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EP 954 Tasting of New California Arrivals

Gary Vaynerchuk tries 4 Californian reds that have just arrived at Wine Library and also received massive scores in the press. He tastes them to see if they live up to the hype.

Wines tasted in this episode:

2006 Luna Napa MerlotNapa Merlot
2007 Flora Springs TrilogyNapa Red Meritage
2008 Lewis Cellars Alec’s BlendNapa Rhone Blends
2008 Lewis Napa Cabernet SauvignonNapa Cabernet


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luca bercelli

90/100

line of the day – ‘Calibree; it means calibre and pedigree all in one.’

GV’s passion over the last one is so infectious – it really makes me want to taste the wine…if only!

Tags: cabernet, california, meritage, merlot, napa, red, review, Video, wine, wines

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  • Uncle_robby

    They called it Montagia.

  • HealdsburgJason

    Fav california red…. Bella (Dry Creek Valley) at the moment. Was able to get my hands on a few bottles of the Bella Lily Hll Estate, amazing…. Rare that I join a winery club, signed up the day we visited.

  • Anonymous

    Papapietro Perry Pinot has been good to me for the past year…hooked! Their Zin is pretty legit too.
    Good show G!

  • Anonymous

    Agreed…so good…visited back in May!

  • LenF

    QOTD – Fav CA Red is Rudd Crossroads

  • WTG Cali! Haven’t had any Lewis, but I will be on the lookout now that holiday steak-driven gatherings are about.

    QOTD1: Not really drinking much Cali at the moment, though I have a few I am going to open up soon. A Sequoia Grove and one other.

    QOTD2: All time? Many of the ones mentioned before I like…Frog’s Leap, Ravenswood, Castle Rock. I had a Montelena I was cellaring and it totally brought me back.

  • Amalkin

    Was Seqoiua Grove and Cakebread ten years back for Cabs. Most distinct ones of late have been Kistler Cuvee Catherine and a tremendous Cindy wine- Carver Sutro Petite Sirah. Huge but after some decanting it’s balanced, integrated and just well made. Tastes like $50+ easy and ought from you twice for sub $30. Awesome deal.

  • Curt

    Had a 2005 White Cottage Ranch cab last month that knocked my socks off. Been drinking wine for close to 20 years now and have never lost any love for napa cabs.

  • Anonymous

    I haven’t had the ’91 Dominus, but I bet it is delicious. I had a ’91 Ridge Monte Bello about a month ago and it was without question the best California Cabernet I have ever had. And just to qualify that, I work as a sommelier in a steak house in D.C. I drink A LOT of Cabernet. If you you can find a high quality producer from the ’91 vintage, I am sure it will be a wine experience you and your son will never forget.

  • Anonymous

    qotd: 2005 L’aventure Optimus. I don’t drink a ton of cali wine. I picked up a case of this because my wine guy got it for cheap. Turns out that it’s pretty fantastic for my taste, at least for the price.

  • Anonymous

    Great Show!
    I love the Lewis Portfolio. I am glad to see the cab showed well, but kinda disappointed that the Alec’s Blend did not. It is one of my favorite wines to sell. Although I thought you were very fair in pointing out it needs some more time in the bottle. I had dinner with Randy Lewis about a year ago. He is an awesome guy and makes some phenomenal wines.

    QOTD: All time favorite — ’91 Ridge Monte Bello. Hands down.

    Seeing as how I can’t afford to drink that with any regularity, I have really been enjoying
    Vineyard 7 & 8. Luc Morlet makes Killer wines in old world styles.

  • Alex T

    Somewhat limited by the CKC budget, but the ’05 Calistoga Cab was one in recent memory that I really enjoyed. Paired will with friends and a fireplace.

  • Anonymous

    Nice!!!! I like that show. Very no nonsense’esque!!!

    QOTD: Robert Craig Affinity….at the moment…..as in……right now….lol

  • AG

    QOTD: I went through a Jordan phase followed by an Egelhoff phase followed by a Rubicon phase (scary how it’s getting progressively more expensive).

    SIlver Oak? yikes.
    My all time favorite comment on wine came from a waitress at Capitol Grill, ‘Friends don’t let friends drink Silver Oak.’ Words to live by.

  • Jasonbcarey

    Cali wine of the moment.. A donkey and Goat 2008 Rousanne.. El Dorado

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: I’ve really enjoyed some of the ’07 Robert Craigs and the Caymus Cabs. Good stuff. However, I still go back to the ’05 Mantra Cab Sauv. It may be a little too oak monster for some palates, but the stuff is tasty, and for $25/bottle, great QPR.

  • Great show!!! Nothing like a big Cali Cab with a ribeye or filet mignon steak. I met Randy Lewis at a local wine tasting a year ago. Wonderful man.. He sure knows how to make a great big cab… Consistently good year after year. Just wish I could afford to buy more. Other cali wines/cabs I love:
    Caymus
    Pahlmeyer
    Paul Hobbs Cabs and Pinots- I’ve been raving about his russian river 08 pinot noir all year. Must say I liked it better than the 07 Sea Smoke I just had, which was shocking. 🙂

    Can’t wait to try the Flora Springs Trilogy! Thx GV.

  • Nice episode. I like the Lewis wine labels…

    QOTD: a) don’t have one; b) never had a favorite actually, tried many different ones and then moved on, years ago. ( Probably time I started tasting California wines again…)

  • Agree about the Gloria Ferrer blanc de blanc. I haven’t had it in a while and forgot about it.. Thx for reminder!

