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EP 879 California Pinot Noir Tasting with a Guest – Part 1

Gary Vaynerchuk sits down with Michelle Turnbull from David Family Wines and tastes through these Pinots, including 2 barrel samples.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2007 David Family Pinot Noir Santa Lucia
2009 David Family Pinot Noir Mission

Links mentioned in todays episode.


Latest Comment:

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luca bercelli

87/100

Not my favourite episode. The guest is probably okay but everything she said had a marketing slant behind it (which is fair enough as she’s trying to advertise her wines) and no matter how hard GV tried to keep it real, it came across as a bit of an advert as far as I was concerned

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

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  • mattgmann

    I have to admit, I skipped the middle portion when soccer talk started. Gary, if the girl knows more about the sport than you…… I'm just sayin..

  • winecrazy

    I called Michelle about the code not working and the high shipping and I ordered a case so she's going to do it tomorrow and will give me the discount. She said her IT guy needs to look at the problem. I said I can't wait for no IT guy. I need Big Pinot's now!!!! Show me the Pinot!!!!!

    Also the shipping is for 2 day. You need to call her if you want ground shipping which is much less.

    I even got the Black label's and looking forward to those bad boys coming in October.

  • mattgmann

    another 2 parter…snore. Please call me when the old Gary gets back in town.

  • RANDINTHECITY

    GARY!!!!
    Michelle!!

    I do love that accent!

    Big Glen..likes Big wine! LOL He's prolly ordering some now! LOL

    <3

  • njc2o

    good to see that's being sorted out.. why not make ground an option on the site, especially since they're not being shipped til the cooler months?

    enjoy the wine, i don't think i can afford those prices (even on sale) the way i've been buying lately. just ordered a six pack of loring wine co. 09 futures. more in my price range 😉

    make sure you let us know how they taste when you get a hold of them.. that big robust pinot sounds right up my alley.

  • RANDINTHECITY

    HAHA! I knew it! :o)

  • njc2o

    60 seconds later i'm thinking about picking up a bottle of that anderson valley.. god it just sounds so sweet

  • I just don't know about this episode. A little awkward while still making sense. Gary, you seem a little shy about calling it as you see it. I could be wrong (or just in a bad mood or something tonight) but there's something about this that is off for me.

    I was really disappointed when it ended because I am so curious how this ends and if the interview/conversation will come around.

    P.S. Yesterday you said no more guests, back to normal. What happened?

    P.S.S. I will always love you. Keep on getting it done.

  • Mott

    Time it would seem is not linear.

  • JustinM

    Hahaha! ahhh man, thanks for the laughs. lol

    I wish I could find a wine style that got me that pumped!

  • JustinM

    Yes! They talked about the World Cup so now we have our reason to talk about it.

    USA!!! USA!!! Did you guys fly out of your seats or what?! Talk about dramatics, man oh man, I haven't sprinted up my stairs that fast in a long time! And I hugged my neighbor for the first time in the halls! Haha

    And Australia! Ohhhh, the heart break! They could see the finish line, but couldn't quite get there. Bummer… that would have been amazing.

  • Just Jack

    I'm with most of the other folks on this one. Nice guest, sounds like good juice but what is her Raison d'être? I'm not down on guests in particular but, with so many people clamoring to be on the show, shouldn't it be limited to someone with a lot to offer? I wish Michelle the best but maybe someone needs to ask if the world really needs another $70 Pinot from a brand new producer. Part of what we pay for when we pony up for these wines is reputation. She nailed it when she said there is an element of trust. Doesn't it take time to develop that trust? I mean why would we spring for an unknown when we could buy say the 2007 Jenkins Ranch for a 40 dollar bill (along with any of the hundreds of other examples) all day long and know what we are letting ourselves in for?

  • David M Roberts

    Right! What happened to the promise of “back to basics” from just one slim episode ago?… Is Gary running for office in November??

