Blow out Blind night

Corkbuzz, Union Square
Tasted Monday, June 23, 2025 by Floral with 203 views

Introduction

Corkbuzz Union Square is closing so we had a final blind night.

Everyone rose to the theme. I have nothing unique to add. Is it an embarrassment of riches. Yes. Is that cool? Yes. Do things get lost/not enough air/ too much air? Yes. Did we do well all things considered? Yes. Do flawed wines hurt more as you climb the price rungs? Yes. Is that “part of the game?” You know the answer.

Flight 1 - Aperitif (1 Note)

Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 2021 La Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri Rioja Blanco 90 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

    Much lighter with great floral notes and beautiful acid to balance. I thought this was excellent and showed better Than the Lopez until just the end.

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  • 2004 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    As confident as I was in my white rioja call, I was equally confident that it was not LdH as there was no nuttiness/oxidative splendor, rather more wood power, but I guess the Gran Reserva just shows different.

    This was closed in the beginning, but by end of night had mellowed into something special. I usually open its less pedigreed sibling 4 days in advance (and this from someone who rarely likes a wine the next day) so surprised that it turned around so quickly.

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Flight 3 (3 Notes)

  • 2006 K Vintners Syrah Royal City 82 Points

    USA, Washington

    Good, but no wow for me. Wood and under ripe plums. Little hot.

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  • 2013 Cayuse Syrah Armada Vineyard 88 Points

    USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

    More red fruit to balance out the funk. Lighter in body. Certainly, easier than Bionic Frog. This was very good, though you must like the style. Did not improve to scale grand heights, as did its older brother.

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  • 2004 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog 90 Points

    USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

    Buddy and I had a taste of the 2020 together a while back. It was vile.

    Immediately that memory came to mind, but this felt aggressive and needing air, rather than purely putrid. Still, was clearly Rocks. Despite the decant ahead of time, it was out of balance, but for those of us without a primrose palate, it was clear the goods were underneath.

    I squirreled my glass away on the shelf and finished the evening with it. It became wonderful with the rocks funk becoming a supporting note and great black fruit, red flower, and tar/leather jumping up. I finally get this wine.

    Lots of time left for these.

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Flight 4 (2 Notes)

  • 2013 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Excellent 90/91. Complex mix of flowers and red fruit with small herb garish. This was great in the beginning and got better in middle of evening. Fell off slightly at the end. Completely showed up the 2007 scarecrow next to it.

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  • 2007 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    Appreciate T opening the door for us, but alas this evening no one was home. Very chill energy. Some plum and spice. Very full. Touch hot?

    Maybe it needs a ton more air? I believe he opened it 2 hours before dinner.

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Flight 5 (2 Notes)

  • 1994 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    The 1982 made this show better than it was. Riper conditioned fruit and decidedly new world vibes that held its balance back from greatness. 1994 is a vintage I collect, so bummed. The more CA folks at the table enjoyed this much more than I did so - ymmv.

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  • 1982 Château Mouton Rothschild Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    This was completely ho-hum. Either this had very low level TCA that stripped the personality away or it needed a day of air. Either way a rending of garments as this was a bucket list wine to try for me (and I know for others).

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Flight 6 (2 Notes)

  • 2013 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 92 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Wow. Excellent. Nothing like it on the table. The scent here is enthrallingly complex - kombucha freeze dried strawberry? Body is lighter weight, but no blow over and shiftingly complex

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  • 2013 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Apple skin nose with red cherry and a young disposition. Intense on the finish. Good, but not to open now.

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Flight 7 (2 Notes)

  • 2015 Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri 88 Points

    Australia, South Australia

    Very good. No new oak and much better for it than the 1993 Penfolds Grange. St. Henri we had along sides. Younger yes, but great underlying materials.

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  • 1993 Penfolds Grange

    Australia, South Australia

    So much expensive oak here. It’s like a vanilla milkshake drenched designer purse. God bless. Shocked this was 1993. When does this wine integrate - year 80?

