Nice tour of the place, Gary.

To those that haven’t been to the actual Wine Library store, it is 10 times more interesting and cooler than what you saw on video. Definitely check it out if you’re ever in the NYC area (only 30 minutes away by car – as long as you can get out of Holland Tunnel ;P)

I also have to agree with Rich S on LI wines. The reds are pretty bad to just plain aweful. I remember the Pugliese Cab Franc being drinkable, but the cab sauvignons generally taste like those $3 Trader Joe cabs. And don’t even think about buying pinots from LI. I think the LI wine I enjoyed the most was a sparkling red from one of the vineyards out there – the name escapes me – but it was very close to a lambrusco. Nothing inspiring, but very nice and refreshing wine.

My favorite cab has to be this reserve cab I tried at this small vineyard called Moon Mountain in Mount Veeder, Sonoma, at a 2000 ft elevation. I can’t remember the vintage, but it was just perfect. Perhaps it was the perfect weather, the beautiful backdrop and the cave the nice lady took us into to show us the hundreds of barrels and let us taste straight from the barrel, but that just blew me away.

Actually, I think it was the 99 Quintessa.

Gary,
Best “group” of cabs I’ve had was a trip in Napa 7 years ago. I was in the Tokalon tasting room at Mondavi enjoying a vertical of reserves 91-94. Michael Mondavi walked in and we had 20 min. of great conversation and I had an afternoon of great wine. I am just sorry that the quality will never be the same.

Great episode, I live in NY near the finger lakes region and I am not a fan of NY reds but we have some great whites such as Dr. Frank Semi-Dry Riesling, I have had a lot of great MY riesling and a great dessert wine Fiori Delle Stelle VIDAL ICE WINE-2004, made by casa larga if you want to taste the best of hte finger lakes region those two are a great place to start.

I know seeing how you just did a NY episode you probally wont be doing another one for awhile but when you do NY riesling and ice wine would be sweet.

Recived my first order today and the first bottle I had was not cooked, I look forward to buying more as soon as I have room on my rack to store them

1968 BV PR Cab, when it was young-
the wine that got me hooked
1992 Far Niente cab in late 90’s

Gary,

Watching this episode was the first time that I wished I didn’t live in California. Oh my God, WL is huge!! For me, it’d be like a trip to Disneyland to see all those wines. Quite the selection of Carlo Rossi wines, too! It was only a couple of days ago that I was searching through the WL site for more info on the store, so your tour was timely and spot on. Thanks. Too bad, I’ll probably never make it out there to see it in person. 🙁

Favorite cab? Jeez, you’d think I’d actually have an answer for this one… OK, I looked through my tasting notes that I keep at corkd.com, and the only cab-based wine I have given five stars is the Windwalker 2002 Lady in Red. Windwalker is a tiny family winery in the Fairplay area of the Sierra Foothills. Not a well known wine area, even in California. But it’s definitely on the rise. Most wines in that region rate crappy to OK. This one was truly stunning. One of my 3-4 favorite wines ever.

Keep it up Gary! And thanks again for the tour.

I’ve been drinking wine for forty years and although I have a good memory, it’s short. The best cabernet based wine I drank in the last few years was the 97 Ferrari-Carano Tresor. (I think).

Answer to question of best CS based wine I ever had: In 1972 (if memory serves me) at the 2nd Heublein wine auction tasting at Lincoln Center in NYC – a 1906 Chateau Margaux carefully opened by Michael Broadbent (I went back several times and probably had about 6ounces). At that time you could taste – FOR FREE – many great wines. And I did – on my lunch hour++++ A subway ride back to the office enabled me to overindulge safely.

I like cabernets a lot but I don’t love them.
In my house we drink at list 3 bottle of wine per week !
The best cabernet sauvignons I had in my life was : Tenuta la palazza Magnificat 1997 ! I think that in Italy, not only Tuscany makes really great Cabs !
Emilia Romagna it’s a region right above tuscany and what a place.
Can we get some Italians

’00 chateau margene paso robles

These videos are becoming more and more entertaining, I always look forward to that break in the day when I can sit and watch the next one!
Best Cab as I recall was ’04 Sterling Cabernet, when eating out in King of Prussia. Really stood out among others I’d had up to that point.
Keep up the great job!