  • Just Jack

    So seriously bro, would you plunk down for a case at these prices without even having tasted a prior vintage? it would be hard for me knowing that there is a tiny bit of grade inflation from GV when he has guests on (especially those with two X chromosomes). It looks to me like Gary is signaling that he likes the wine but it is a pazz at this price point. I may be wrong but that is how his body language comes across to me.

  • murso

    What are you talking about? Australia beat Serbia, today, June 23, 2 -1!

  • David M Roberts

    By that I assume you mean this was filmed the same day GV made his pledge to lose the guests for a while (made obvious perhaps by the same shirt he wears in that one as well as this one)? If so, I can find it in me to, perhaps, maybe, forgive him for such a 180 degree tease…

  • murso

    Oh, I see, sorry. Won, but still eliminated. Well… today we stil drink german and American. so you're right after all… USA! USA!

  • LLUErker

    That's kind of what I was thinking as well. For $60, that wine better tuck me in at night, whisper sweet nothings in my ear and let me know everything was going to be alright. I love me an ozzie accent, but $60 a bottle is kind of a hard sell.

  • Gorgeous lady with gorgeous hair and what beautiful hands! Yikes

    Looking forward to Part II.

    Cheers

  • murso

    Right on, D. R. I've enjoyed Paraiso for about 10 years now. Chards too (esp.)

  • murso

    I don't think they even qualified, sadly.

  • murso

    tak sa myket, AndersN!

  • winecrazy

    Well, I got six of the 07, and six of the 09's…..and if Gary says Big Glen would like it…I have to go with that signal because he knows what I like. I have been buying wine from him for 6-7 years now. And when I said I have been watching for two years I went back and saw it was more like three. So I'm sure it's up there with the better ones from that region. They do have good Pinot up there. But you can only try in life and remember….it's only money. With 250 cases if it's sold out and it's a good wine, for the $50 a bottle for the 09's it's only $10 either here or there with the current prices of Sea Smoke and some other good ones from up that way it might be a bargain?? And prior vintages really have nothing to do with current ones. Some prior vintages of Harlan go for $350, other newer vintages go for $1000.

    It's not like I'm going to be able to taste it anywhere else anyway so…..may as well save on shipping. What if I like it…..I'll just have to order more and spend more on shipping no? And obviously you can't taste the 09's yet so that's another reason to just go for it and pull the trigger. The $50 09 bottles I got will cost $70 later. And if it's good….they may go for more in the after market? That happens with a lot of those Pinots, Kosta Brown etc… when they're gone, they're gone.

    Worst that can happen is I'll have some unique Christmas gifts for people in 2012….lol

    Besides…..they ship to Jersey.. 🙂

  • winecrazy

    If I could make the stuff myself…. I would… lol

  • murso

    Guest fatigue. And I was doubtful, but to tell you the truth, minus GV even selling the wine for her, I think it appears that she's doin a pretty good job.
    Discovered her interest in wine, was inspired/nurtured by established names (Again, I had it on good authority tha Mr. Brown left his T-Vines some time ago.), realized a start up plan (that's a BIG one), prob is sourcing to the best of cost effective ability, with poss./prob. room for variance/growth. She, and her model right there, ought to be the picture of envy to all interested parties. I am one, and applaud, Michelle!
    With productions in the low hundreds, an intelligently modest size for your quality/price range, quick sellouts should not be a problem. Good luck w/ quality, growth, success, and pleasure!

  • winecrazy

    And if you watch Gary “drinks” the wine…..more than once. As if he is enjoying it. Did you pick up on that signal?? He says it's Big, Heavy, Thick…. and that's what I like.

    I'm thinking two cases!!

  • Just Jack

    Good points all and it is tough to argue with them. the only two things I would say in my own feeble defense is that 1): The trend for higher priced CA wines is one in which prices are falling generally. This would make me less inclined to take a $500 flyer, and 2): I do put some stock in prior vintages, especially when I don't have many other data points to go off of. Of course it won't tell you beans about the fruit in the bottle, but the producers I am most fond of do apply a consistent philosophy to wine making. A Mollydooker for example (I'm not actually that fond of their style – just illustrating) is going to have high ABV numbers and big extraction regardless of the vintage. For this reason I do find it helpful to re-explore the wines of my favorite producers every year.

