EP 581 5 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines – BLIND!

Gary Vaynerchuk tries 5 wines blind and sees which tickle his palate, as we continue the Napa Cabernet theme this week!

Wines tasted in this episode:

2004 Beringer Napa Cabernet SauvignonNapa Cabernet
2005 Barnett Cabernet Sauvignon Spring MountainNapa Cabernet
2004 Steltzner Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Barrel SelectNapa Cabernet
2005 Newton Unfiltered Cabernet SauvignonNapa Cabernet
2005 Cliff Lede Stag’s Leap District Cabernet SauvignonNapa Cabernet

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luca bercelli

92/100

line of the day – ‘a flabby lame duck that went 70 yards’

I’ve loved every blind tasting that Gary has done. How many other major wine critics in the world would be happy to do ‘one-take’ blind tastings? My guess is less than 1. Phenomenal

Tags: Blind Tasting, cabernet, california, napa, red, review, Video, wine, wines

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  • brainpain

    Great show GV!

    QOTD: I think going blind the whole year would be a downer. I would like to see a few $10 wines up against some $50 in the same varietal without GV knowing about it. Just a suggestions and keep up the good work WLTV!

  • brainpain

    Great show GV!

    QOTD: I think going blind the whole year would be a downer. I would like to see a few $10 wines up against some $50 in the same varietal without GV knowing about it. Just a suggestions and keep up the good work WLTV!

  • Very fun format. I dig it. A whole year is overboard, but why not 1 day a week?

    p.s. is it me or is laid back Friday, not so laid back anymore? Missing the couch?

  • Very fun format. I dig it. A whole year is overboard, but why not 1 day a week?

    p.s. is it me or is laid back Friday, not so laid back anymore? Missing the couch?

  • Scott from Salt Lake

    QOTD: Its good to throw in a blind tasting once in a while, but they are not my favorites. I prefer to hear the stories on each winery/region. You dont to that when you go “blind”

  • Scott from Salt Lake

    QOTD: Its good to throw in a blind tasting once in a while, but they are not my favorites. I prefer to hear the stories on each winery/region. You dont to that when you go “blind”

  • ex-lurkdawg

    I’d like to see one blind tasting per week. I don’t want you to use this format all the time. I’d also like it if the viewers knew which wine was which before seeing your tasting notes. You often tell us to pay more attention to your tasting notes than your scores, which I do, but it’s difficult for me to remember what you said about each wine as you unveil them. I guess it’s also time for me to mention (again) that I’d love to see a Madeira episode with one vintage Madeira at the end.
    Thanks for another great show.

  • ex-lurkdawg

    I’d like to see one blind tasting per week. I don’t want you to use this format all the time. I’d also like it if the viewers knew which wine was which before seeing your tasting notes. You often tell us to pay more attention to your tasting notes than your scores, which I do, but it’s difficult for me to remember what you said about each wine as you unveil them. I guess it’s also time for me to mention (again) that I’d love to see a Madeira episode with one vintage Madeira at the end.
    Thanks for another great show.

  • jon

    great episode.

    QOTD: LOVE blind tastings – they are one of my favorites. Don’t do 100% blind, but maybe 20%? One day per week blind? Call it Blind Wednesdays.

  • jon

    great episode.

    QOTD: LOVE blind tastings – they are one of my favorites. Don’t do 100% blind, but maybe 20%? One day per week blind? Call it Blind Wednesdays.

  • jeffe

    I’m going to second what appears to be the overwhelming consensus here: keep the blind tastings as a way to mix it up here and there. We do love you being able to delve deep into the wines, and drop knowledge on the winery, the winemaker, the varietal and all that.

    BTW: fantastic episode. One thing I found interesting: I usually watch on the iPod, so I’ve never noticed this before on blind tasting episodes, but here on the dot tv, I noticed the viddler flags popped up before the bottles came out of the bag. Which kinda undercut the drama a smidge.

  • CajunCrooner

    Blinding it is da bomb, but not for the entire 09 year! It’ll be played after a coulple of months.

