Discussing Cork vs. Screwcaps during a Grab Bag Wine Tasting

Discussing Cork vs. Screwcaps during a Grab Bag Wine Tasting – Episode #654

April 7, 2009

Gary Vaynerchuk and Liza “The Wine Chick” Zimmerman taste 3 totally different wines and debate the relative merits of cork and screwcap enclosures.

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Comments on this episode(254) Leave a comment ›

“GV, I really find it hard to believe that screwtop wines flavors are g…” by eharms
“I enjoy the show, and Gary’s always very entertaining. I love the Pet…” by Ben
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2007 Mythic River Sauv BlancGreek White Wine
2006 Bleasdale Langhorne Crossing Shiraz/ CabernetAustralian Red Meritage
2007 Descendientes De Jose Palacios Bierzo PetalosBierzo

Links mentioned in today’s episode.

254 Responses

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April 7, 2009

Kevin K
I think this is one of the best episodes I have seen in the last few months. Gary and Liza acted like equals which was nice. Sometimes there is a little too much ass-kissery on the part of the guests. I truly enjoyed her banter.
April 7, 2009

Andy Price
Great show, I like how you did not back down on the screw caps, give it to em Gary. Also I was wondering, my mom cannot have sulfates but wants to drink wine with me. Are there any good wines that do not have sulfate? I appreciate the help for an old, I have been watching since episode 47. vanyack
Andy
April 7, 2009

Jay Campbell
Great show for me because I have a couple of tie ins. One, had my first corked wine EVER this weekend. It was crazy because earlier that day I was talking with someone about how I hadn’t ever had one and only hours later…

Two, I’m glad you did the 2007 Petalos. I had the 06 and it was crazy good. I went to a wine shop at lunch today and saw that had the 07 on the shelf. Just some crazy coincidences.

Anyway… QOTD: It’s already been answered a ton but I did know that. Thank you “Thirsty Traveller.”
April 7, 2009

Steve F
Great show! Awesome guest, she really knew her stuff and was true to herself throughout the tastings. I totally agree that people have bias to certain regions (and grapes) and either don’t embrace it and want to force the palate to change or over embrace it and only drink that particular grape….definitely a Catch 22.

QOTD: I have no idea and I’m not going to give some half ass, copied and pasted answer from a page I Google…not my style
April 7, 2009

KenP
Superb episode! I agree w GV on brett and corked wines. The cork industry has greatly improved.

Wonderful guest. A classy, generous show.
April 7, 2009

Steak Monster
Awesome episode, love the discussion. It’s true that much of what I’ve learned from WLTV is brought up in off-topic discussions or random brain farts. I have never had a wine that was corked and I’m not looking forward to my first. But I don’t think I would mind a bread wine…
April 7, 2009

RichE
Great show, I loved the ying and yang

QOTD:
Marula fruit
April 7, 2009

Pittsburgh Alex
Gary-
I had could barely watch this episode today because I was white hot with anger. If there is one thing that I hate more than a Browns fan is a Fair Weather Browns Fan. His other team is the Steelers? What mental institution did this cat Peter escape from?

Speaking of Pittsburgh, could you have Mott link up information for the Pittsburgh Fallen Heroes Fund. The money goes to the families of the three officers that were murdered in the line of duty this weekend. Here is the Link to the information: http://www.pittsburghpolicefop.com/. Thanks Gary.

QTOD: Marula.
April 7, 2009

agriffin
Gary!!

Just wanted to say I’m a new HUGE fan of yours! I actually discovered you via the college humor guest shows and even though I could see many of your fans didn’t “get” those guests…THANK YOU because otherwise, I might not have stumbled upon all that you do…and now I’ve been watching religiously!

keep doing your thing and expanding the palate of a 24-year-old beginner wine drinker
April 7, 2009

castello
A friend of mine has been buying up to 12 cases a year of screw top wines. I will find out how long he’s been doing it and get him to taste the oldest with me. These are big red zins and petite sirahs from northern Sonoma and the new ones taste like they could age nicely. Is ther any data on ageing screwtops? I guess I could google it.
April 7, 2009

Cuse Wino
Great guest and great show. Nice to have someone with opinions and the experience to back it up.
Corked- Interesting discussion. Googled percentage of wine corked and came up with anything from 2-5% to 9.6 to more than 10%. I just had a corked bottle of Rosso di Montalcino (didn’t buy it at WLIB) but that was maybe the second that I have had in my short wine drinking career (5 years). Interesting to see how the wines will hold up/evolve under cork. Happy to drink my share in the future all in the name of science
April 7, 2009

ChrisR
QOTD: without Googling I don’t know the name of the fruit, but I know the name of the liquor is Amarula or something like that, and it seems like sort of an acquired taste, at least for me.

