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EP 908 South African Sauvignon Blanc Blind Tasting

Gary Vaynerchuk tastes through 3 different Sauvignon Blancs from South Africa, a grape that is quickly becoming more and more popular in that country.

Wines tasted in this episode:

Fair Valley Sauvignon BlancSouth African Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Constantia Glen Sauvignon BlancSouth African Sauvignon Blanc
2009 Mulderbosch Sauvignon BlancSouth African Sauvignon Blanc


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luca bercelli

90/100

lines of the day – ‘For your generation (to Mott) I dream of Genie’ and ‘did K-Murph sneak a bottle of water in there?’

Punchy, funny, enjoyable episode…love it when GV crucifies a wine as he does here!

Tags: review, sauvignon blanc, South Africa, Video, white, wine, wines

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  • Eric Z.

    G: Does it make a difference that the awful sauv blanc was also a 2007 here in August 2010?

  • Anonymous

    QOTD-The Kirkland Cabernet Sauvignon was horrible. In regards to the I Dream Of Jeannie reference, I would take Barbara Eden over Melissa Joan Hart any day!

  • L’egance

    The show was AWESOME!!! Plz stay on Sirius radio forever, you’re a talk show pro!
    Absolutely loved that I got the chance to talk with you on your first show and can’t wait to see you in Louisville (pronounced Loo-a-vull ;P) for that book tour! I was jk about UofL, I know you’re genuine and faithful to your Jets.

    Love you, you rock and bring Sirius THUNDER!

  • Congrats, Gary, on your radio debut! Big night and so happy for you!!
    Sorry I missed it. Will have to sign up for 30-day trial

    Yikes! 57 score on the Canstantia and Wine Spectator gave it a 91??? I just may cancel my Wine Spectator subscription. Just kidding.

    QOTD: A zin from Paso Robles (small winery) that tasted like syrupy, jammy port at $32. Two Walter Hansel 07 Chards that were disappointing .. just not my style ($37 each)

  • jjt

    Mazel Tov on Sirius – awesome 🙂

    QOTD: Happen to have had same experience as Tracek180 – Smoking Loon Pinot – quite a foul fowl.

  • Anonymous

    Cancel it! Overated!

  • Anonymous

    what the hell? download this! 🙂

  • Anonymous

    My buddy tried that and they said he’d have to upgrade for another 3 bones! ugh

  • Ha! OK you’re probably right but WS is so much fun to read and pretty pics in every issue. 🙂

  • Anonymous

    I opened a 1998 Oddero Bussia Soprana Barolo that im pretty sure was corked. I was really sad… I decanted and over 3 hours it never stopped smelling like acidic, wet newspaper. There was no fruit and the nose was almost completely muted. I so rarely get to open a mature Barolo.

  • Cybercellar.com

    Great show!

    Disappointing about Constantia Glen as they usually produce top white’s…as you mentioned on the show but everyone’s taste buds are different. Can’t go wrong with Mulderbosch! As for FairValley…well it started as an socio-economic empowerment venture. Although fairly new The FAIRVALLEY wines are made under the same strict standards as the FAIRVIEW wines so that says a lot already! Great that they’re doing so well.

    Thanks for showcasing South African wines….can’t wait for more.

    Jen@cybercellar

  • Anonymous

    I am a HUGE fan of S.A.S.B.!! Great idea to highlight this segment on the show.
    **PLEASE TASTE ANOTHER BOTTLE OF CONSTANTIA GLEN FOR BOTTLE VARIATION SOON!!**
    QOTD: Tasted blind recently: 2007 Clos Siguier Cahors, $15. This wine was not horrible, I just WANTED it to be better so badly that it let me down. Too green, thin, bitter, off balance. And it was NOT because it wasn’t as big as it’s bombastic Mendoza competitors, because I prefer more elegant balanced wines… this one just didn’t taste well-made.

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: Funny, the last disappointing wine I had was a few days ago and it too was a Sauvignon Blanc but from Touraine. Thin, totally off-balance and just plain bad. But hasn’t changed my opinion of the grape or my love for that region! Not sure I’ve ever had SA Sauvignon Blanc but will have to check it out.

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: Bodegas Del Fin Del Mundo, 2006 La Poderosa (Malbec heavy Bordeaux blend with a bit of tannat). Alcohol bomb with no fruit!

  • Anonymous

    Congrats on your new show Gary. I just cancelled XM two weeks ago and I was so tired last night I never would have made it anyway. If your show takes off like I’m sure it will, I’ll have to get back on board.

  • I always keep my eyes peeled for the Chileans…the in-laws live in La Serena and he has worked up at Cerro Tololo since it opened. Been all the way up the Elqui several times…I really love that place. Falernia’s reds are coming along nicely, too. Ciao!

  • Nat

    o7 vs 09???

  • Anonymous

    Very Funny Gary. Got a good chuckle on the Constantia Glen. Not big on the South African wines in general. They always seem to disappoint. Love the honesty with the blind tasting. Sorry I missed your Sirius show. I am sure it was a success. Will see if I can hook up next Thursday.

