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EP 809 Pinot Noir Blind Tasting

Gary blind tastes 4 different Pinot Noirs from around the world, with an interesting twist.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Valli Gibbston Pinot NoirNew Zealand Pinot Noir
2006 Roco Pinot NoirWillamette Pinot Noir
2006 Tandem Pinot Noir Auction BlockSonoma Pinot Noir
2006 Testarossa Niclaire Pinot NoirCentral Coast Pinot Noir play

Links mentioned in todays episode.


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luca bercelli

88/100

line of the day – ‘give me a pig snout and some pig feet …and I will rip through this wine’

Tags: Blind Tasting, Pinot Noir, red, review, Video, wine, wines

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  • paulinseattle

    No.

  • DCaragher

    GV – Doin' it and doin' it and doin' it well…bigs ups to Ladies Love Cool James! I liked the focus! Until we meet again!

    QOTD – YES!

  • Michel Dugas

    Yes I buyed Crush It on Audible
    You should listen to to comentary by Paul Thurrot on Windows Weekly

    And I should come Down to teach you French!

  • divyamistry

    Great episode! Love all the blind tasting ones. The whole mystery element makes wines that much more interesting.
    QOTD: Nope. No “Crush It” for me.

  • castello

    Does Gary do the voice on the audio book?

  • davidjphx

    picked up 3 copies. Got one signed in Tempe, AZ and had you sign the other one in NY.

  • waynoooo dee winooooo

    WHOOOOOOOOOOOOA, Pinot Noir Blind Tastin' !!!!! Can't wait ta watch this un' !!!!!!!

  • Carilius Maximus

    Sorry Gary, no.

    Interesting show. I had a winemaker tell me to drink a bottle over the course of many days to see how the flavors evolve/devolve. Just on the cork. I truly believe it is one of the best ways to judge/evaluate/learn about wine. Take for example some of the high octane central coast blends. It is not uncommon for them to take a couple of days just to get the alcohol to blow off. Especially early after release. It has made my overall wine I.Q. increase immensely.

    ..and as for the winner…Testarossa….REDHEADS RULE!!!

  • johnboston

    No, but I've spend a lot of time in Penn Station recently (in which your book is prominently featured, btw) and lurked around and read quite a bit of it while waiting. I know, not what any author really wants to hear – worse that getting it from a library. But my money tree's not growing well this year.

  • MDSmitty2488

    Was really surprised by the outcome of this episode, I usually am a big fan of the Willamette Valley and have been a bit jaded by Cali pinot noir as of late. The only pinot noir I really enjoyed was from the Russian River Valley. Were either of the California pinots from that area?

    QOTD: I'm sorry Gary, I have not picked up a copy of “Crush It” but I've only been aware of you for a couple of weeks now and am becoming a big fan. You can be assured that it's on my reading list. As soon as the semester is over and I have time to read for anything else besides class.

    Great episode.

  • DPnCali

    From a business standpoint, I don't think his book being prominently featured there is a bad thing at all, which seems like you are implying that it is. If anything, I believe it would increase word of mouth about the Gary Vaynerchuk brand name, and word of mouth is the best advertising of all IMHO because it generates interest in anything that has said name on it. Sorry if I went analytical on your comment. 😛 Just typing what came to mind.

  • DPnCali

    From a business standpoint, I don't think his book being prominently featured there is a bad thing at all, which seems like you are implying that it is. If anything, I believe it would increase word of mouth about the Gary Vaynerchuk brand name, and word of mouth is the best advertising of all IMHO because it generates interest in anything that has said name on it. Sorry if I went analytical on your comment. 😛 Just typing what came to mind.

  • flavasauce

    Gary,

    For me the blind tastings would be more interesting to watch if you guessed where the wine was from and why and told us what you were scoring the wine as you wrote it on bag. In other words if you brought us into your head a little more. Just an opinion.
    QOTD: Not yet.

  • mattgmann

    you wrote a book?

  • mattgmann

    to clarify, however, the most I read about wine is what's on the label, and what Mott links up

  • GreggB

    Big G, I love California Pinot Noir. My fav is from Anderson Valley. The episode made me want a pinot right now. LOL

    QOTD: YES!

  • MDSmitty2488

    I'm vibing on the value idea. I usually stick to wines below 20 bones and that is even pushing it. I want to hear your take on the bargain side of wine GV

  • Gary…I did pick up your book. It's hard right now for me to find the time to read it finishing up my Senior year of college at Penn State. I do plan on reading it though. I was pumped when I got it for Christmas! I'd like to comment more on your episodes, but I know nothing about wine. However, I do watch every episode and I enjoy each one of them. I'm trying to learn, but I love beer – Heineken for me! Even though I don't interact as often in the comments here, I do interact with you a lot on Twitter. Thanks for responding to me the majority of the time. I support what you do and appreciate your feedback.

  • DPnCali

    Noooo…that would ruin the “Gary's Scores?” game and would definitely ruin the mini-contest that is in the works between me and JimboJones86. But I agree about the part where you think he should also guess where the wine was from and why he thought so.

  • azwino

    Great show gary! Sonoma has been somewhat surpirsing me when it comes to Pinot lately!

    QOTD: Yes 2 copies

  • Gary, I bought Crush It from Amazon for My Ipod Touch. Also to answer the question on the blackboard, my Twitter name is howlr5 if any Vayniacs want to follow my tweets.

  • Yes Gary does the audio book voice and he adds new commentary as well.

  • stevo

    Picked up the book and went to the book tour stop in Atlanta.

    Interesting review of Tandem. Tandem winery was recently sold and a few local retailers are carrying their single vineyard chardonnay and two of their single vineyard pinots for $19.99. I picked up two of each and am even more pumped about it now.

