New Hampshire Wine-man: June 2024

Saturday, June 29, 2024

Stemmari Sicilia 2022 Chardonnay DOC

Stemmari Sicilia 2022 Chardonnay DOC, $9.59-$13.99, 87 points, was a medium brass color and graying midway towards the glass rim.
Aromas were light and refreshing orange peel, lemon zest, pine resin, white chocolate, and a hint of mint.
This Chardonnay from Italy (I love Italian Chardonnay) was medium-bodied, showed good acidity, mineral water texture, and though flavors were a bit thin, still a tasty rendition of the nose with a bit of white pepper.
Finished fair on the fading palate, a bit sour, and with a well-balanced 13% alcohol.
Paired fine with my Salt and Vinegar wings.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Friday, June 28, 2024

Tenute Silvio Nardi 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino

Tenute Silvio Nardi 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino, $49.59-$69.99, 94 points, poured a rich ruby red with caramel highlights, a clear meniscus, and sticky legs.
The soft floral aromas were nuanced with near ripe strawberry, black tea, and shoe polish.
The medium-bodied Brunello was imbued with grainy tannins, high acidity, and intense alcohol-infused spiciness, caramel, and bourbon with hints of hibiscus, mint, and oak.
Finished long on the trailing palate and a big 15% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with our spaghetti and meatballs.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Sunday, June 23, 2024

Goldeneye Anderson Valley 2021 Pinot Noir

Goldeneye Anderson Valley 2021 Pinot Noir, $39.99-$59.99, 93 points, poured a lovely Burgundy red color with pomegranate red highlights, a broad clear meniscus, and moderate stained legs.
The bouquet was lovely red fruit, cinnamon, floral vibes, and just a hint of mint leaf.
In fourteen years, this was only my third Goldeneye PN (price is a good excuse), and this one was reminiscent of the 2019 vintage in many ways: body, acidity, tannins grainier, flavors of red fruit, especially red cherry/red raspberry, cinnamon, and hints of cayenne.
Finished long on the trailing palate, mulberry, tarragon, sage, and a well-balanced 14.2%.
Paired nicely with my Spanakopita.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Friday, June 21, 2024

Château Vitallis 1-er Cru Grand Vin De Bourgogne 2020 Pouilly Fuissé

Château Vitallis 1-er Cru Grand Vin De Bourgogne 2020 Pouilly Fuissé, $39.99-$49.99, 94 points, was a medium yellow/gold color with a broad clear penumbra.
Aromas of bright lemon/lime, beach sand, pome blossoms, and hints of warm spring pine needles and white chocolate were outstanding.
This Pouilly Fuissé was light to medium-bodied, showed good acidity, a round soft mouthfeel, and penetrating flavors reflective of the aromas with hints of flint and ginger notes.
Finished long, a bit tart, revealed flavors of melon rind, sparse black pepper, and intense white pepper.
Alcohol was a well-balanced 13% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my fried haddock fillet.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Château Croix Mouton Jean-Philippe Janoueix 2016 Bordeaux Superieur

Château Croix Mouton Jean-Philippe Janoueix 2016 Bordeaux Superieur, $14.49-$17.99, 90 points*, poured a rainbow of ruby reds with a splash of orange in the penumbra near the clear and broad meniscus, showed moderately fat legs.
Smells of blackberries, plums, faint hints of vanilla, roses, mint, and cinnamon were complex and above the point of sale.
Full-bodied, soft, warm, showed a supportive underlayment of tannin, fair acidity, flavors reflective of the aromas with a whisper of anise.
Finished fair, a hint of spice, and with a well-balanced 14% alcohol.
Paired fine with my spice-rubbed rib eye.
*Average score is 86.5 points, but after careful consideration and some ridicule, my 90-point score stands.

Bordeaux Red Wine Vintage 2016

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Monday, June 17, 2024

K Vineyards 2022 Viognier

K Vineyards Yakima Valley, Washington, 2022 Viognier, $15.99-$19.99, 90 points, was a medium brass color with only a broad gray meniscus.
Aromas were dominated by stone fruit nuanced with sour apple, lemon squeeze, subtle floral notes, and a lovely outdoorsy leaf mint.
"K" gave us a rather complex dry near medium-bodied white wine with fair acidity and flavors reflective of the aromas plus a touch of Neco Wafer Candy, good ginger notes, and lime zest.
Finished quite long on the trailing palate and an associated 14.5% alcohol.
Paired fine with my Ipswich fried clams.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Friday, June 14, 2024

Villa Cerna 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva

Villa Cerna 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva, $23.99-$34.99, 88 points, poured a deep blood-orange red with a deluge of tears and a broad clear meniscus.
Red fruit aromas were accented with black tea, soft milk chocolate, toast, and coffee notes.
This Chianti Classico Riserva was near full-bodied, showed good acidity, firm underlayment of tannin, soft mouthfeel, and a rather mundane rendition of the nose onto the palate of flavors with some earthy notes.
It's been twelve years since I tasted and reviewed the 2008 vintage of this wine (not impressed then), but I wanted to give this wine another opportunity to impress.
Finished fair on the trailing palate, a bit tart, and with a well-balanced 14% alcohol.
Paired fine with my spaghetti and meatballs.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Sunday, June 9, 2024

Michele Chiarlo Le Orme 2020 Barbera D'Asti (DOCG)

Michele Chiarlo Le Orme 2020 Barbera D'Asti (DOCG), $10.39-$15.99, 90 points, poured a deep ruby red color with a broad clear meniscus and moderate legs.
The earthy aromas were nuanced with hints of sweet cedar, cinnamon, mulberry, and just a gossamer whisper of smoke.
This Barbera D'Asti was medium-bodied, showed bright acidity, firm grainy tannins, and a rather complex array of developing flavors (way beyond its price-point), some were fruity, others herbal, rare floral notes, hints of chocolate, wood, and spices.
Finished long on the mulberry and a balanced 14.3% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with a number of cuisines, especially our spaghetti in marinara sauce.
Great table wine and QPR!

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Friday, June 7, 2024

Luke Columbia Valley, Wahluke slope, 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Luke Columbia Valley, Wahluke slope, 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, $17.59-$24.99, 87 points, poured an opaque rosewood red with a bleeding meniscus and moderate hanging legs.
Aromas of blueberries, dusty not quite ripe blackberries, and hints of smoke and milk chocolate were good.
Luke was a full-bodied dry red wine with an upfront soft palate, fair acidity, developing fine-grain tannins, a somewhat syrupy texture, and flavors of black cherry, licorice, and plums.
Finished long, showed warm pepper spices, a hint of clove, and a balanced 14.3% alcohol.
Paired well with my meat-lovers pizza.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Sunday, June 2, 2024

Trump Estate Monticello 2022 Sauvignon Blanc

Trump Estate Monticello 2022 Sauvignon Blanc, $23.99-$29.99, 90 points, was a very light yellow-gold color and quite clear midway towards the rim.
Smells of grass and hay with just a hint of pine resin were okay.
This Estate Monticello Sauvignon Blanc was more a medium-bodied white wine (unusual for a SB) with a bit less acidity than most NZ or Cali SBs, but nothing terribly noticeable, its texture was much smoother too (reminded me of the better Vermentino wine from Italy), and the flavors were robust with yeast notes, fresh-cut hay, ginger, and caramel.
Finished long on the trailing palate, a hint of Necco wafer candy, and a well-balanced 13.3% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my sardines in olive oil.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES