New Hampshire Wine-man

Thursday, May 16, 2024

Castello di Bossi 2020 Chianti Classico (DOCG)

Castello di Bossi 2020 Chianti Classico (DOCG), $15.99-$21.99, 89 points, poured a deep cranberry red with moderately fat clear legs and a clear meniscus.
Aromas were fruity with black tea, dried cooking herbs, and a floral vibe.
This flagship Chianti was silky smooth up front, showed bright acidity, and developed a rich red cherry flavor nuanced with pomegranate and anise.
Finished long on red pepper, mulberry, citrus notes, a developing tannin presence, and a balanced 14% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my spaghetti in marinara sauce.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Chasing Venus Marlborough 2022 Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)

Chasing Venus Marlborough 2022 Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand), $13.59-$19.99, 90 points, was a light frosted brass color with a broad clear penumbra.
Aromas of passion fruit, white chocolate, an interesting slate infused mineral water, and a hint of warm orange peel were good.
Chasing Venus showed lovely flavors reflective of the nose, delivered bright acidity, and a typically Sauvignon Blanc crispness.
Finished long on citrus notes, a touch of ginger, and a well-balanced 12.5% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my seafood platter.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Sunday, May 12, 2024

Battle Axe, Argentina 2020 Malbec

Battle Axe, Argentina 2020 Malbec, $12.74-$17.99, 87 points, poured a clear ruby red with a broad clear wine ring and fat sticky legs.
Aromas of marzipan, smoke, milk chocolate, pine resin, and sun-ripened blackberries were deep and pleasant.
Battle Axe was full-bodied, showed fair acidity, soft round tannins, and flavors of mulberry, blackberry, red licorice, and citrus notes which were complex and good.
Finished long, fielded a slight sour plum and black licorice, hints of warm spices, and a well-balanced 13.5% alcohol.
Paired fine with my roast beef sub.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Friday, May 10, 2024

Karthäuserhof Bruno, Mosel 2021 Dry Riesling

Karthäuserhof Bruno, Mosel 2021 Dry Riesling, $15.19-$21.99, 87 points, was a medium yellow-gold color with a graying penumbra.
The aroma of dusty lemon/lime was accented with a hint of petrol and stone-ground barley.
Bruno was light-bodied, dry (as expected), tart, brightly acidic, and if slate minerality is a thing, then think of the flavor of this white wine as slatey with lemon bitters.
Finished long on the tart palate and a well-balanced 11% alcohol.
A clean and refreshing Riesling.
Paired only okay with our Asian cuisine, but better with my fried haddock filet.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Wine in decline?

It appears that wine is no longer the cat's meow!

In 2023 wine purchases worldwide were down by a reported 8.7%.
What's up? Lots of speculation, but what I see is costs are up, prices are up, and income is down.
Occam's razor suggests that supply and demand of equipment, disposables, qualified employees, energy, relative income, and taxes have made true "never send to know whom the bell tolls . . ."
You get the government you deserve.
Yesterday I posted a wine I bought eleven years ago, but today it is about twice as much, and for the hoi polloi who don't want to spend more than ten dollars for a dinner wine, those that have a mature palate and want to spend under fifty dollars, or even that special celebratory purchase of a hundred-dollar gift wine, just might say NO to a $250 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, or a $53 bottle of Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc, or even a $14 bottle of plonk wine.
I'm guessing that many are doing what I'm doing: buying Argentina Malbec and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Groth Oakville-Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Groth Oakville-Napa Valley 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, $84.99-$94.99, 95 points, poured a dark ruby red with a still broad meniscus sitting on a thin layer of a bleeding penumbra, and fat stained-legs.
The fresh clear-water lake smell was nuanced with cinnamon, briar blackberries, and a soft lovely floral vibe.
Groth Cabernet Sauvignon wines are always full-bodied, and the 2010 Reserve was no different; showing good acidy, firm but soft tannins, an opulent mouthfeel, and flavors of truffle, mint, anise, blackberry cordial, and "Hot Tamales" candies without the sweetness.
Finished very long, smooth, spicy, a bit tart, and with a spot-on 14.9% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my spice-rubbed rib eye.
A superior Cabernet Sauvignon, but the current price is close to $200 a 750ml, while this has been in my Euro cave for eleven years.

2010 California Cabernet Sauvignon wines tasted

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Dry Creek Vineyard (Hillside and Benchland Vineyards) 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon

Dry Creek Vineyard (Hillside and Benchland Vineyards) 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, $23.99-$34.99, 92 points, poured a clear ruby almost blood red color with a broad clear meniscus and a glass neckless of sticky legs.
Aromas were savory, fruity, and floral with hints of smoke and anise.
Dry Creek has given us (me) another rich and opulent full-bodied Cabernet sauvignon with fair acidity, round supportive tannins, and rich flavors of red currants, blackberries, licorice, and a hint of violets.
Finished long and a bit tart on the trailing palate, hints of loam, cayenne, citrus, and supported nicely with a 14.1% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my meatball/parmesan sub.
A $50 Cab for $25.

Dry Creek Vineyard, why it's a "go to" winery

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES