Are you a Vayniac?

Have your been following Gary Vaynerchuk's series of wine clips running on the Wine Lovers Page?

Eric Asmimov was intrigued:

“This wine coats your palate with so much obnoxious pineapple – not a normal pineapple – a pineapple that is obnoxious. What I mean by that is very ripe and huge with flavor, like the best pineapple-flavored candy you’ve ever had, and I’ve never had a pineapple-flavored candy.’’

That was Gary on a 2003 Zind-Humbrecht riesling, obviously a wine he liked. He continued: “Tremendous integration of acidity. Let’s call it TIA because TIA is very important. When white wines bring TIA to the table you are getting a much more complete and complex, rich and profound bottle of white wine.’’ Yup, I guess he liked it.

With much audible chewing of the wine and spitting, it’s easy to see that the wine geek’s life is not a pretty or telegenic one. It’s the sort of thing best done in private, but this is stream-of-consciousness stuff, so editing wouldn’t do. Mispronunciations stream forth – who am I to criticize? Sometimes wine descriptions would have been better off with editing, like a reference to the aroma of “blue stone.’’ I’m still trying to figure that one out. Gary could have been a model for Miles in “Sideways’’ – “I’m getting a little bit of lemongrass on the nose, yeah, a little lemon peel, a little citrus aspect,’’ he says, hand to forehead, describing a Champagne. “I’m also getting a little bit of toastiness as well, slight hints of almonds, but, actually, no, it almost smells a little bit of walnut on the nose, walnut oil….’’

Still, I enjoy the enthusiasm, I share his love for Champagne, and I always have a soft spot for a fellow Jets fan. For the wine-obsessed, it borders on cult entertainment.

Gary has been getting some remarkable reviews; this set is from Eric Asimov's "The Pour":

Agree with his palate or not, he IS entertaining. His descriptors are hard to beat. Been a fan of Gary’s since he began.

After I have gone through the twenty or so wine blogs I read dialy I like to head on over to the Vay-ner-chuk and see what he crazily raving or not raving about.

GaryV is great fun and actually pans many wines. this raises his credibility in my eyes.

After watching WLTV for a while it’s easy to calibrate one’s palate versus Gary’s so his reviews are quite useful. I’ve been watching and commenting for a while. He’s a lot of fun to watch and his enthusiasm and passion for wine is infectious.

We are Vayniacs! Gary is great and the Wine Library is second to none. been a fan since episode 1

I’ve been watching Gary since almost the beginning. While I don’t always agree with his picks, one certainly cannot argue with the man’s passion for what he does. If we all apporached our jobs with the energy and enthusiasm he does, the world would be a much better place.

You’ve got to love Gary, he is so animated and entertaining, even my 4 year old enjoys him.

Gary brings the wine world to everyone, enthusiastically, with humor, wit, and encouragement to try all kinds of wine. If you want to LOL, then watch Gary; once you do you’ll be hooked.

There is one particular episode that hooked me. It was so popular that WLTV pulled it. It was about developing your palate. Many people like it because it entertains at a base level, but the information presented would be useful in any wine study. One existing link is http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/1626867/


WLTV is a great fun. The guy obviously enjoys doing the show, and enjoys tasting wine. He’s turned me on to several wines I never would have considered without his intorduction. His opinions can be over the top at times, but what the heck – it’s entertainment, with a little education.


I have been an enthusiastic Wine Library customer and WLTV viewer from nearly the beginning. Gary V is the real deal. His descriptors are pertinent to a generation that is less likely to have any agricultural experience. Thus olfactory metaphors lean toward suburban garden, supermarket produce, and modern household fragrances. Not always very flowery, but resonant to those with that kind of background (most of us).

You have obviously hit on a hot topic. Wine Library TV is entertaining educational and promotional without being promotional. Enthusiasm and information can sell anything and Gary Vaynerchuk brings both to wine. I am sure this has helped sales at Wine Library and I am sure has helped wine sales generally speaking.

I am a relative newcomer to wine enthusiasm. I have always enjoyed wine, but never appreciated its complexity, history and subtlety. Many of the descriptions of Gary above are quite accurate. He’s ebullient, effusive and raw. He just does not hold back. His honesty and sincerity are genuinely appealing. He also really seems to know his stuff. I have learned a ton about wine in a short time from watching WLTV daily. Quite possibly the most important thing to me are his recommendations: he has hit more home runs for me than his beloved Jets had touchdowns this year. I have found his advice to be right on the money. For my palate, he has not made a bad recommendation yet. I must admit, I am a Vayniac. I hope he remains “unplugged” just as he is now.

Gary’s main effect is to make wine more accessible for more people. He’s a regular guy. And I like his confidence. If Parker says a wine is 87 but Gary thinks it’s 89, then to him it’s 89. We should all trust our palates so much. That plus his willingness to slam wines sold in his store gives him a sense of credibility.


What do you folks think?

Regards, Bob

I love it. I have met a few of his employees on various wine trips. All good guys with excellent wine tasting skills & knowledge.