Do you know what else is an acquired taste: Funky wine blends, like that Bleasdale Langhorne. And I think it’s time to have an episode dedicated to some funky wine blends!!!
April 7, 2009

castello
Brett or bread? Is that a spoiled wine or what? Great guest. She knows her stuff. I think about 5 percent of wines are bad for some reason. Either storage issues or cork issues. You often say there are no good wines, just good bottles. How many corked or off wines have you had on the show? I can remember a couple and you said you usually check them before the show. If the cork people say 2 percent they would be leaning toward the low side.

I had amarula once, and it was a little like a fruity Baileys or some such.
April 7, 2009

Per Storm
Great show – ang good discussion on cork screw cap.
Personally I agree with GV – anything that is supposed to drink 0-4 years is simply a waste of mother nature to seal with cork. There is limited cork in the world – so let’s save this for all the big reds and white – even more important for wines like Vintage Port and Madeira that are to cellar for 30+ years.

BUT Gary – please try harder NOT to interupt your guests – Liza was only allowed to end approx. every 5th sentence (I think) without you cutting her off.
It’s a bit sad – and could have spoiled a great show – luckily Liza was very good at keeping focussed and has not affected by it. She kept on manking her point.

To make it short : “GV, Ask your question – sh.. up and listen.

No offence – just a friendly advise from a great Fan of yours !

I’m looking forward to a show on great portuguese wines in near future. It’s seems obvious with the love you show for these wines.

Is’n it time for a Rosé tasting – Porgugal and Spain make excellent Rosé wines.
April 7, 2009

William
Great show! I appreciate the willingness of Liza to banter and disagree with Gary. For me, I think that screw caps are sufficient for most of the wines that I drink.
April 7, 2009

sharon
Interesting smart guest and I like her putting in a plug for cork.
qotd: No idea and I can’t be bothered to Google it. I save that for crossword puzzles.
April 7, 2009

QUE
Great show, she really knows her stuff.
I think every flaw in the wine gets blamed on the cork. But i also think 2 percent of bottles are corked. It was interesting to hear you mention brett in the same episode as corkiness because many people are sensitive to that and say the wine is corked and the offending factor is brett. I am in agreement to you Gary because wine is consumed so quickly that most of the wines can only benefit from screw caps and loose by remaining with cork, the exception, age worthy wines. Just a thought

Loved it!
April 7, 2009

Chris Nelson
Gary, love the show! I started watching after you appeared on Diggnation with Kevin Rose. My in-laws are wine drinkers and I have been looking for a way to relate with them. Your show has educated me and helped give me an understanding of wine. I am subscribed to your podcasts on iTunes and I am catching up on my iPhone. I look forward to each show and enjoy learning about new wines each time I watch.
April 7, 2009

drew benz
Really nice show, solid guest, and I loved the little debate/talk about corks and screw caps. I am more along the lines of Gv and think that all the industry numbers are bullcrap, things just don’t add up in the end.

QOTD – Maple Bars
April 7, 2009

Dr T in NC
QOTD — no clue without looking it up!

Interesting show today
April 7, 2009

Couves
You’re right Gary, Dao is the sleeper of Portugal – I love the perfume and old world palate of the reds.

You’re also right about corked wines- they’re something of a myth and lab tests have proved this. However, I think wines do go _off_ (perhaps from mishandling?) with some frequency. I’ve had old bottles of beer that have taken on that “wet newspaper” taste, so I’m guessing screw caps would be susceptible as well.
April 7, 2009

Adam J
Great show with a fun, charming guest… you are killing it this week Gary!
QOTD: Sorry, dont know how to work the google machine.
April 7, 2009

Joe Fernandez
awesome episode, now if only all your guests were this lively.
April 7, 2009

jason
i was diggin this show. it was a little inside fun and that is fine. some opinions were thrown around and we like that.
screw caps i am warming up to for young wines. why not. i am into the romance to, but for a summer rose, why the hell not.
reduction – that is the topic i am truly lost on. i have no clue how to pick that up in a wine. maybe i have and had no idea what the hell it was.
i think the stink is good
qotd – who friggin cares and some jerkoffs did google it. now i don’t need to, i can just look at the comments. merci.
April 7, 2009

jerkheadface
I’d say that I’d go halvsies on the actual number of corked wines…out of the last 500 I’ve tasted there’s been one instance where something was actually corked. There have been plenty of times when one person has said a wine was corked when it was just too funky for them, usually everyone else jumps on board due to insecurity and not wanting to seem like an idiot for calling them out.