  • If you are looking for values try Columbia Crest Grand Estates from Washington State. The wines are exceptional and excellent QPR.

  • Cool_Dave

    Hey GV.
    QOTD — No (sorry) I do want your wine book though. I will get it this fall.
    I recently had Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir (not the old vine stuff the working class stuff). AWSOME!!! (to my pallet) I have a Domaine Drouhin in the closet as well I am looking forward to.

  • Cool_Dave

    Yeah!

  • Cool_Dave

    Yeah, I was suprised too. The last big tasting I was at it was just one no body smooth cherry water after another. Blaaaah! All from California. Willamete Valley rocks the Pinot.

  • QOTD: Yes I got the book! Finished it on Sunday night — great stuff, as I mentioned in my Tweet – my Twitter name is “redraspus” as is the name of my music company at redraspus.com. I’ve said if before — you’ve heard me — and I’ll say it again: a machine.

    Except with the baskets today…

  • Michael D

    Hey Gary,

    Another interesting blind tasting. However, I think 3 days breathing is too long to do justice to those wines, and I have a suggestion: do another blind-tasting of the same 4 wines right away, but only let them breathe for 45 minutes or so. Then see how they rank in that situation. It might be an interesting experiment.

    QOTD: Sorry, no I did not buy the book because the only work I do now is teach part-time, and I could not see how the book would relate.

  • powmarday

    I bought two bottles of Californian Pinot last year, here in Hong kong, to drink at some American friends Independence Day BBQ. One was outstanding and the other just great. Wish I wrote down what they were. QOTD – Yep I bought Crush It and loved it.

  • adrianbryksa

    QOTD: No

    Just rocked the 06 Domaine Serene Yamhill Cuvee – a pretty special pinot….like the Testarossa – a sunburst of flavour on the palate – cranberry, strawberry, spice.

  • Cool_Dave

    I realy don't know about this breathing decanting thing. So far with my experiments after 15 minutes of a wine being open (havn't tried this on Nebiolo yet) a wine is peaking. After about an hour the bouquet decreases significantly and the flavor looses complexity. This is what I have found using no preconceptions or bias when approaching the wines.
    So far I pop wait 10 to 15 minutes and pour. I never can finish the bottle so I cork the leftovers. They are not as good the next few days buy still tasty.

  • jtp375

    Big fan of the blind tastings. Was never a big fan of Pinot's but I have to confess they are starting to grow on me. Like you say…….try different wine.

    QOTD. Nope, not yet.

  • jtp375

    Big fan of the blind tastings. Was never a big fan of Pinot's but I have to confess they are starting to grow on me. Like you say…….try different wine.

    QOTD. Nope, not yet.

  • Michael Campbell

    Yes! I got it for Christmas. It is great!

  • yankee22

    Hey, Gary, you should save those bags and re-use them. Why crumple and toss?

    QOTD: No

  • Rob in Vancouver

    No I didn't Gary.

    This was a very interesting. In all honesty, I would love it if 35% of your shows were blind.

    Its so amazing watching you talk wine. I think sometimes we learn more about wine when you don't know what you're drinking. Love the idea of being able to taste with you on Fridays except I'm in Canada so you can't ship to us!!!

    Keep CRUSHING IT!

    Come to Vancouver for 2010!

  • @winesentry

  • wayno deeee winoooooo

    CAAAL-LEEE-FOOOR-NYAA CAAAAL-LEEE-FOOOR-NYAAAAA!!!!! YEEEEHAAAAAAAW!!!!!!
    Even though we're BROKE, We still make GOOOOOOOOD VINO!!!!!!!!!!!! :O)

    QOTD: Gonna pick up a Copy, next time at me Barnes & Noble……….

  • Just Jack

    Great show, but then I love all the blind episodes.

    GV: I would think that you really should re-taste the Valli Gibbston on a future show. I think it would be fair, but more importantly, I would be fascinated to find out if the three days of oxidation made that huge of a difference. Any time you get a chance to go for an experiment you should grab it. It is something new and interesting. If Tanzer and Martin go 91+ and you give it a major pazzzz – and it sat out for three days – it is worth exploring.

    QOTD:

  • jasonmoore1113

    @jaymoore24
    QOTD: NO

    Are you going to let us know what the bet was? lol

  • Bear

    As an Oregonian and P/N lover, I might have an insight into the ROCO wine. The winery is Rollin Soles' own label. He is the long-time winemaker/head guy at Argyle Winery which has always been a particular favorite of Wine Spectator (i.e. of Harvey Steiman, who covers NW wines for them). This may explain the particularly high score by Mr. Steiman for an undistinguished wine. I have never liked Mr. Steiman's reviews and scores and, especially, he seems to want to drink everything way too young. I guess we just have different palates.

  • zjk

    Yes

  • castello

    Cool. Thanks Robert.

  • Le_M

    QOTD:
    No

    Maybe a psychological thing about the ratings and the screwtops?

  • alex

    qotd: Yes, wife got it for me along with the gv club A. She's awesome, and so is your book. I just finished it this weekend and then went and read 101 wines. “my, what a big pinot” is the best name I've ever come across.
    Sorry for lurking for so long.
    Look forward to participating more.
    Aloha

  • allanj

    Great show, love the blindness. Mott is sharp with the 85. Those last two pinots sound great.
    Qotd: No, not yet.
    Keep up the good work Gary. And target practice Gary, you need it ; ) See ya

  • Scott

    Yes, got the hardcover but I have been listening to the audio book more.

  • QOTD: Nope.. but that says more about my buying habits than the quality of the product

  • QOTD: Of course I bought a copy GV! How could I not?

    Nice show. Interesting to see some quality Pinos out of Cali, but (today, at least) it seems like price had a direct impact on quality. I wonder if the correlation is higher with certain prestige varietals like Pino…

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