Best old world cab: ’82 Haut Brion.

Best new world cab: ’97 Phelps Insignia.

there is something almost meditation-esq about reading every comment….i mean, when you are the 30-somethingth poster (is that a word?). i enjoyed the tour…that is a big store! well, once again i am going to have to come with a fairly recent everyman kind of label for my question of the day…i don’t have any latour or lafite stories…no big names….the favorite cab-based i have had was…well, you know, once again i can’t say ‘best’. let me just say that Liparita Napa Valley Cab was very good…that was one that i drank recently…of course you guys are out of it.
does anyone else have the problem of annoying co-workers coming in during your WLTV time and asking annoying questions…really bothers me

Garry, too many great cabs out there… but definitely it is Bordeaux, miles ahead of Cali., all the way.

Suggestion… you need some sort of a sign off, a trade mark good buy, one last VaynerNod if you will.

Hi Gary,

Thanks for clarifying why you give price ranges instead of exact price you sell the wines for in your store……

Best Cab I have had personally is probably a toss up between 1989 Chateau Gruaud Laros St. Julien Grand Cru and 1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia

Thanks for the tour, the store is very impressive and was good idea to give us out of staters an idea of your operation.

Best ever…so far…1995 Silver Oak – Alexander Valley.

Best with value in mind, my current, under $20, is the 2003 Waterstone Cabernet Sauvignon. If you haven’t tried it yet it will probably pleasantly surprise you. Especially at this price level.

Liked the tour of WL. Had never been in the 2nd floor back section past the fish.

Best “value priced” cab I ever had – 1994 Chateeau St. Jean Cinq Cepages. Bought a case before all the hype of the 1996 or was it 1997 vintage. I have 2 bottles left. Should I drink now or keep holding?

Gary,
Being a Long Islander, we do the winery tour/tasting thing and I enjoyed the New York episode. Good calls on the Bedell and Palmer, I’ve tasted both and couldn’t agree more. Long Island has lots of good dessert wines but it’s hard to find a good red on Long Island … Pindar Mythology is about as good as it gets.

My favorite Cab… With out going nuts on price, I’d have to say a 2002 Bleasdale Mulberry Tree Cab is a screaming buy for under $15.

It was great getting the high speed tour of Wine Library! Keep up the episodes, I love ’em!

Best Cab – 1983 Diamond Creek – Volcanic – Drank in winter of 2004. The fruit was still amazing!!!

#2 – 1992 – Opus – Actually drank at the Rutherford Grill next to BV.. Irony – I think so…

Gary,
Thanks for the behind the scenes looksey. I appreciated the ever-so-quick bottle pull from what looked like the Rhone aisle. The Benny Hill theme accompaniment gets a nod and a wink. Best old world-based Cab I ever had was an 82 Latour. Sublime beyond words. Best new world-based Cab was the ’91 Dominus. Thankfully I still have a couple bottles stashed.
Cheers, CK

Best cabarnet had to be the 1986 Silver Oak cab -Napa brand. I still have one bottle left.

Best cabarnet had to be the 1986 Silver Oak cab -Napa brand. I still have one bottle left.

Most RECENT best Cab: 2003 Tony Coturri Red (which was a blend) Best Cab ever: Caymus!!

Thanks for the NY episode and a tour of Wine Library third floor(I am fortunate enough to have seen the rest of Wine Library many, many times) Hello to all the guys behind the scenes that make Wine Library and WLTV happen – Love the Foosball table!

Gary, enjoying the videos!

My personal favorite Cab is the 1984 Heitz Marthas Vineyard. I have a few left and will be enjoying one on my birthday this Sunday.

Good tour as I have often wondered about the size of the Wine Library operation. Impressive.

I look forward to your daily episodes, almost as much as tuning in David Letterman for his monolog, antice and such. Your show is not Letterman status but you do look a lot like Jay Leno!

Cabernet based? Too wide of a range for me to remember. As for cabernet, I recently attended a wine dinner featuring only Cabernet with each course. All were Premier Napa Valley. Wow I loved them all. Wine is much like a beautiful woman, its hard to pick a favorite. So as you experience beautiful wines there is a moment in time it is the best you ever had.