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Flight 8 (2 Notes)

Flight 9 (3 Notes)

  • NV Sami-Odi Shiraz Little Wine #6 89 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa

    Blend of 2012-2016. Very good. Of the 3, this was the most Rhone on the nose. Blue fruit and blood and iron. Took me to Coronas/St. Joseph. Ripe in flavor. Some slight wood influence has its hand up in class, but the student is well behaved. Mouth goes a touch hot and shows it’s abv.

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  • 1996 Penfolds Grange 89 Points

    Australia, South Australia

    Very good. Rich milk chocolate and ripe dark cherry. Some heat? Someone said Creamed vanilla finish and that resonates. I think this could do with more time.

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  • 1996 Henschke Shiraz Hill of Grace 91 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley

    Sex in an herb garden. More menthol and less eucalyptus for me. Great integration of tannins and wood into velvet texture. It’s a lot, but in a luscious way. In a great spot. Towards end of the night it got a little blocky, so don't feel the need for an 8hr decant here.

    Google tells me 1996 was cooler and wetter. This was just on another level of complexity than the rest of the Aussies and most the other wines.

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Flight 10 (2 Notes)

  • 2011 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Little BBQ on the nose some bright red ripe strawberry. Nice finish. Calm in a together sort of way. Slightly more tertiary than the 2011 Ampuis, but honestly think these were quite close. However, I did not get the chance to revisit this later and suspect it did well with more air.

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  • 2011 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Instant call northern Rhone with nose of cooked black sesame and sweet hickory bbq. Flavor more restrained with red fruit and welcoming structure. This gained speed as the night went along and I don’t think was anyway outclassed by its paired 2011 La Landonne.

    2011 is weird northern Rhône year, hot spring, cooler wet summer. Its reputation is for early drinking, great aroma, and fruit drive (less concrete structure). Maybe I’m just following the bouncing ball, but I think this wine was all those things, but in the best of ways. Excellent.

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Flight 11 (2 Notes)

  • 2018 The Mascot

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    This needed more air and more years. Some earth spice and funk. I think there is potential here.

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  • 2016 Colgin IX Estate 80 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Slathered in baby fat and oak. Can’t see what’s underneath. I’m not convinced this style of wine ages well, but I wouldn’t touch it for another 12 - 15 years.

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Flight 12 (2 Notes)

Flight 13 (2 Notes)

  • 2020 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    This was the opposite experience of the Chave. It completely blasted and I think was great for the end. I knew I was going to go Chave v Jamet and debated the vintage here a lot. Even though 2020 is so young, I’ve seen lots of notes about how it’s still open and ultimately decided this would be a fascinating contrast.

    2020 is def a return to the classic profile. This is a bomb of black olive and minerals. Pepper follows up and then the fruit. I found this less in the bqq/smoke camp the Guigal wines. This feels like an old school titan being chiseled from the rockface.

    Note to check back in maybe 5yrs?

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  • 2004 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Opening it at the restaurant, I found it closed, after 30 mins in bottle, moved to a narrow decanter (off its sediment) this, and time, helped a lot, but the downside is that this went very late in the tasting and while several folks said it was amazing, for me it got a little lost as, while no small wine, it has more restraint and nuance to it.

    I see notes on cellar tracker saying it’s time to open these… this bottle is very good now, but has 20 more years in front of it.

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Flight 14 (2 Notes)

  • 2014 Château Mouton Rothschild

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    These should have gone earlier. 2014 is a beautiful classic vintage and was never going to show well at the end of this zoo. I will say that the while the PC felt very BDX, the Mouton felt very Rhone. Lots of dark fruit, blue, Very strong mineral line, herb, and structured. Needs more time.

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  • 2014 Château Pontet-Canet

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Should have gone earlier in the evening. Felt classic, if not a little ho-hum.

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Closing

Very appreciative of the organizer and everyone who participated. Jolly jolly time

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