Wine Library TV

Search

EP 945 Blind Zinfandel Tasting

With Thanksgiving around the corner, Gary Vaynerchuk blind tastes four bottles of Zinfandel at a variety of price points.

Wines tasted in this episode:

Bogle ZinfandelCalifornia Red Zinfandel
2008 Seghesio Sonoma ZinfandelSonoma Red Zinfandel
2006 Louis Martini Monte Rosso Zinfandel Gnarly VinesNapa Red Zinfandel
2007 Outpost Zinfandel Howell MountainNapa Red Zinfandel


Latest Comment:

View More

luca bercelli

90/100

line of the day – ‘This feels like an enhanced man or woman’

Blind shows are always a fun watch

Tags: california, napa, review, Sonoma, wine, wines, zinfandel

Related Stories & Episodes >

Episodes >

←  Older Comments
Newer Comments  →

  • Have recently had and enjoyed the Freestone and Lynmar!

  • Anonymous

    Great show as always – especially with the Zin with Thanksgiving in mind.

    I still like a big wine now and then, perhaps because I don’t get them too much these days.

    I’ve moved from mostly reds from all over the world to just a few whites. But now the very hot summer is over – I believe it’s time to experiment again!

    Great fun as always – Cheers!

  • Anonymous

    If you haven’t already, you might check out Long Shadow’s ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling…a domestic-made (Washington) off-dry Kabinett style in German clothing (made by Armin Diel of Schlossgut Diel in the Nahe Valley). Hard to beat at $20…FWIW.

  • Anonymous

    Seghesio also produces vineyard-designated Zins that “ain’t exactly cheap.” In fact, several of them cost more than the Outpost! But you’re rite – the Sonoma bottling is pretty consistent and decent value. Long live Turley!

  • Anonymous

    Doubt it…the distributors have both parties in their back pocket.

  • Anonymous

    Much appreciated audiofan! Will definitely check those out!

  • Anonymous

    Adam – the ’98 vintage in Chateauneuf was also a monster out of the gate; many people thought they were too alcoholic, ‘big’ and jammy. Of course, those were people who drank them very young; because these wines are so hedonistic and approachable right out of the gate, many never see their 5th birthday. With a bit of patience (and faith) these wines will develope secondary nuances of spice, roasted herbs (garrigue), figs, and minerals – as well as become better balanced – but usually not before 7-10 years in a cold cellar. The greatest Chateauneuf du Pape I’ve ever drunk was 10 years old…and was still a young wine! This is the one thing I wish Gary would talk about more: giving your age-worthy wines time to develop and evolve. I mean, to each his own… but try laying a few down, folk!

  • Anonymous

    Or just get us some of those sugar cubes!

  • Anonymous

    That’s great! More Turley for me.
    P.S. REAL definition of a “big” wine: Turley ‘Hayne Vyd’ Petit Syrah…buy some bleach for your teeth!

  • Anonymous

    WAS a great band…sorta.

  • Agree. Love Seghesio’s Rockpile and Home Ranch.. and Turley!

  • Anonymous

    It’s only a drink until you pay THOUSANDS of dollars per bottle for it and your wife finds out…then its a crime scene!

  • I love Ridge’s Lytton Springs and Geyserville, too.. Just tried their Pagani Ranch – excellent!

  • tom A

    OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH THIS?!!!???!!?!

  • Anonymous

    Great show! Still waiting for the Riesling brown bag show thou…

    State of the palate:

    With reds it’s all about acidity or tannins, dryness and low or moderate alcohol. Just had an awesome 2001 Bairrada which fit the description perfectly.

    With whites high acidity and minerality rule. Doesn’t matter whether it’s oaked or unoaked as long as there’s balance. Right now I’m really intrigued with the Mosel.

  • Eirikpm

    With red I am all about Rhone, Bordeaux, Tuscany and Piedmont. I like my white to be really dry and crisp. Like Alsace Riesling, sancerre, and other sauviginon blanc from around the world.. For me it`s all about the balance in the wine.

  • and try som aged wine on the show

  • NJStickist

    QOTD: I was always an old-world wine drinker. A trip to Napa back in late 2001 changed that. I started drinking more new-world, fruit forward wines. Got on the Argentina and Chile bandwagon early, but it seems the shark-jumping has started (as you’re often pointing out). In any case, I’m moving away from the fruit-bombs and what I really am looking for is balance. Because of the economy, the price point I’m buying at is lower (<$20 on any given day) so maybe that's a contributor, but I'm tasting a lot of wine that's all acid or all fruit and nothing else. I'm looking for a good balance of everything without one quality of the wine too overpowering of any other. Recently I've been gravitating back to France (Bordeaux), Italy (just tried a lovely 2006 Petrale Aglianico!), and the rest of the old world.