Actually, another reason to get XP. I can't seem to download a version of Quiktime for ME. Also, the software to download the pictures from my cell phone requires XP.

Gary is certainly entertaining--it's particularly interesting to see how much he has 'loosened up' since the earliest episodes of Wine Library TV. His charisma alone might explain why such a thing as 'Vayniacs' even exists . . . but I think one of the comments on Asimov's blog really captured what Vaynerchuk brings to the table:

His descriptors are pertinent to a generation that is less likely to have any agricultural experience. Thus olfactory metaphors lean toward suburban garden, supermarket produce, and modern household fragrances. Not always very flowery, but resonant to those with that kind of background (most of us).

For example, Vaynerchuk's quote below will connect with a significant number of people that 'honeysuckle' will never achieve.

“This wine coats your palate with so much obnoxious pineapple – not a normal pineapple – a pineapple that is obnoxious. What I mean by that is very ripe and huge with flavor, like the best pineapple-flavored candy you’ve ever had, and I’ve never had a pineapple-flavored candy.’’

I have never really completely understood the appeal of people that can instantly rate wines in a swig or two, mainly because my own experience has taught me to withhold judgment and give lots of second chances--wine can be a fickle thing. That being said, Vaynerchuk does admirably at getting people excited about wine, be willing to drop their preconceptions, and to expand their palates and try new things.

The main problem with these things is that they are serial. You have to watch the whole thing -- writing is better, easyto scan read, pick out the interesting things.

For wine tasting, I don't think video adds anything.

I've been a regular watcher of Gary's video blog and I've been hooked. I think it is fantastic. He brings a ton of enthusiasm and a fresh perspective.

I'm very much a newbie to wines and its been a great introduction to different parts of the wine world which I might have otherwise taken a lot longer to discover. Would have taken me a lot of time discover Crozes Hermitage, Cahors etc. and to add them to my list.

I'd say that Gary's video blog has been the single biggest influence in my newly found hobby. He's passionately introducing a whole pile of us 30 somethings to wine.

The main problem with these things is that they are serial. You have to watch the whole thing -- writing is better, easyto scan read, pick out the interesting things.

For wine tasting, I don't think video adds anything.

I don't know, Peter. He is quite entertaining, the production is low tech, he is just as apt to dis a wine as compliment it and the guy is enthusiastic - which comes across. Not many writers can get excitment and enthusiasm across.
I like his little niche.
Best, Jim

I can't say he appeals to me but his video does add something for a lot of people...from what I hear he's and his store are the #1 player in the NJ fine wine market, with a huge market share.

The main problem with these things is that they are serial. You have to watch the whole thing -- writing is better, easyto scan read, pick out the interesting things.

For wine tasting, I don't think video adds anything.

I don't know, Peter. He is quite entertaining, the production is low tech, he is just as apt to dis a wine as compliment it and the guy is enthusiastic - which comes across. Not many writers can get excitment and enthusiasm across.
I like his little niche.
Best, Jim

Well, if you've the time to spare, sure. He's a salesman, he has to be enthusiastic and entertaining. I like watching the in-store sales promo people too when I've got the time. But at the end of the day Vayniac's a front man selling wine for a store, not an independent reviewer. Who really cares what he thinks of a wine?

There's enough commercials on the airwaves without willingly watching them on ones computer. If I want computer videos, I'll go to yuvutu

But at the end of the day Vayniac's a front man selling wine for a store, not an independent reviewer. Who really cares what he thinks of a wine?

Perhaps I'm showing my cynicism here, but Parker is an independent reviewer and, IMO, the only thing of real value he brings to the table is enthusiasm.
Best, Jim

Well, if you've the time to spare, sure. He's a salesman, he has to be enthusiastic and entertaining. I like watching the in-store sales promo people too when I've got the time. But at the end of the day Vayniac's a front man selling wine for a store, not an independent reviewer. Who really cares what he thinks of a wine?

There's enough commercials on the airwaves without willingly watching them on ones computer. If I want computer videos, I'll go to yuvutu

IMHO I think that this analysis is a bit too simplistic.

He gives a thumbs down to perhaps more wines than he gives a thumbs up to. He also sells ALL the wines at his store (including the ones he gives a thumbs down to). Wines that get a thumbs down are not limited to any price range. He's constantly suggesting a pass on a wine which is otherwise good but not for the price.

There are several episodes where he is talking enthusiastically about a particular wine he is ready to try and finallly when he tastes it 30 seconds later he's dissapointed and gives it a pass.

He also spends a fair amount of time talking about wine, wine regions in general, where to get good values, screw caps vs. corks etc. ect.

While he is not techincally independent, I believe that the opinions he expresses are genuine. Salesman don't generally talk down half the products they sell - particularly expensive ones, and then talk up less expensive ones that provide better value.

-Aamer

Actually, another reason to get XP. I can't seem to download a version of Quiktime for ME. Also, the software to download the pictures from my cell phone requires XP.

OK, so YOU are the one. I had heard an unsubstantiated rumor that there was still one person in North America running Windows-ME. The folks up the road at Microsoft would only say "No comment" when asked about this.

-- Clark