  • jeffe

    I’m going to second what appears to be the overwhelming consensus here: keep the blind tastings as a way to mix it up here and there. We do love you being able to delve deep into the wines, and drop knowledge on the winery, the winemaker, the varietal and all that.

    BTW: fantastic episode. One thing I found interesting: I usually watch on the iPod, so I’ve never noticed this before on blind tasting episodes, but here on the dot tv, I noticed the viddler flags popped up before the bottles came out of the bag. Which kinda undercut the drama a smidge.

  • CajunCrooner

    Blinding it is da bomb, but not for the entire 09 year! It’ll be played after a coulple of months.

  • JLed

    I am leaving tomorrow from Texas to visit Napa for my B-Day (24th I would LOVE a shout-out).

    Thanks for the episode. I know now where I want to visit.

    QOTD… Twice a week is good. The blind format can eliminate a little bias, but I do not want the thunder show to change THAT much!

  • JLed

    I am leaving tomorrow from Texas to visit Napa for my B-Day (24th I would LOVE a shout-out).

    Thanks for the episode. I know now where I want to visit.

    QOTD… Twice a week is good. The blind format can eliminate a little bias, but I do not want the thunder show to change THAT much!

  • Bob

    Great show, Gary. I love it when you go blind, but I wouldn’t want it to happen every time. Could be fun to do it with guests though.

  • Bob

    Great show, Gary. I love it when you go blind, but I wouldn’t want it to happen every time. Could be fun to do it with guests though.

  • I would love ALL BLIND in ’09. But, I imagine one day per week blind would be more palatable to most and should be the answer.

  • I would love ALL BLIND in ’09. But, I imagine one day per week blind would be more palatable to most and should be the answer.

  • Garry M.

    I’d say 3 a week would be pretty cool which leaves
    some room for you to do different things the other 3… notice I said 3.

  • Garry M.

    I’d say 3 a week would be pretty cool which leaves
    some room for you to do different things the other 3… notice I said 3.

  • Gary, I love blind tastings; keep it up. I would say 80% blind and 20% guest.

    Great show.

  • Gary, I love blind tastings; keep it up. I would say 80% blind and 20% guest.

    Great show.

  • QOTD: Do it!

  • QOTD: Do it!

  • Cliff Lede has been the topic of a few discussions on the fourm over the past few days; so it was good to see it do well.

    QOTD: I’d like a blind once a week, maybe a “Blind Wednesday” to help get through the work week. Anymore then that and WLTV becomes nothing more then a wine review. I personally get more out of the episodes that “drop some knowledge” as I become more and more familiar with the wine world.

  • Cliff Lede has been the topic of a few discussions on the fourm over the past few days; so it was good to see it do well.

    QOTD: I’d like a blind once a week, maybe a “Blind Wednesday” to help get through the work week. Anymore then that and WLTV becomes nothing more then a wine review. I personally get more out of the episodes that “drop some knowledge” as I become more and more familiar with the wine world.

  • FifthGenTexan

    Enjoyed the show. My opinion is to go partially blind. Do something like a “Blind Monday”, in the spirit of “Laid-back Fridays”.

  • FifthGenTexan

    Enjoyed the show. My opinion is to go partially blind. Do something like a “Blind Monday”, in the spirit of “Laid-back Fridays”.

  • manpod

    Go Blind -either all the time or have Blind Mondays

  • manpod

    Go Blind -either all the time or have Blind Mondays

  • Aged and Rounded

    At least one day a week blind. I also like the shows where you talk about the wine and the region in advance of the tasting.

  • Aged and Rounded

    At least one day a week blind. I also like the shows where you talk about the wine and the region in advance of the tasting.

  • Amy

    How about….Blind Fridays? Maybe Monday is a better day to blinded, or Wed’s when people have more time to watch since they are a longer running show as some Bob M pointed out. Pick ONE day a week, the same day each week for a few months, track the hits and time will tell.

    Thanks for the THUNNNNDER!!

    Amy C from Stevenson, WA

  • Amy

    How about….Blind Fridays? Maybe Monday is a better day to blinded, or Wed’s when people have more time to watch since they are a longer running show as some Bob M pointed out. Pick ONE day a week, the same day each week for a few months, track the hits and time will tell.