  • Beth

    I always appreciate reference to different palates. QOTD: drinking a lot of French reds. I used to be pleased by a pleasant nose and initial taste but now I want the whole bit -good sniffs, presence in the mid-palate and lasting finish.

  • Anonymous

    Zin is a symbol of the USA.

  • Anonymous

    Fantastic show Gary! The blind tastings are the best. I can always tell when you are going to have a good show is when you hold my attention from begining till end and this was one of those. When you make me laugh throughout means a lot because your not pretentious and I feel I am right there with you. Great work!

    QOTD: I was big into the whites white lots of acid and fruit. Over the last couple years I have moved into the reds. At first it was the Pinot which had to be fruit forward and smooth light on the tannins and well balanced.
    I still really enjoy that Pinot but have moved heavy into the Left Bank Bordeaux and the California Cabs. I really like a well structured fruit and minerality in my wine and I am starting to like the tannins more and more. It has to have that certain dryness to it which I like a lot and has to have long legs.

  • Jim Boswell

    Great show! I am a zin fan – have been for more than 30 years. Back in the 70’s and 80’s Monster Zins were all the rage for some reason. Huge tannin and extract. Enough tannin to make your head explode. Purple teeth everywhere – it was bad. Much better zin now. Consentino’s “The Zin” and Joel Gott’s zin are two personal favorites.

  • Michael C in MKE

    Hurray for blind tastings!

    QOTD: I’m into California, Spain, Southern France, Columbia Vally. Avoiding the acidic wines of New Zealand, Oregon, Italy. Avoiding the pancake syrup of Australia.

    My winners are Grenache, Syrah, Cab Franc, Zinfandel, Tempranillo. Looking for friendly everyday wines that are around ten dollars. Buying lots of blends, White and Red.

  • Anonymous

    Awesome show Gary. I thought your focus was razor sharp today. QOTD: If anyone were to read my comments over the past month or so, they would know that my palate is all old world right now. But I am planning on drinking my last bottle of 05 Mazzocco Maple for Thanksgiving

  • Anonymous

    Yet again, the silver linings of being poor keep shining through. I guess
    that the fact of ‘THOUSANDS of dollars per bottle” never enters into my
    personal equation keeps me safe 😉

  • Anonymous

    The beauty of the cubes is that you keep revisiting over and over and over
    and over……:-) Talk about a trip planner!

  • Geoalb

    Good show. But I think the best wine for a traditional Thanksgiving meal is good Sparkling wine or Champagne.

    Ridge is one of the all time producers for Zin also, and one of my favorites.

  • Toledo970

    I agree that the “Bigger is better” mentality isn’t the best, but some varietals are bigger by nature. Zin being one of these. Now, if you feel that the balance isn’t there then I have to agree. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like gloopy, jammy wines, but some biggness(not a word) with balance, I do. Bogle is ok, good for the price point, but it’s very thin for a Zin(That rhymed).
    QOTD: Looking for my palates balance. Finding that wine that really has it all for me. I like a bit of the fruit forward but balance is really key.

  • Anonymous

    Big on Riesling from Alsace and Austria at the moment.

  • Anonymous

    GV,

    Thanks for the insights and spot on analysis of California Zin, part of the reason I am not a huge Zin drinker because the producers do not seem to find a consistent middle ground – unpredictable year to year…. I prefer the spicy, chalky, coastal zins but often get the fermented huckleberry jam.

    SOTUOP: New world imports – bring on the Western Aussie and South American wines – hard to find semi-medium producers but actively pursuing new tastes from the Southern Hemi.

    – Lions are very sketchy the best team to bet on year to date say the wise guys – covered 6-1 crazy.

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: Exploring more Old World whites with acid & minerality. Alsace, Austria, Alto Adige, Loire Valley and of course Germany. Really loving the Aged Rieslings right now.
    Not drinking a lot of big reds anymore. These days I prefer more balanced, medium-bodied reds like a nice Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir.
    Most CA Cabs and Chards don’t even interest me anymore, but I do have to keep up with them for work.

  • Jasonbcarey

    This is an episode where you should have really had some food to taste along with the wine.

  • Jasonbcarey

    Gary here are the really good lighter or more structured Zins:
    Dashe: Enfante Terrible.. have you had this Early picked and all native fermentation.
    Nalle
    Harvest Moon
    Ravenswood Teldeschi
    Ridge Lytton Springs

  • I agree… on the side: They are soooo loud live. My first time seeing them was my last time seeing them without ear plugs. Too many fantastic songs.

