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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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  • kaybee

    Nice job, enjoyed the format.
    QoTd
    Go blind more often next year, but not with special guests who are bringing wine of their own winery.

  • Bruce B.

    I agree with Gary–totally blind tasting in 2009–buttt–blind with a big mix of prices and locales (with Gary not knowing the price and locale). So I suggest that each night you taste five wines of a varietal but with different price levels and different countries. Example–taste five pinot gris, with a mixture of wines from NZ, OR, Alsace, and prices from $10-$50. Let’s see if there is any relationship between price and quality.

  • Tom Langan

    QOTD – You are much more authentic going bind, so YES, do it as much as you can.

  • Toni

    Oh, and an other thing, Garry!

    2009.

    Go boldly where noone has gone before! Do Belarus, Russia, Romania, Slovakia, Albania, Moldova, Georgia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia.. and last but not least (mailed you that one) Slovenia 😉

    I know you’ve got a business to run and there is no market for off the rocker weirdness, but you have such an amazing knowledge that this show alone could put some of these countries on the wine map of the world.

    Cheers,

    Toni A.

  • Nicholas Lazarus

    QOTD: No. I think once a week would be perfect. Because it’s certainly not often enough.

  • Bill

    qotd: Personally, I enjoy the blind tastings more than any other format. That said, there needs to be some verity; so I’d say, one or two blind tastings per week would strike a good balance.

  • Nicholas Lazarus

    QOTD: No. I think once a week would be perfect. Because it’s certainly not often enough.

  • Bill

    qotd: Personally, I enjoy the blind tastings more than any other format. That said, there needs to be some verity; so I’d say, one or two blind tastings per week would strike a good balance.

  • Ross

    Awesome show. Love the blind tasting shows.

  • Ross

    Awesome show. Love the blind tasting shows.

  • Snarf

    QOTD: HELL YES!!!! Blind tastings are difficult, but ooooohhhhh so revealing. Guess that means you cannot have wine-producer type guests on the show.

  • Snarf

    QOTD: HELL YES!!!! Blind tastings are difficult, but ooooohhhhh so revealing. Guess that means you cannot have wine-producer type guests on the show.

  • QOTD: Go once a week, not all year. Do it to start or end the week; that would be awesome.

  • QOTD: Go once a week, not all year. Do it to start or end the week; that would be awesome.

  • I love the Blind tastings, but once a week is enough. It wouldn’t be as fun if you did it all the time.

    By the way, Lede is pronounced “Lay-Dee”. You’d never know it though from the looks of it.

    Thanks for pumping out these great shows Gary!

  • I love the Blind tastings, but once a week is enough. It wouldn’t be as fun if you did it all the time.

    By the way, Lede is pronounced “Lay-Dee”. You’d never know it though from the looks of it.

    Thanks for pumping out these great shows Gary!

  • JonE

    Awesome show, i am so with you on the Cliff Lede.

    QOTD: Balls out-hell yeah, do it!!! That as we know in the biz is truly the only impartial way (kinda).

  • JonE

    Awesome show, i am so with you on the Cliff Lede.

    QOTD: Balls out-hell yeah, do it!!! That as we know in the biz is truly the only impartial way (kinda).

  • Nice background. Looks like an entirely different space, but I know better 😉

    QOTD – I like the blind shows but all the time would be too much. It would make WLTV too “game-showy.”

    An interesting twist to the blind show would be to cut off the end and never show the reveal. Oh wait, you already tried that! (Yes that’s right, I’m still looking through some of the old shows 🙂

  • Thomas

    QOTD: Bind once a week!!!!! Great show!

  • Nice background. Looks like an entirely different space, but I know better 😉

    QOTD – I like the blind shows but all the time would be too much. It would make WLTV too “game-showy.”

    An interesting twist to the blind show would be to cut off the end and never show the reveal. Oh wait, you already tried that! (Yes that’s right, I’m still looking through some of the old shows 🙂

  • Thomas

    QOTD: Bind once a week!!!!! Great show!

  • Cuse Wino

    QOTD- Not all blind, maybe half and half.
    When you are not blind we learn more about the grapes and the region and the history which is why many of us tune in. I love the blind ones also, but the education is better on the eyes wide open episodes.