    I may also just be transferring my own insecurity onto you lol. I have a pretty big stack of hold and ship sitting at Wl already waiting for fall. It is ridiculous how fast the numbers add up and I have noticed that I am a lot more risk averse than normal when making my orders lately. I never thought these words would come out of my mouth but I may end up with too much wine.

  • True and I don’t care. Soccer is for divas and overpayed lazy bums that cry and whine all the time. But I hope Denmark make it, Vi är röde, vi är hvide, !!!

  • Not a fan of this episode at all. Gary pulling back on this one a lot. I call Bull. You could see him being nice. Personally Still to new to the wine world to say what is worth what. I do know that when you are spending what i would guess to be 5 dollars on a leather label alone. I was done. This was a BAD BAD BAD episode. I think guest are good but ones with more experience and less sell. The winemaker for the new Jet wine was great! Had knowledge and confidence but didn't make me feel like i was being taken.

  • njc2o

    looks like he already got a case ;]

  • True in both the words of Hawkins and Mott :D. BUT I detect a pattern of promises broken and that pattern is not good. There have been a promise of one sort or another every week since January and they have all been broken within the actual time span perceived of less then a week. That is not building equity on being honest, which is one of the traits Gary claims to deliver. Don’t get me wrong, I like WLTV no matter type of show, and I think the audience sometimes have to high of a quality demand and don’t realise that this is hard to do day in and day out. That said, I still feel that all these promises are set aside very often.

  • Just Jack

    That is a big tell with GV. I am forced to admit that.

  • Well he said in the “prevoius” episode that there would be one guest this week. What he forgot to tell was that that would turn out into a two parter. I still like WLTV, just as I like 2½ men though every episode is not that great.

  • getmeacab

    This is the type of wine that I try to avoid. Way tooooo much marketing goes into it. Who cares about leather labels: black, orange, taupe, canary, etc ! Do we drink the label? Who cares about the bottle! Who keeps the bottle? Who cares about how much money they give! OK, a lot of people but stating how was given as a lump sum will suffice. Petrus and Latour look like they are printed and applied at the local print shop by day laborer and yet the juice is world-class. Where will this brand be in 20 years much less 50 years?

  • Altboy97

    Excellent observation. Women are expensive. I think that's the lesson from this episode.

  • RedRum

    does anyone know what the profit is for wines for the producer? If she sells 70 bucks, what would her profit be, 20-30%? more?

    Thanks

  • Altboy97

    I appreciate that you are spotlighting the good approach to marketing, good cause, and getting the vaynernation a deal – but its a wine show. Back to the core idea – expanding interest in different wines. Another California Pinot (actually 3). No trouble finding lots of expensive equals at our's or any other good Jersey wine shop. I don't mind guests, but wine experts, vayniaks are my choice. Seems like you got distracted by another pretty girl (well we all do from time to time).

  • RedRum

    Jack, this is a fair comment, but if her wine is good enough to compare with other 70 dollar producers, why would she undervalue it? I am not saying it is as good, but if your wine is good enough, it is fair. I did not like the marketing stuff, like leather labels, pointless, just a marketing thing to jack up pricing… GV was polite (he had to) to suggest that it was not a 62 dollar wine, but a 45 (I think he would say 30-35….). But I agree, here in the UK I can get a brilliant burgundy pinot for 70…

  • meh episode, but AWESOME sports day!!!

  • RedRum

    I just got it why I find her a bit annoying!!! She looks like the neurotic Alan's ex-wife in Two and a Half Men!!! Sorry Michelle…

  • winecrazy

    Well Gary made a few statements like really solid aromatics, meaty, gamey, thick, heavy, very big, very structured, well made. He stated he didn't spit which is rare. He would serve it if he had friends over at his house. Massive weight….etc. As big and bold as it is, there's a respectful balance. He's impressed with the crafstmanship. A very big Pinot. It's Big!!!!