  • scottEJ

    Thanks, G. I usually like the SA wines for the every drinkers and serve the occaisional one to enlighten others to a region they’ve never had. Glen Carlou makes a nice one.

    QOTD: Not sure. If they’re that bad, I just forget them altogether and hope I remember not to pick them up again.

  • L’egance

    Got it to work. It was really great talking w/ you! 🙂

  • John__J

    qotd: Tasted the red “Les Cailloux” ’07 Chateauneuf-de-Pape and was pretty disappointed. Compared to other red ’07 Chataeuneuf’s I’ve had and the reputation of the vintage, it definitely didn’t meet expectations.

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: The most disappointing wine I’ve had in the past 30 days would have to be the Alsatian riesling I tried about two weeks ago. It just wasn’t bringing any thunder and I love rieslings from the Alsace and usually don’t have bad luck with wines from that region.

  • waynooo daaa wino

    YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!!!!!!! :oD

  • Allan

    YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! ;P

  • Allan

    AGREE!!!

  • Allan

    How did the radio debut go G???

    Did u bring da thundaaaaar?? 😛

  • Jasonelgin

    2002 Fattoria Scopone. I was very surprised how flat and basic this ended up considering the hype it received.

  • Ronwestlund

    Come on Gary – where is that sacred word “acid” as a key descriptor for this wonderful varietal???? -ron

  • RobinC

    QOTD: One wine I had recently had me extremely disappointed on the first taste, but after about half an hour it was really good. It was a bit high on alcohol which may have been the problem. It was Donatiello 2006 Pinot Noir.

  • waynooo daaa wino

    BRIIIIIIIIIIIINNG US DAAAAAA THUUUUUNNDDDRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    :oD

  • Allan

    I say COOOOOUUUUUUUUCCCCCCHHHHHHHHH TIIIIIIIIIIMEEEEEEEEE!!!!! 🙂

  • waynooo daaa wino

    Yo Allan, Ready for sooooommme THUUUUUUNNNDDRRRRRR today ????!!!??
    ;o)

  • waynooo daaa wino

    Yoooooooo, DOOOON’T BE RAAAGGIN’ on meeee WS !!!!! ;o)

  • Allan

    Right ONNNNNNNNN!!!

  • Maryswindell

    I think it’s possible Constantia was “off” You might want to try it again, just to be fair.

  • Phil G

    Sorry I missed the show… hope it was awesome and/or Rad-ool.

    QOTD – opened a Sterling Pinot Noir from 2000 (was in the basement for awhile) and it was not very good at all…

  • waynooo daaa wino

    I SEECOOOND DAAA MOOOTIIIIOOOON, YEEEEEHAAAAAAAAW !!!!!!! :oD

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: The Rhoning Stones 2007. Great vintage, somewhat funky name, not good wine.

    I hope the radio show went well. If there are archives accessible anywhere, let us know.

  • mwaaaaaaa!

  • The most disappointing wine I’ve had in the last 30 Days was also South African,and it was also from Constantia!!
    It was the Constantia Utsig Bordeaux blend 2004 that I picked out for me and my partner on a romantic night out. It was totally over the top, over ripe, too sweet and too hot! Just plain awful. Such alet down as I’m a big fan of SA wines, especially reds with a bit of age on them.
    Good episode Gary. Good luck with the radio show.

  • DaveAll

    good show

  • Anonymous

    The most disappointing wine I have had recently was a $50 pinot from a great producer in California that I was really looking forward to trying. It was good, but did not know my socks off. I don’t want to give the name because it is a favorite winery of mine and I am normally very impressed by their wines. Sometimes the expectations might be too high for wines. It also reminds me that paying more for wines does not alway ensure significantly better wines.

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: It was a South African Rosé. Tasted like someone took a teaspoon of strawberryjam and mixed it into 10 gallons of water.

  • I like Sauvignon Blancs… something about them is always appealing.

    QOTD: haven’t had a disappointing wine in the last month; there’s still time to be, though.

  • The Jewells

    We went wine tasting along the West side of Seneca Lake a few weeks ago and stopped in @Glenora. This place was WAY too commercialized. Everything we tasted was either too weak or too sweet.
    It will be years before I buy a bottle from them to give them another chance.

  • rhonedrinker

    Opus One 06′ at a trade show.. It was all oak. Talk about hype. I’ve had under 30 dollar bottles that tasted better than this marketing ram of B.S.

  • I haven”t had wine in over 3 days. What’s wrong with me?!?!

  • WINE MAVEN

    You owe it to your fans to discuss THE BEST Sauvignon blanc from South Africa. IONA

  • To be honest I have had a few disappointing Sauv Blanc from NZ recently… Could they be loosing their touch… maybe its mass production making them bland…

  • Anonymous

    Love the honesty.
    QOTD: Red Diamond Merlot (Washington State)

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