  • Cuse Wino

    QOTD- Not all blind, maybe half and half.
    When you are not blind we learn more about the grapes and the region and the history which is why many of us tune in. I love the blind ones also, but the education is better on the eyes wide open episodes.

  • Pastafari Pirate

    QOTD: I love the blind tasting episodes, and I’d like them to be regular / frequent, but not EVERY single episode. You do a lot of other cool stuff that is thematic or when you pick a winery or region because you know the points you want to emphasize, and I think we’d lose a lot of that great info you bring if you went blind EVERY episode. BUT, I’d say go blind at least 2-3 times a week. Maybe 4 sometimes, but I think 3x/week would be a good average.

    Great ep, dude. Loved the analogies you used.

  • Pastafari Pirate

    QOTD: I love the blind tasting episodes, and I’d like them to be regular / frequent, but not EVERY single episode. You do a lot of other cool stuff that is thematic or when you pick a winery or region because you know the points you want to emphasize, and I think we’d lose a lot of that great info you bring if you went blind EVERY episode. BUT, I’d say go blind at least 2-3 times a week. Maybe 4 sometimes, but I think 3x/week would be a good average.

    Great ep, dude. Loved the analogies you used.

  • Once a week!

  • Once a week!

  • Ryan

    Agree with many others above. A weekly(maybe Wednesday?) blind tasting format would rock the house. We all love the blind tasting format, I think everyone should do more blind tasting than they do, and it really opened my eyes the time I did it. HOWEVER, I think that with all of the awesome guests you have, they would probably want to showcase their stuff, and it would be a shame to drive them away because you were doing an entirely blind format, and I don’t mind the occasional selling show. Still, I think this has been a tremendous amount of fun, and I look forward to the next one.

  • Don’t go blind all year, but how about one day a week go blind all year. Like Blind Tasting Tuesdays.

  • Ryan

    Agree with many others above. A weekly(maybe Wednesday?) blind tasting format would rock the house. We all love the blind tasting format, I think everyone should do more blind tasting than they do, and it really opened my eyes the time I did it. HOWEVER, I think that with all of the awesome guests you have, they would probably want to showcase their stuff, and it would be a shame to drive them away because you were doing an entirely blind format, and I don’t mind the occasional selling show. Still, I think this has been a tremendous amount of fun, and I look forward to the next one.

  • Don’t go blind all year, but how about one day a week go blind all year. Like Blind Tasting Tuesdays.

  • Winelover

    Super episode… I guess curiosity kills the cat. I love blind tastings….as a matter of fact the last family and friends get together tastings have been blind. This keep everybody up and running…and shooting new notes. I wouldn’t say go the whole 2009 year blind, but rather, at least once or maybe twice a week. By the way, any one have tried Newton unfiltered Chards ….goshhh….creamy, fruity and elegant…one of my favorites from napa

  • Winelover

    Super episode… I guess curiosity kills the cat. I love blind tastings….as a matter of fact the last family and friends get together tastings have been blind. This keep everybody up and running…and shooting new notes. I wouldn’t say go the whole 2009 year blind, but rather, at least once or maybe twice a week. By the way, any one have tried Newton unfiltered Chards ….goshhh….creamy, fruity and elegant…one of my favorites from napa

  • amarone slim

    hello, long time lurker here, just wanted to give my fifty cents
    i’m in the one blind show a week camp, that would be perfect, it would be really fun and spice up the week without taking away any of the other aspects that make the show so great!

  • amarone slim

    hello, long time lurker here, just wanted to give my fifty cents
    i’m in the one blind show a week camp, that would be perfect, it would be really fun and spice up the week without taking away any of the other aspects that make the show so great!

  • T.K.

    Ouch the Speculator takes another hit . . . if they only tasted blind like you Gary V.. Please pick a varietal and go blind more often!

  • T.K.

    Ouch the Speculator takes another hit . . . if they only tasted blind like you Gary V.. Please pick a varietal and go blind more often!

