New Hampshire Wine-man

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Il Borro 2020 Super Tuscan IGT

Il Borro 2020 Super Tuscan IGT, $64.99-$69.99, 93 points, poured core black grading to a deep ruby red with a clear meniscus and fat-stained legs.
Aromas were herbaceous with earthy peat notes and rich black fruit.
This Toscana was full-bodied, dry, showed good acidity, firm comfortable tannins, and flavors true to the nose.
Finished long with hints of warm pepper spices, iron, and a compatible 14.5% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my spice-rubbed lamb rib-chops.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Shafer Napa Valley 'TD-9' 2019 Proprietary Red Wine

Shafer Napa Valley 'TD-9' 2019 Proprietary Red Wine, $94.99-$84.99, 92 points, poured a deep blood-red with a broad (ironic) bleeding meniscus and very dense, fat, and sticky legs.
The earthy aroma profile was accented with rich black fruit, perfumed sage, and a hint of Hot Tamale candy.
2019 "TD-9" was full-bodied, but I think much of that sensation was its high alcohol (15.3%). It was bone-dry, showed good acidity, a firmly supportive underlayment of tannin, and good flavors reflective of the nose, not as complex as I remember from 2018.
Finished long on the fading palate, a whisper of spearmint, and of course that high alcohol.
Paired fine with our grass-fed beef burgers.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Template provided by Goole Blogger

Saturday, October 11, 2025

Ferrari Carano Middleridge Ranch Anderson Valley 2022 Pinot Noir

Ferrari Carano Middleridge Ranch Anderson Valley 2022 Pinot Noir, $25.49-$64.99, 89 points, poured a light cranberry red with a broad clear meniscus and sticky fat legs.
Aromas of strawberries, red cherries, cinnamon, and a hint of tarragon were pleasant.
This Middleridge Ranch Pinot Noir was medium-bodied, dry, showed fair acidity, soft sufficiently supportive tannin, and tasty, if a bit unembellished, reflection of the nose with a touch of cayenne.
Finished long on the pepper, cherry, and a big 14.5% alcohol.
Paired fine with my spaghetti and meatballs.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Friday, October 10, 2025

Nikau Point Marlborough 2024 Sauvignon Blanc

Nikau Point Marlborough 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, $6.99 (Trader Joe's), 86 points, was a light brass color with palladium highlights and a graying penumbra.
Aromas of passion fruit, grapefruit, and lemongrass were robust and pleasant.
Nikau Point gave us a light-bodied, not quite dry white wine with an upfront explosion of acid-driven flavor reflective of the aromas but declined midterm; still it finished okay with a hint of lemon oil, ginger, and a well-balanced 12% alcohol.
Paired fine with my Atlantic lobster roll.
Once again, Trader Joe's delivers a Q/P/R wine.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Template provided by Google Blogger

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Outlot Oak Knoll, Napa Valley, 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon

Outlot Oak Knoll, Napa Valley, 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, $19.99 (Trader Joe's), 88 points, poured a light ruby red with soft pink highlights, a broad clear wine ring, and drippy fat legs.
Aromas of perfumed plums, warm wood notes, and a hint of cinnamon-cherry were pleasant.
This Oak Knoll cab was not quite full-bodied, showed a bit austere, appropriately acidic, delivered firm tannins and interesting flavors of alcohol (14.2%) infused spice, especially cinnamon, red fruit, oak, and a hint of eucalyptus.
Finished quite long of the trailing palate with hints of iron and spearmint.
Paired well with my beef nachos.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Template provided by Google Blogger

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Faust Napa Valley 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon

Faust Napa Valley 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, $46.74-$64.99, 93 points, poured core black grading to a slightly creamy ruby red with a clear meniscus and a dense necklace of stained legs.
Aromas of soft floral and wood notes were accent by a panoply of red and black fruit with a hint of shoe polish.
After five vintages of this wine, I feel safe to spend a little more for this Napa Cab than I would for your everyday red wine: this 2022 vintage showed tasty, sufficiently complex, a dry full body, appropriately acidic, and supported with soft upfront tannins leading to a rich round mouthfeel. The flavors were mostly reflective of the nose accompanied late palate with cayenne pepper, a more aggressive tannic presence, black plums, licorice, a hint of cocoa, and a balanced 14.5% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my spice-rubbed rib eye.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Friday, October 3, 2025

Domaine Thunevin-Calvet Côtes du Roussillon 2019 Red Wine

Domaine Thunevin-Calvet Côtes du Roussillon 2019 Red Wine, $20.99-$38.99, 88 points, poured core black grading to a ruby red with a broad clear meniscus and sticky stained legs.
Aromas of perfumed raisins, anise, unctuous black fruit, and Sambuca were accented with alcohol.
This Côtes du Roussillon was first and foremost an alcohol imbued raisin-rich black fruit bomb with its energized spiciness, bright acidity, and masked tannins.
Finished very long on this diet.
Paired okay with our provincial hamburger.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES