Gary Vaynerchuk’s Crushpad Project
We’ll admit we were both relieved and disappointed at Gary V’s announcement yesterday. We had all sorts of theories that he was going to be franchising his store to LA and converting the few but loyal Domainiacs to Vayniacs.
But what he announced doesn’t seem too revolutionary to us. More like a great business plan where he creates his own Cult Cab brand, and then makes a huge amount of money pre-selling the stuff (Screaming Eagle mailing-list-style) and then inviting free labor along for the ride, footing their own bill to boot! No distributors or wineries to pay. A small cut to Crushpad and the rest cuts out the middle-man.
Okay, so the concept of a community wine is fun, but groundbreaking? We were a little underwhelmed. Please weigh in!
12 Responses to “Gary Vaynerchuk’s Crushpad Project”
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get your wine on
2008 “Bebame” Red, El Dorado County, California
Cabernet Franc (65%) and Gamay (35%) from - gasp - California! And only 13% ABV, pretty modest by California standards. If I tasted this blind I would probably have said it’s from the Loire Valley. It has pretty much nothing in common with the full bodied iterations of Cab Franc coming out of Napa. Juicy, light, delicious quaffing wine.$18 a bottle
2006 Telegramme Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge
Really balanced and smooth, this is a bargain of a Chateauneuf. Yeah, the 07s are lauded but what would I prefer to drink? This! It’s the second label of Vieux Telegraphe, from the same property but from younger vines. And it’s a deal at $33 a bottle.2006 or bust!
NV Barcino Cava: LA Times Wine of the Week!
Delicious and just in time for New Year’s Eve…this is the LA Times Wine of the Week, and we have plenty in stock. Order online, pick-up in-store!$14 a bottle!
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3/8/10: First domaineLA Wine Tasting at Susan Feniger’s Street: 5 Wines, $15:
Just a quick note to let you know that a week from today, on Monday, March 8th, 2010, I’ll be hosting the first domaineLA wine tasting event at Susan Feniger’s Street, with the Manincor winery of Italy. The importer and winemaker will both be present to chat about the five wines being poured (including an unusual and delicious dry moscato), and the wines will be paired with light bites.
The best news is that the event will cost just $15 a person…a bargain! Swing by between 6PM and 8PM — I hope to see lots of you there!
Susan Feniger’s Street, 742 N. Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Oh, and you can buy tickets in advance, online by clicking here:
3/8/10: First domaineLA Wine Tasting at Susan Feniger’s Street: 5 Wines, $15
Wine Retail and Social Media: Yeah, I Should Be Blogging…
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wine jargon
Frizzante
From Wikipedia: Frizzante is an Italian wine term term for semi-sparkling wine (as opposed to Spumante, which is generally used for fully sparkling wines). Frizzante wines generally owe their bubbles to a partial secondary fermentation in tank. You might notice a light fizz or tingly sensation on the tongue with a Frizzante wine, compared to the more carbonated sensation that more fully sparkling wines yield.
Scorekage
Okay, so we made up this word yesterday after a great restaurant experience. We brought a bottle of wine with us, expecting to pay a corkage fee. But the restaurant either forgot to charge us the $15, or decided to be nice to us. We scored! Hence, “scorekage” has entered our lexicon. This can also refer to BYO friendly restaurants that don’t charge for corkage under any circumstances.
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Our friends launched a new site and domaine547 is a featured wine columnist in their premiere edition! Go check out Fabulous & Frugal for some fantastic lifestyle tips for living the good life during what, for most of us, is an economically challenging time. There’s much more than wine there, and we’re thrilled to be a small part of the start of what will surely be a successful venture. Congrats to Brandi & Steph for their achievement!
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August 31st, 2007 at 6:36 am
I was surprised myself. While it is true that this is a great way to make money (the publicity, pre-sales, cheap labor, etc.), it is also keeping in line with his constantly promoted theme of everyone being in the Vayniac family. I think it’s going to promote a lot of loyalty and keep him in the forefront of things, but also promote goodwill among all the participants. I’m not sure if I would buy a bottle myself but it’s a brilliant idea. I’m also glad he’s staying on as host - he’s the whole show so it makes no sense for him to leave.
August 31st, 2007 at 7:32 am
I’m sort of hoping that when the wine is finished, Gary will send it to all the major critics for scoring, then do a WLTV episode with them giving their video-tasting notes. THAT would be interesting.
August 31st, 2007 at 8:46 am
I’d like to see how the cork’d and snooth and winelog ratings of his new wine will compare to that of the critics. It would be nice to have him show that the public votes differently than the critics.
Inertia - Powering the Wine Revolution
—Paul Mabray - CEO
August 31st, 2007 at 8:52 am
Thanks Paul. I agree, that would be interesting. However, at 500 cases, most of the people with access to the Vayniac wine will be those who pre-bought it. So they will have an investment in the wine, emotionally as well as financially. This makes that a sticky proposition. It’s all very intriguing, though!
August 31st, 2007 at 9:14 am
I will save 4 cases to sample out to reviewers and to peeps like u and other bloggers, that can be fun, Sorry to let u down D547..I will keep trying
August 31st, 2007 at 11:35 am
I’m wondering what sort of pricetag this wine is going to carry..
August 31st, 2007 at 3:30 pm
$38 a bottle (”on sale from $49.99″)
September 1st, 2007 at 10:41 am
Gary, you were spammed again! don’t know what it is??? We keep approving your comments and then they still wind up in our spam folder which we only check oh so often.
What can we say? If we weren’t skeptical nobody else would be. Everybody loves you so much (and we have a soft spot too), somebody out here has to keep everything in check.
Also –moment of honesty– your name drives traffic. So sometimes we’re provocative for selfish reasons (you understand business as well as you understand wine)! Though I doubt any of your fans will want to come shop with us any time soon
Let’s change the wine world together. We’re in for 6 bottles. d547 spreading the love.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:26 pm
It IS intriguing but it isn’t revolutionary. I am part of a blogger project from last year. What is different is the size of the project - and Gary V. is the guy who can pull it off. I’m in for the koolaid, because even though I’m in the business, it will be a lot of fun!
September 4th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
I was inspired by Gary V.’s idea! I am currently looking at local wineries that offer wine lovers the same opportunity (hotel, rental car and plane fare to Napa is too high!). There are at least a couple on Long Island. I am visiting one this weekend.
Kathleen
Albany, NY
September 6th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Kathleen…there’s actually only one on Long Island…but I’m talking to them about doing something with them for the 2008 vintage.
I had a small group ready to do a cab franc at a local vineyard (that doesn’t normally do it) but too many people bailed!
September 13th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Lenn,
I love Waters Crest Cab Franc. I’m in for a piece of that barrel if you buy one. Should we do a New York wine blogger barrel?
Kathleen