  • I agree with Nalle and Dashe for sure, these 2 Ravenswood Teldeschi
    Ridge Lytton Springs are a tad bigger

  • you think?

  • Who gets the full endorsement form audiofan?

  • Monden

    Qotd: In red, i tend to be more old world, France. I used to like big reds with oaky character, but after a while, you look for fruit and authenticity. In white, or let’s say with chardonnays, i still enjoy a big, creamy, nutty, buttery chardonnay, from Australia or California, because of the delicious factor, but am still trying to look for authenticity. I like Canadian chardonnays right now, because they have their own terroir feel and can still be bold and big, but with minerality and finesse, like Burgundy. It would be interesting if you would do a show on canadian Chardonnays, from Niagara, and from a new and very interesting region, Prince Edward county, 2 hours north of Toronto. I love them! Clos Jordanne from Niagara and Closson Chase and Huff estates(south bay vineyard) are quite impressive. The last two are from PEC VQA region. Jancis Robinson gave good reviews to the last two as well.

  • QOTD: My palate has developed so much in the last year! I have made a concerted effort to expose myself to as many grapes and regions as possible and I have learned a lot.
    For starters, I have a much greater appreciation for Pinot Noir. I never used to like it until I discovered what a great Burgundy can be like or what a top Oregon producer can create. I have backed away from the big oaky fruity bombastic wines that I used to love and now I look more for subtlety and finesse. I place less importance on “flavor” and more on nose, balance and mouthfeel. I have also fallen in love with German Riesling, Walla Walla Syrah, and Loire Valley whites.

  • ALLAN

    I WAAAAAAANTTTTTSSSSS MYYYYYY LAAAAAIIIIDDDDD BAAAAACCCCKKKKKK FRRRRIIIIIIDAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYSSS COOOOOOUUUUUUUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! :OP

  • Oakmon’s BF

    The Lions scared me too but my Eagles held on to win, but then your ?Skins beat us.

  • Oakmon’s BF

    Rather than taking the 90 point rating with a grain of salt I?m more inclined to take the Thanksgiving explanation with a grain of salt. I believe Gary put more effort into the former than the latter. It?s an art not science and Gary changed his mind. If you really believe it?s the proximity to a holiday that changed the score for one wine, than how do you explain the fact that the scores were not increased for the other three? Don?t they get to celebrate the holiday too?

  • Rihas

    Gary:
    Great show. I love the episodes with zin (or petite sirah). They are my favorite varietals and the shows make for some great watching.

    After your picks, I am very able to understand your tastes and calibrate it to my tastes.

    SOP (State of the Palate): I had always enjoyed zin in the early 90’s and follwed it through the high-octane, bombastic years of Turley and Martinelli (late 90’s). This was folled by getting into the Australian wave (especially shiraz). While I would say my palate has died down, I still appreciate the full-flavored varietals like zin and petite sirah. I’m way off the Aussie bandwagon and my interest with Spain’s wines has faded. I’m more now into California syrah and WA blends dominated by cab. Sure, I greatly enjoy a CdP now and then although I don’t care for the latest winemaking stylistic tendencies nor the price points. And yes, I will still occassionally fall for a CA or OR pinot. However, overall the zins still get the nod. Maybe not totally bombastic in style, but I will still look for full flavored.

  • Anonymous

    When I first started buying a lot of fine wine i wanted big auzzie shiraz. This was about 6 or 7 years ago. i liked that i could buy a wine scored 94-96 points for around forty bucks. I bought a lot of 2005 australian wines as well. As i have matured as a wine drinker I prefer more french, italian, and earth driven wines. i love wines from languedoc roussilion, and bordeaux, burgundy. I love barolo. I have started to appreciate some of the smaller producers in CA. i think there are some amazing wines coming out of paso robles that are probably very hard to find outside of CA (hell, they are hard to find in CA). On a side note I used to not really like pinot noir (even after sideways), because I wanted bigger wines. Now I love it. Funny how things change.

  • I will have to go back and try the 08 Seghesio Sonoma Zin….really liked the 06 and 04 and hated the 08 the first time I had it. QOTD: Vaqueras…..love that big, bacon fat wine from France.

  • ALLAN

    The name you’re looking for is Vacqueyras 🙂

  • ALLAN

    When will Gary buy the Jets?

    – this will make an exciting two-parter….!!!!!

  • ALLAN

    “In the lonely night
    in the stardust of a pale moonlight
    i think of you in black and white
    when we were made of dreams…..”

  • philoxera

    Guinness rocks….Zin is for Bozos eh?

  • ALLAN

    200!

←  Older Comments
Newer Comments  →

Close

Not Subscribed to WLTV yet?

Never miss an episode and get notifications on the hottest wine deals!

No thanks.