    That's good enough for me. Besides I have tons of frequent flyer miles so I save on flying, spend on wine…lol

    And too much wine…..humm…I can help you with that 🙂

  • Jay

    Gary – One time you did a quick scores review of the wines tasted after the guest had left and the interview was over. That was cool and it would be neat if you had kept doing that for your interview/guest episodes, as it would help make the scores more consistent with your non-guest episodes and less influenced by the guest.

  • Jay

    Oops, I accidentally Liked your post instead of clicking reply and there's no way to undo that, so here's the reply:
    Your comment's rather thoughtlessly rude. For one, she looks a bit too adult to be called a “girl”, so how about “lady”? And she's quite pretty and well mannered, but she's not using her looks to sell the wine, so to imply that is quite crude. And on top of that to insult her looks is just plain lame, man.

  • Just Jack

    I am with you a thousand percent RR. I am a raging capitalist so if she can get the price I say go for it. My issue is not with her vinting and selling a wine at whatever price she wants. My question is if it is worth it for Vayniacs to take a flier on an unproven producer when there are lots of alternatives. My logic is no different from that which GV uses every time he says that “It's a well made wine but for that price point there are a hundred wines that bring the same thunder”.

    My beef is really with all of the small producers who price a wine higher because they know that they can unload 250 cases of anything for pretty much any price (GV himself referred to the strategy in the interview). The question is are the consumers who buy it happy with the QPR they received? I just think that it is a tad ballsy for a brand new producer to open up their line at these price levels. To me it is slightly like that guy we had a while back who is selling his crush-pad wines for a hundy.

    I am not trying to knock her really. I just think she is a business person making wine instead of a wine person doing business. I may be wrong. I only saw a few minutes of a video interview so I know I am not being 100% fair here, but that's all we ever have to go on with these shows and my gut instinct is that she is over priced and under passionate about her consumers. I am in the mortgage business and I could probably charge double what I do on most of my loans. If I did that however, my brand would quickly be destroyed as folks eventually figured out that they were overcharged.

    I can't wait for November. I really want to know what Winecrazy thinks of this product. As he points out below, if I am wrong and this stuff is the bee's knees I will have missed out and will have to pay up double if I want to try the juice (And if Winecrazy says it is terrific I will indeed pay up). Winecrazy also has a good point. If he is wrong he just slightly overpaid for some holiday presents. I just don't like many of my relatives that much so my parents, they get the good stuff, everyone else gets Gamay Noir.

  • LLUErker

    Yeah, I think some of the backlash against guests is that some of us probably feel like you're influenced by the presence of guests in the way that you evaluate the wine. I know you acknowledge that, but I feel like we feel you might still be giving them an unfair edge just because they're sitting there next to you.

  • Gavone

    I'll pass on part II. California twit. Boring

  • Just Jack

    True dat. He did appear to like it bunches. I would love to hear what he really thinks about the pricing though.

    I am going to be out there this fall for several weeks (I am taking Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World Wine School course because I just don't feel quite geeky enough). It is 8 weeks, one day a week, so I am planning on coming out every other week and staying till the next class. I would love to look you up and we can perhaps put a dent in the stack and swap old casino war stories. That goes for anybody else who wants to meet up and do a little damage while I am out there as well.

  • orangebottle

    I thought that was a very good show and a great guest. Although you would not drink $70 wine every day, there is a market for a good bottle of pinot with beautiful presentation on the table. It can be for a gallery opening in S.F. or in Hollywood. It was great that you got into the business end of the product really quick. Cause everything needs to be pencil out first before anything else. I?m glad for this two part episodes. This is better than the episodes in the week of June 1st. That was a sad week for me. thank you GV.

  • Randall

    I know I didn't just see that!! 'Too much wine'?!? Sir, you are Too Funny!! 😀

  • Just Jack

    Whatever was I thinking? lol

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