    Thanks for the THUNNNNDER!!

    Amy C from Stevenson, WA

  • David Berck

    Blind is great, but I would not want to see all blind. Go Titans.

  • David Berck

    Blind is great, but I would not want to see all blind. Go Titans.

  • Aged and Rounded

    Why doesn’t Chris Stanisci post all your tasting results for every Episode? There are times I miss the videos for a week or two and will often check out Gary’s Scores to determine whether I want to see the video I missed. For example episodes 571-573 results are not posted. Most importantly, I often search for a new wine based upon Gary’s Scores. If there are good scores that are not posted, I won’t see them or try to buy the wine.

  • Aged and Rounded

    Why doesn’t Chris Stanisci post all your tasting results for every Episode? There are times I miss the videos for a week or two and will often check out Gary’s Scores to determine whether I want to see the video I missed. For example episodes 571-573 results are not posted. Most importantly, I often search for a new wine based upon Gary’s Scores. If there are good scores that are not posted, I won’t see them or try to buy the wine.

  • Blind tastings have a lot of options. Throw some similarly priced Chilean cabs in the mix, for instance, and you’d have a totally different show. However, one of the things I love about Wine Library TV is when you get excited about a story and feature a wine on the basis of that background, and it would be a shame to go a whole year without fun stuff like the zork, and great winemakers coming in like Charles Smith.

    So i’m going to second the Blind Mondays suggestion. Blind Mondays, Laid Back Fridays, and Thirsty Thursdays, that’s a lot of thunder each and every week!

  • Blind tastings have a lot of options. Throw some similarly priced Chilean cabs in the mix, for instance, and you’d have a totally different show. However, one of the things I love about Wine Library TV is when you get excited about a story and feature a wine on the basis of that background, and it would be a shame to go a whole year without fun stuff like the zork, and great winemakers coming in like Charles Smith.

    So i’m going to second the Blind Mondays suggestion. Blind Mondays, Laid Back Fridays, and Thirsty Thursdays, that’s a lot of thunder each and every week!

  • Roro

    I haven’t posted in a loooong while, but I had to for this episode because your bringing the thunder back. You changed the format for the newbies, but lost a lot of what you had trying to introduce different wines that are hard to find or not interesting to anyone. More often than not, I have turned you off not even half way through the show recently it seems. This episode is what you had before and more. That’s why you liked it also. Challenging what WS says. Let them know they are giving bad advice with their points for some of these Napa wines, especially. I vote blind tasting every other episode for 09′!

  • Roro

    I haven’t posted in a loooong while, but I had to for this episode because your bringing the thunder back. You changed the format for the newbies, but lost a lot of what you had trying to introduce different wines that are hard to find or not interesting to anyone. More often than not, I have turned you off not even half way through the show recently it seems. This episode is what you had before and more. That’s why you liked it also. Challenging what WS says. Let them know they are giving bad advice with their points for some of these Napa wines, especially. I vote blind tasting every other episode for 09′!

  • Yes, please go blind more often. Maybe not every episode in a year, but once a week, or once a month would be best.

    They are fun, they give us better insight into you, pricing and quality. I also think your scores are based less on the brands you have history with, which is also very helpful to us. 🙂

  • Yes, please go blind more often. Maybe not every episode in a year, but once a week, or once a month would be best.

    They are fun, they give us better insight into you, pricing and quality. I also think your scores are based less on the brands you have history with, which is also very helpful to us. 🙂

  • Colin Bmore

    Absolutely love the Blind shows. If you went a whole year that would be interesting but it would be hard to have guests and showcase wines you want. My guess is you wont do a whole year but if you did them more often I would definately be stoked.

  • Colin Bmore

    Absolutely love the Blind shows. If you went a whole year that would be interesting but it would be hard to have guests and showcase wines you want. My guess is you wont do a whole year but if you did them more often I would definately be stoked.

  • Karl B.

    QOTD – Definitely go blind!!!!!!!!!

    See you on the Thunder Cruise!

    Karl B.

  • Karl B.

    QOTD – Definitely go blind!!!!!!!!!

    See you on the Thunder Cruise!

    Karl B.

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