EP 950 California Chardonnay and Cabernet Tasting

Gary Vaynerchuk sits down for a traditional WLTV, with 2 Chardonnays and a Cabernet from California. Also, Gary makes an announcement for this year’s Thanksgiving Secret Pack!

Wines tasted in this episode:

2008 Rusack ChardonnaySanta Barbara Chardonnay
2008 Falcone ChardonnayPaso Robles Chardonnay
2007 Obsidian Ridge Cabernet SauvignonNorth Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

Links mentioned in todays episode.


Latest Comment:

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luca bercelli

89/100

Solid episode.
My drinking breakdown is 50% Red, 45% White, 4% Bubbles, 1% Rose

Tags: cabernet, california, chardonnay, red, Video, white, wine, wines

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  • Rihas

    QTD#1 – 97% red, 2.9% white and .1 rose/sparklers

    QTD#2 – Yes, I beleive CA is a value play, in certain respects. Because of the supposed continual “grape glut” and willingness of certain “second label producers” to purchase excess juice and bottle/label and reasonable price points, I feel CA does deliver some value. Now, I still feel other regions offer a better chance of quality/value but, if you search hard through all the numerous odd lable CA bottlings, you can find some decent wine.

  • Anonymous

    right to it…QOTD:
    Red-90%
    White-10%

  • Funnyfish172

    100 percent red

  • Tom

    90% red
    6% white
    2% sparkling
    2% rose

  • Flecko

    50% red
    45% white (50%kabinett, 50%Spätlese)
    5% rose

  • Emma’s Dad

    85% Red
    10% White
    5% Rose

  • Neil

    90% red
    10% white
    0% rose

  • I’ve had some great values from California recently. Time and place. And of course that could change again when the market changes, but I believe competitive pressure both abroad and even within the state will keep it more stable in the long run. My personal wine consumption is probably 60% red, 30% white and 10% sparkling. 0% rosé up to now (I’ve had a few, and liked them, but statistically insignificant).

  • Anonymous

    Red: 68%
    White: 28%
    Rose+Champagne: 4%

    I’d drink more Champ. if weren’t 50$ a bottle in Canada.

  • Scott

    Right now I’m probably:

    55% red
    35% white
    6% rose
    4% sparkling

    I always intend to drink more sparkling but get sidetracked because of the diversity in the white and red categories. I get too excited about the options.

    As for value in CA, it is certainly not where I think of first when considering wine values. But I think they can be found. Lately I would say that I look to Paso for some great wines at fair prices. And while it might not be popular to say I’m finding value in some of the large production wines. For example, the 2007 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon is a great example of the quality of ’07 Napa for under $20.

  • Markjosephmcnabb

    Gary-I do respect your palate. But to say Peter Michael is oaky and buttery makes me wonder if you’ve ever even had a PM? And if you have, when was the last time you had one? Because I’m sure you know but the last two winemakers are the Morlet brothers. Their family has been making wine In Champagne for generations and obviously appreciate the balanced non oaky buttery chards. To be honest, I really don’t agree with your statement.

  • Anonymous

    50% Red, 45% White, 5% sparkling

    I think that there are very few value plays in CA. I think that the ethos that more expensive is better is too strong here in the USA.

  • JRO

    70% red / 24% white / 5% sparkling / 1% rose’

    Don’t see California as value, usually dissappointed in their cheaper wines; but still good value for more expensive wines >$50 compared to France

  • j9z

    75% white
    20% rose
    5% red

  • Really excited to see you try Obsidian Ridge on the show. I’ve been curious about the quality. Red Mountain is in Washington State; Red Hills in Lake County. The LC is making some really nice reds.
    Lisa
    Journey of Jordan: a wine and food video blog

  • 67% white
    27% reD
    5% Sparkling
    1% Rose

  • Justin S

    California can definitely be a value play – See Cameron Hughes. Their prices seem to be coming down from the astronomical highs pre-financial crisis.

    60% Red
    25% Sparkling
    14% White
    1% Rose

  • Anonymous

    QOTD:

    Red 55%
    White 35%
    Sparkling 5%
    Rose 5%

  • Red 80%
    White 10%
    Sparkling 5%
    Rose 5%

    I find more often than not it’s tough to find a good value play out of California. It does happen (I think J. Lohr, La Crema and Castlerock have some nice, everyday value wines for example, and Ridge even has some decent priced next tier wines), but typically I find better value even moving a bit north to Oregon and Washington, and certainly down to Argentina and Chile.

  • Haven’t had California wines in a while. Baja California, plenty, but US California, almost none in a long time.

    side QOTD: Percenteage breakdown (approx.)
    Red:40
    White:25
    Sparkling:25
    Rosé:10

  • 95% Red
    1% Sparkling
    3.5% White
    .5% Rose

  • Anonymous

    Good episode. Good wines that I will look for.

    QOTD – White -59%
    Red – 40%
    Sparkling less than 1%

    When the producers realize that value is most important, we will see the change.

  • QOTD-Red 60%, White30%, Rose 5%, Sparkling 5%

  • The Obsidian is good juice. a lil on the bombastic side but tasty! lake county is just north of napa and starting to be a value wine region!
    qotd: 55 red 30 white 12 rose 3 sparkling

  • Anonymous

    You might have been thrown off into thinking the Obsidian was WA because of the similar sounding AVA. WA has Red Mountain.

    Breakdown:
    65% red
    25% white
    7% Sparkling
    3% Rose

  • Anonymous

    85% red
    14% white
    1% Sparkling
    0% Rose

  • Anonymous

    QOTD:
    Red = 60%
    White = 30%
    Sparkling = 5%
    Rose = 5%

    of note, the red is losing market shares to white, sparkling, and rose all the time

  • Anonymous

    GV – WHAT…WHAT…CALI!

    QOTD:
    50% – White
    25% – Red
    15% – Rose
    5% – Sparkling
    5% – Dessert/Fortified

    And yes, there is value in Cali…look to the Zins!

  • QOTD:
    2% – White
    80% – Red
    1% – Rose
    3% – Sparkling
    14% – Dessert/Fortified

  • Trying this wine for the first time tonight. Great structure, awesome gaminess, and a bit of soot—love how it pulls at the cheeks. G, I am not getting the heavy oak treatment. I am usually pretty sensitive to over jam/over oak, but I think it’s in the strike zone. This is why I love to taste along side you from time to time—tare the scale.

    BTW, you have a new Pinot Noir in stock from Sonoma called Beau Pere. Perfect blend of old world and new. Very exotically spiced and beautifully light. I would love to see you taste it.

    Congrats on 500 my man!

  • luca bercelli

    89/100

    Solid episode.
    My drinking breakdown is 50% Red, 45% White, 4% Bubbles, 1% Rose

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