  • Impressive list of Napa restaurants.. Have not been to any of them yet and I’m only a 2-1/2 drive from Napa. Sheesh. I need to get out more. 🙂

  • castello

    Bella! I have one of their big ass glasses. Great place and wine.

  • Patrick Theriault

    I have a huge crush on Ridge, drank the lytton spring 2004 2 nights ago amd it was Delicious!

  • castello

    We may never get the respect we deserve! 🙁

  • Another great show Gary. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

    QOTD: The Prisoner by Orin Swift, Three Valleys Zinfandel by Ridge, M5 blend from Margerum

  • Anonymous

    Love Ridge. They are the most ballanced wines.

  • castello

    And how much is a steak?

  • Anonymous

    I’ve got the recent Ridge Three Vallys release and it rocks!

  • Phil Anderson

    QOTD: Don’t have a GoTo California wine at this moment so I have to go with my “B” selection which was Firestone Sauvignon Blanc. It’s just lost it’s luster…or, maybe my palette has changed?

    Phil Anderson
    generalwinethoughts.com

  • Anonymous

    I am a recent Paul Hobbs convert.

  • Anonymous

    Me too!

  • Anonymous

    There is some serious Ridge love going on in the comments today.

  • Anonymous

    Ah men!!!

  • Adam

    Going to Vegas soon and will make sure delmonico’s has a few bottles of the Lewis Cab in stock. Sounds very very nice but won’t be able to get it in Australia

  • Anonymous

    Email me glen@winecrazy.com I’ll tell you what ones are the best

  • Anonymous

    QOTD – Lioco, Red Car Wine Company, Au Bon Climat, Quivira, Frank Family, Paul Hobbs Crossbarn, and Ridge (Zin not Cab or Chard). These are all my favorite California wines.

  • Red Shouldered Hawk

    I love the ’95’s as well. Hess had a great ’95. These days the 2008 Old Vine Zin (Soucie) from M2 in Lodi ignites my tinder.

  • castello

    Great show. Love big cali wines!

  • Jeffbrzozowski

    Gary, how about a brown bag session where you guess the varietal, region, maybe vintage and see how close you get?

  • All of our beef is Prime, and it depends on the cut, of course. On one end of the cost spectrum you have a 14oz Ribeye for $40, on the other end there’s an 18oz bone-in Filet for $70 or a 27oz bone-in Ribeye for $60. Most popular steak is the 8oz Filet for $45.

  • Anonymous

    Feel compelled to share that you may be better off drinking the ’00 Dominus sooner rather than later; have had it twice in the last two months and it seems to be on a fast evolutionary track. A good but not great Dominus (as per the vintage) and yes, it was sleeping in a cold cellar since release.

  • Anonymous

    Very good phase to be in. The 2001 Spottswoode is stunning – just entering early maturity. One of the top three Cali Cabernet Sauvignon’s I’ve tasted in 2010 (with Vineyard 29 & Seavey).

  • Eirikpm

    QODT: I haven`t really had any great Californian wines… just some wines that has been ok. And the reason is that it`s hard to get good california wine here in Norway! And the few that`s really good, is just too expensive 🙁

  • Anonymous

    I had cases of the ’91 & ’94 Dominus. I drank the last ’91 over 3 years ago. This wine was fantastic relatively young and was still very nice in 2007, if perhaps showing its age a bit (not surprisingly). If you are CERTAIN it has been properly kept in a COLD cellar it would PROBABLY be fine, but the very nature of wine (“there are no great wines, only great bottles”) means it will always be a gamble.

  • Anonymous

    Perhaps you’re right, but I suspect most sub-$20 Merlots (especially the Luna) are not vinified to cellar for more than 3-4 years, let alone improve for up to 10.

  • Anonymous

    Do these “shout outs” come with a check/cash/car or something??? I must be missing something…no, come to think of it, I’m not.

  • Anonymous

    Maybe you’d better send the C-T to me; after the champagne you’ll never look at the domestic sparkler the same way again!

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for the shout-out, GV!! It means A LOT to me to be called out once in a while. I hope to be able to drink some wine and maybe chat for a second next time your in SOCAL. Cheers, and have a GREAT Thanksgivers with your family.

    QOTD: I don’t drink all that much CA wine, so I don’t have an all-time favorite. HOWEVER, I will name a couple of large production wines that I’ve enjoyed recently at close-out prices:
    2007 Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Merlot (reg $20, sale $9.99)
    2005 Kunde Estate Merlot (reg $18, sale $7.99)
    2005 Truchard Cabernet Sauvignon, Carneros

    AND overall solid CA wines at reasonable prices that I’ve served at my restaurant:
    2008 Roessler La Brisa Pinot Noir, Sonoma
    2007 D Cubed Zinfandel, Napa
    2005 Talisman Adastra Vineyard Pinot Noir, Carneros

  • Anonymous

    Larkmead, located on what used to be the Inglenook Vineyard (remember them?) is consistently one of the finest Cab Sauv’s in the $40-$50 range – sadly, a “value” in today’s California CS landscape

  • Anonymous

    Nice, nice show.

    QOTD. I adore Californian wines and can’t pick just one. Therefore my top list:
    Caymus
    Merryvale, Kamen
    Pahlmeyer, white
    Ramey

    and another from the US

    Wild Grape from South Dakota

    Gary, you should try this one, the Wild Grape. This one is awesome.

  • BradVinNH

    Great show!
    QOTD: “The” CA winery at this point in my life: Alban
    CA winery that used to be all that for me: Ravenswood in the late 80’s, early 90’s.

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