Summerpalooza 2026

Double blind summerpalooza mondo wine event with great food, friends, and fireworks.

WOTN: (group ranking)
1) Faiveley Rodin '12
2) Mugnier Musigny '07
3) Cheval Blanc '85
4) Guigal La Turque '89
5) Montille Vosne Malconsorts '08

Honorable Mentions:
Latour '82
Vega Unico '98

• 2008 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon

  France, Champagne

  Of the three starter Champagne's that we had tonight, this was my favorite. This was surprising even to me because of my love of Krug Grand Cuvee and 08 Dom. This could also be because I have a bias towards rose bubble vs. Brut bubbles.

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• NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 165eme

  France, Champagne

  Krug Grand Cuvee is my favorite NV Champagne. Tonight was no different and it was consistent with my prior tasting notes of 165 eme. It was only edged out by the 08 Bilecart Salmon Elizabeth Rose that was served next to it (and the '13 Salon and 164 eme that came later in the evening).

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• 2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne Luminous

  France, Champagne

  08 Dom is the best modern vintage of Dom Perignon. This bottle was not as evolved and advanced as the one we had earlier in the month of June. Still delicious, though.

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• 2012 Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Les Ouvrées Rodin

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

  My second time with this wine and it once again won WOTN against some strong competition. This was the most complete Burgundy of the night from start to finish. Beautiful perfumed nose, smooth and silky midpalate and a long semi-sweet delightful mineral driven finish. While very fresh, it is also drinking in its sweet spot now.

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• 2008 Domaine de Montille Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  While I preferred the nose on this wine more than the Faiveley Rodin, it was a few notches below only because of its rustic and slightly drying finish. The nose had a beautiful energy and tension with some orange rind and Vosne spice. Really great. Just wish the finish were longer and smoother.

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• 2005 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  A new world esque style wine that is beastly on the blowing nose and glycerin thick finish. Tastes like it has some sweet Cabernet and a touch of alcohol on the finish with some grippy tannin. A touch of green herb combined with the tannin led the group to conclude it was Italian. Someone called it Sassicaia, which I thought was a good call. I did not love this wine, but it was still good.

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• 2007 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru

  Ranked #2 by the group. While it was a touch slurpier and sappier that when we had it a few weeks prior, it is a beautiful wine with great sex appeal. Incredible nose! Wow! It also had a silky smooth finish that goes on and on for over a minute. If I had to be critical, it was a bit singular and lacked the complexity of the Faiveley Rodin. Delicious wine and I'm glad I still have one more bottle left. 2007 Burgundies are in a great spot right now.

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• 1982 Château Latour Grand Vin

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Beautifully aged and mature left bank Bordeaux. Liquid nobility in the glass. Classic aromas and flavors of leather, tobacco, sweaty wet soil, cedar, black fruits, and a long but slightly drying finish. I called it '89 Montrose. It was a great wine, but not the best 82 Latour tasting that I've had from my prior 6+ tasting experiences of this wine. Ranked #4 for me tonight.

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• 2014 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Cannubi

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Beautifully pure cherry fruit both on the nose and on the finish. I called it as Nebbiolo but also thought it could be a Madonna Brunello Riserva which sometimes masks itself as Nebbiolo. Very tannic on the finish but the bright cherry fruit powers through the tannin. This is a great wine but it needs at least five more years to show some complexity beyond fruit and tannin.

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• 1985 Château Cheval Blanc

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Wow! This is a beauty. My first time trying the 85 Cheval and it lived up to the hype. This is more a beauty than a beast. It is a very complete and balanced wine from start to finish. If you take time with it, you will notice layers of complexity and there is a vein of torched creme brulee brown sugar sweetness on the finish. A touch of green herb. Long and smooth finish. Delicious! I ranked it as my #2 WOTN.

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• 1989 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Fabulous wine! It ranks up there as of the best Cote-Rotie's that I've had the pleasure tasting in my lifetime. While it still has a ton of juicy Syrah fruit, it is a very balanced wine. This is the best Syrah has to offer. I ranked it #5 just one tick behind the '82 Latour.

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• 1998 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  Tasted double blind. I nailed the producer as Vega Unico, but didn't get the vintage. I'm finally getting to the point where I can spot this wine blinded as it has a very signature profile. It can really throw a group off the scent because it masks itself as a new world wine, but then when you spend time with it, the layers of complexity emerge. A great wine from a great producer.

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• 2008 Château Angélus

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Super youthful but with a beautiful perfumed nose. It is a noble wine, but way too young to be drinking now. I enjoyed it better than the '16 Haut Brion. but that only because it was 8 years older. Both wines were not ready to be consumed. Give this at least five more years to come around.

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• 2016 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  We killed a baby tonight. Yes, it has nobility and a youthful left bank nose of gorgeous black fruit, but it is austere, green, and closed for business. Way to brutish to drink now. This needed a 24 hour decant at a minimum or another decade plus in the cellar.

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• 2015 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

  This is still very primary and fruit driven. It is an extremely well-made red fruit driven Burgundy from an awesome producer, but it needs another 10 years of age to show its full potential and complexity. Patience will be rewarded.

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• 2013 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut

  France, Champagne

  YUM! This came at the perfect moment of the evening when everyone needed something bright and acidic to lift and awaken our palates. My second time having the '13 Salon and it did not disappoint. If you can afford it, buy it.

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• 1995 Château Cos d'Estournel

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  I have probably tasted the '95 Cos at least 20 times in my lifetime. What I can say is that it was better in its youth and seems to be losing a bit of its energy and freshness. On the contrary, I think the '96 Cos is starting to hit its stride. Nevertheless, I am going to drink my last bottle of '95 that is in my cellar soon before it falls off its plateau window.

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• 2014 Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Ruchottes

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Loved it. Perfectly placed in the line-up for this evening event. Normally, we have more white Burg., but tonight this was the only bottle. It is delicious.

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• 2016 Château des Tours Côtes du Rhône Reserve

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  It was also nice to get a Grenache based wine at this point in the evening. I nailed it as Grenache and placed it in S. Rhone. It does have a Rayas like profile, but clearly not as signature as a Rayas or Pignan. Nevertheless, it is a great value wine considering its pedigree.

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• NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 164eme

  France, Champagne

  Probably one of my favorite editions of Krug Grand Cuvee. Still drinking great now. Great Champagne!

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• 2008 Domaine Dujac Morey-Saint-Denis

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey-Saint-Denis

  This was disappointing. Not flawed, but just tired and lacked personality.

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• 2004 Vietti Barolo Brunate

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This hits the spot for late night cellar diving and a nice departure from the tired and boring Dujac. Tantalizes the senses. Great wine. Pop N Poured.

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• 1983 Château Léoville Las Cases

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  This bottle must not have been stored as good as the bottle I tasted back in November 2025. While it had a beautiful mature left bank nose on it, the finish didn't match and was drying and lacked freshness. I question the storage on this bottle.

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Great night had by all, even the guy who fell into the lake at the end of the night.