New Hampshire Wine-man: February 2025

Saturday, February 22, 2025

Lingua Franca AVNI Willamette Valley 2022 Pinot Noir

Lingua Franca AVNI Willamette Valley 2022 Pinot Noir, $29.74-$39.99, 88 points, poured a bright ruby red with rose-pink highlights, a broad clear meniscus, and thin glass sheeting.
Aromas of smoky black cherry, fragrant ripe strawberries, and perfumed earthy notes were delightful.
This Willamette Pinot was just shy of medium-bodied, showed good acidity, easy tannins, tasty cherry fruit flavors with just a hint of warm spices.
Finished fair, a bit thin, a spot-on 13% alcohol with hints of candied violets and rose tea.
Reminded me of a good Beaujolais.
Paired perfectly with my grass-fed spiced beef hotdog.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Wednesday, February 19, 2025

J Vineyards and Winery, Monterey, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, 2022 Chardonnay

J Vineyards and Winery, Monterey, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, 2022 Chardonnay, $19.99-$27.99, 89 points, was a bright medium yellow/gold color, broad clear meniscus, and obvious fat legs (I don't usually comment on white wine legs).
Aromas of wood, apple sauce, Chardonnay specific grape, and a hint of cantaloupe were pleasant.
J showed good acidity, a steely texture, and classically aroma reflective flavors.
Finished long on grapefruit zest and sour orange peel with a big 14.3% alcohol.
Paired fine with my Hawiian fried chicken.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Monday, February 17, 2025

Castello di Bossi Berardo 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva (DOCG)

Castello di Bossi Berardo 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva (DOCG), $23.79-$29.99, 90 points, poured core opaque ruby red with a clear meniscus and fat stained-legs.
Aromas were marked by herbal notes with soft cinnamon and red fruit smells.
This 2019 Castello di Bossi Berardo was a very good Chianti Classico Riserva, but not as good as I've been used to, with a bone-dry medium body, good acidity, grippy tannins, very grapy flavors with hints of black tea, red pepper, red raspberry, and dried cooking herbs.
Finished long on the trailing palate, plum notes, with a hint of black licorice, and a big 14.5% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my Spaghetti in Marinara sauce.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Sunday, February 16, 2025

The Federalist Marlborough 2023 Sauvignon Blanc

The Federalist Marlborough 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, $12.74-$17.99, 87 points, was a light to medium straw yellow color with a thin water-clear wine ring.
Aromas of passion fruit, white grapefruit, dusty grassiness, and a hint of gooseberry were pleasant.
This Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was light-bodied, showed good acidity, was tart, and tasted much like the aromas suggested with a bit of white pepper.
Finished long on lemon squeeze, a hint of ginger, and restrained 12.5% alcohol.
Paired only just okay with my baked haddock filet.
Overall, a typical Kiwi SB, but a bit thin early on.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Stella Rosa L'Originale 2023 Moscato D'Asti DOCG

Stella Rosa L'Originale 2023 Moscato D'Asti DOCG, $11.98, 87 points, was a light yellow/gold color with almost no effervescence.
A panoply of smells was awakened in the swirl, with green melon, Clementine peel, Necco wafer, and a dried hay field among them.
This was a medium-bodied Moscato, rather sweet (17 grams of natural sugar per serving), mildly viscus with good flavors of rock candy and Moscato specific grape, typical of a sweet Moscato.
Finished as it began and paired well with my hot-wings and jalapeno nachos.
For me, this was a fine wine for spicy meals, not complex enough and a bit too sweet for an aperitif (good Q/P/R).

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Castello di Verrazzano 2021 Chianti Classico DOCG

Castello di Verrazzano 2021 Chianti Classico DOCG, $16.99-$21.99, 91 points, poured a bright pomegranate red with a broad clear meniscus and deeply stained legs.
Aromas of red raspberry, black tea, and milk chocolate were dominant.
This Castello di Verrazzano was a bone-dry full-bodied Chianti with an opulent mouthfeel and a tantalizing plum and dried herb flavor profile.
Finished long on the fading palate, iron, subtle spice notes, tenuous, tasty, and tart cranberry with a well-balanced 14% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my Italian Pizza Pomodoro Mozzarella E Basilico.
Outside of a special occasion wine, with such great wines as this, it is more and more difficult to "pull the trigger" for wines over $50.00.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES
Copyright 2010-2025, all rights reserved, Dennis Tsiorbas
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Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Stonestreet Estate Vineyard Alexander Valley 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon

Stonestreet Estate Vineyard Alexander Valley 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, $52.69-$64.99, 95 points, poured core black grading to an opaque ruby red with a clear wine ring and copious stained legs.
The lovely bouquet was complex, perfumed with flowers, cocoa, sweet cooking herbs, and dusty black fruit.
Stonestreet produced a dry full-bodied Alexander Cab with good acidity, firm fine grainy tannins, and great flavors of anise, citrus notes, hints of oak, a rich panoply of fruit, and warm spices.
Finished very long on the trailing palate, a whisper of mint and iron, and a spot-on 14.3% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my spice-rubbed T-bone steak.

2018 California Cabernet Sauvignon Wines Tasted

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Friday, February 7, 2025

Duvergey Taboureau Grand Vin De Bourgogne 2022 Chablis 1ER Cru

Duvergey Taboureau Grand Vin De Bourgogne 2022 Chablis 1ER Cru, $24.99, 91 points, was a light yellow/gold color with a broad clear meniscus.
Aromas of tart apple, cantaloupe, and stone fruit were pleasant.
This Chablis was dry and light-bodied with bright acidity and good flavors reflective of the aromas with subtle ginger notes.
Finished long on the fading palate with hints of lemon zest and a remarkable 11% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my baked porterhouse pork chop.
This was another great find at Trader Joe's.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Capanna 2023 Moscadello di Montalcino DOC

Capanna 2023 Moscadello di Montalcino DOC, $19.12-$24.99, 93 points, was a light amber-gold color with a clear meniscus.
Aromas were lovely profuse honey with dusty Clementine peel and perfumed pine resin.
This was the first Moscadello I've come across and I grabbed it, not to mention that Capanna is a vineyard I love anyway.
I found this white wine to be medium-bodied, slightly sweet, showing good acidity, and with evolving complex flavors ranging from honey to Crème brûlée and stone fruit with a hint of ginger between.
Finished long on the trailing palate and a spot-on 10.5% alcohol.
Paired okay with my Swiss cheese spicy pork loin-melt, but amazingly wonderful with my sourdough apricot whipped-cream pastry.
If Sauternes are a bit pricy to you, then I think this is a fair substitute, not as age worthy, but not a wilting violet either.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Val Delle Roso 2021 Morellino Di Scansano DOCG

Val Delle Roso 2021 Morellino Di Scansano DOCG, $12.74-$24.99, 90 points, poured a deep garnet red with a broad clear meniscus and copious legs.
Aromas of rose pedal, soft smoky wood notes, black cherry, and hints of chocolate and citrus were rich and complex.
This was a full-bodied Sangiovese with bright acidity, fine grainy tannins, and good flavors reflective of the nose with just a whisper of peat.
Finished long on the trailing palate, soft spice notes, a hint of iron, and a well-balanced 14% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my spaghetti and Italian garlic tomato sauce.
If you like Chianti, this a great choice at a great sale price (Q/P/R).

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

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