA
    Not being from the US.. I had no idea college wineries even existed. Seems like a very weird idea! Is this a thing most colleges do for a bit of fun in the local garden.. or is it generally part of a serious course?
  • awesome episode, Gary

    i like your usage of the phrase "varietally correct"

    QOTD: UMass Amherst represent, 2007 graduate :)
  • wayno da wino
    Yo G, Fuuuuuuuuuuuun Episode !!!!

    qotd: Me Alma Mater of course: Youngstown State !! Penguins...Penguins...
    Penguins....Penguins!!!!!! :)
  • Ouch Michigan State!

    QOTD: My favorite colege is Universidad De Navarra. I had the greatest time there, it's in Pamplona where there is the "running of the bulls" every year at the beginning of the San Fermín Festival.

    A very interesting show to watch actually.
  • CABWHORE
    ..."his name is Dick" too f-ing funny. Ithaca College, Go Bombers!
  • Don
    Gary - it was awesome to see how excited you were about everything at the beginning of the show. Gotta keep fired up!

    QOTD: James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, VA
  • Scruff
    Good show, love the blind ones.
    "Worst wine ever"..... too funny. Reminds me of the Simpsons. I felt guilty for laughing. Sorry Spartans.

    QOTD: Kansas State Wildcats
  • Jesse
    Hey Gary,

    Great episode. Finally, as a long time lurker who lives in Seoul working as a teacher at public schools here, I am leaving a comment although I have watched your show religiously since the beginning.

    What do you think the wine makers in this episode did or tried to do that really caused them to produce some sub-par wines?

    And the same thing as you said with the guy in the army here, if I send you a list of wines could you possibly do a show?

    Keep fighting the good fight,

    Jesse
  • VonP
    Villanova (sob sob)but Final 4 ain't that bad!!! My Alma Mater
    Penn State 'cause WE ARE.....!

    GV, Gotta get ya to a tailgait this upcoming football season to show you how to truely tailgait!!!
  • Joy of Cesc
    Great show, your face was priceless when tasting the Michigan wine, nearly pissed myself laughing on the tube.

    QOTD: I only really have a tie to the Boston area, so I'd say it would have to be Boston College. Am gonna try and get into college football next year.
  • Jayhitek
    QOTD: UMass Amherst.
    (1996 Alumni)
  • Beth
    Great show Gary!

    Favorite College(s) because no woman can pick just one!

    University of Maine Orono - my alma mater!
    Northeastern University - the school that pays me so I can buy wine
    University of Vermont - because if the first two can't win the National Championship in a real sport (hockey) then this is my pick - anyone but BU!
  • Sarno
    Great show GV. Glad to see u back at WL.

    QOTD: Well it used to be the University of Miami (FL) until they had that really bad fight break out and showed the rest of the world the thugs that they really are. My wife is a UF Alum, Go Gators! so I decided at that point to switch over. We go to most of the Gator home games, LOVE Florida Field!

    My school doesn't have a sports team, :( Ringling School of Art & Design, unless you count flag football, Go Armadillos!

    P.S. April 18th is almost HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • The reaction to wine #4 was just priceless!

    QOTD: Marquette.... go Warriors!!!
  • LizBeth
    Gary, if you do a show based on wines available in Korea I will be over the moon. This would be great not just for the military guys here but us ESL teachers too. Wine is starting to get big here, and Carménère is everywhere (which for me is great).

    Love the show, keep up the great work.
  • Neil
    QOTD: University of California, Santa Barbara
  • KAHUNA
    Hey Jackwad it is only a baseball card if you are a baseball player-
  • Dornski B.
    Gary,

    I have been trying to replicate that Michigan State wine here at home. So far I have found some sour patch kids and have them soaking in water, but I am having a hard time finding anger spray in my local supermarket. Can you recommend any finer wine stores in the greater San Diego metropolitan area that might carry that? Thanks for any help.

    QOTD: Very tricky asking for our favorite COLLEGE (read: not university), which makes the answer a no brainer: Dartmouth College, which fought for and won the right to call itself a college in a landmark 1819 U.S. Supreme Court case argued successfully by Dartmouth alum Daniel Webster, Class of 1801. Yes, THE Daniel Webster, as in guy who fought against the devil in that Washington Irving story. Little known fact: Webster won, but afterwards he smelled a little like duct tape ripped off of an old wiffle ball bat.

    Looking forward to watching you tape not one, but TWO Thunder Shows at the W Hotel on April 11. Love the show and really appreciate what you do.
  • QOTD:

    Auburn University
    WAR EAGLE!!!!
  • sdskiwi
    name for book... oonnee ffoorr yyoouu... two4me!
  • Saw you at SXSW

    "You have the energy of a 9-year old on crack" - very spirited audience questions
  • Great show as always, love the reactions and the description of the wine "tastes like the put sour patch kids in water the put ange in it" classic....

    favorite college, Oswego State U in upstate NY, near the finger lake region. Have you reviewed any of the wines from up there. They do have some good ones. Oswego runs a festival every summer called Harbor Fest, I interned for the festival, and my job was to set up a wine tasting booth. I had to go around to the finger lake wineries, taste there wines and get them to come to the festival. What an internship! Wish I turned it into a job..
  • pawncop
    Good show and really enjoy the blind tasting format.

    QOTD - University of Texas at Austin, my daughter went there and my heart has always belonged to Longhorns.
  • ..."not a dick, his name is DIck"... LOL !!!!! you rock.
    put that on a T-shirt. I want royalties for the idea !!!!!!
  • Uncle Meate
    REALLY GREAT SHOE GARY !!! ..... (whao, I wonder if Ed Sullivan knew the E was beside the W on the keyboard?) Luv the blind tastings also. It adds mystery to the episode. Please do a blind Single Barrel Bourbon show. That would be cool.

    QOTD: Penn State University.

    Big Ten Baby! GO SPARTANS!!!
  • Scottie P
    Fun show, I always love the blind tastings, even when the wines are bad.
    QOTD: U. of Michigan. Hockey, Football, Basketball they all were great once. It is not a good time for UM sports right now.
  • iddruen
    University of Kentucky Wildcats - part of the Big Blue Nation...Welcome Coach Cal...Gary, let me take you to a game at Rupp Arena...loved the show...
    Dan
  • Kevin K
    Loved the episode and the good people video. I remember sending your sister an email when she got teacher of the year.

    QOTD: UC Berkeley. It's a top notch University in a beautiful area with absolutely crazy people. I miss it.
  • ...sprayed some anger in there... LMAO!!!!!!!!
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