  • Jeff

    Unless you mean blind drunk, then no. I like the shows a lot, its fun to show how you feel about wines, but there are a lot of good shows with wines and winemakers that you couldn’t do that way. One question though, why is it that Cabs are the only thing you ever blind taste? And if you do more shows you should get New/Old World mixes so you can really impress us 😉

  • Paul W

    i’d like to see more blind tasting, but not all blind tasting. it seems like when you have a blind show it’s more focused on how the wines taste and less on the production, information about the region and the wine makers, and other interesting stuff. i like interesting stuff! that being said…maybe one show in this format every week or so could be fun. you know what is also fun? gary’s beard! im not a fan of the jets but i’m hoping they go to the super bowl this season.

  • Jeff

    Unless you mean blind drunk, then no. I like the shows a lot, its fun to show how you feel about wines, but there are a lot of good shows with wines and winemakers that you couldn’t do that way. One question though, why is it that Cabs are the only thing you ever blind taste? And if you do more shows you should get New/Old World mixes so you can really impress us 😉

  • Paul W

    i’d like to see more blind tasting, but not all blind tasting. it seems like when you have a blind show it’s more focused on how the wines taste and less on the production, information about the region and the wine makers, and other interesting stuff. i like interesting stuff! that being said…maybe one show in this format every week or so could be fun. you know what is also fun? gary’s beard! im not a fan of the jets but i’m hoping they go to the super bowl this season.

  • manonthemoon

    Great show, love blind tastings as they always seem to show you where your palate truly is.

    QOTD: I’m all for blind all of the time except for when you have winemakers on, because it would be kind of hard to be as objective then.

  • manonthemoon

    Great show, love blind tastings as they always seem to show you where your palate truly is.

    QOTD: I’m all for blind all of the time except for when you have winemakers on, because it would be kind of hard to be as objective then.

  • Gary,
    I’m reading a lot of comments that are saying 3 times a week, or half and half! Thats waaaayyy to many times! We all love blind tastings, but once a weeks is more than enough.

    We learn so much from you and your guests, I don’t want to lose that part of your show.

    Keep mixing things up the way you have been.

  • Slushpuppy

    You are amazing Mr. Gary V. As you know I am a regular, and I am not shy about panning your show. This my friend was one of the best in a long time. I loved all of your visuals. I’m thinking you have one of the best noses and palattes in the business.
    QOTD: Yes, I think the dynamics of a blind tasting brings so much more to the table for all us. Thanks for all you do! Smell it first!
    P.S. I loved the new taping location.

  • Gary,
    I’m reading a lot of comments that are saying 3 times a week, or half and half! Thats waaaayyy to many times! We all love blind tastings, but once a weeks is more than enough.

    We learn so much from you and your guests, I don’t want to lose that part of your show.

    Keep mixing things up the way you have been.

  • Slushpuppy

    You are amazing Mr. Gary V. As you know I am a regular, and I am not shy about panning your show. This my friend was one of the best in a long time. I loved all of your visuals. I’m thinking you have one of the best noses and palattes in the business.
    QOTD: Yes, I think the dynamics of a blind tasting brings so much more to the table for all us. Thanks for all you do! Smell it first!
    P.S. I loved the new taping location.

  • DAve A

    Do blind tastings once a week, call it Blind Tuesday or something. Make everyone where blindfolds while they watch. (hmm.)

    Then, instead of wristbands, give sniffy snif blindfolds. Teach us to tame our palate, with our nose first!

    Then…. we will be ready for Handcuff Fridays! oh, bring on the thunder!

    Whip it up, Mondays!
    S&M Wednesdays!
    Thunder in an elevator… sniffing it up, while going down.

    ok, phew. I’m done.
    Come to Raleigh. I can help link it up.

    Received latest Secret Pack today, won’t be here on Thanksgiving, but will have friends and family over Sunday after – to watch and enjoy. Do I win for longest post? ha.

  • DAve A

    Do blind tastings once a week, call it Blind Tuesday or something. Make everyone where blindfolds while they watch. (hmm.)

    Then, instead of wristbands, give sniffy snif blindfolds. Teach us to tame our palate, with our nose first!

    Then…. we will be ready for Handcuff Fridays! oh, bring on the thunder!

    Whip it up, Mondays!
    S&M Wednesdays!
    Thunder in an elevator… sniffing it up, while going down.

    ok, phew. I’m done.
    Come to Raleigh. I can help link it up.

    Received latest Secret Pack today, won’t be here on Thanksgiving, but will have friends and family over Sunday after – to watch and enjoy. Do I win for longest post? ha.

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