New Hampshire Wine-man: June 2026

Friday, June 26, 2026

Caparzo 2020 Brunello DI Montalcino (DOCG)

Caparzo 2020 Brunello DI Montalcino (DOCG), $34.00-$42.00, 93+ points, poured a bright ruby red with an amber sheen, a clear meniscus, and stained legs.
Aromas of spring-fresh strawberries, angel food-light Crème brûlée, black tea, and a hint of sourdough toast.
This bone-dry Caparzo 2020 Sangiovese was an angular expression of not only the vineyard but the grape, and showed crisply acidic, tannic, and with keenly focused flavors of red fruit, black tea, and Italian dried herbs.
Finished long, spicy, a bit earthy, with a hint of black licorice, showed a touch of minerality, and with a well-balanced 14% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my spaghetti in a grass-fed beef tomato sauce.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Monday, June 15, 2026

DE FORVILLE 2022 Barbaresco DOCG

DE FORVILLE 2022 Barbaresco DOCG, $34.85-$45.00, 94 points, poured an amber/red color with a broad clear meniscus, fat, sticky, and stained legs.
Aromas of warmed caramel, perfumed rose pedals, and rich-ripe red cherries were unctuously inviting.
This Barbaresco was bone-dry, medium-bodied, brightly acidic, and planked with fine grainy tannins; cherry fruit flavors were nuanced with black tea, cayenne pepper, and lingering dragon fruit.
Finished long, tangy, warm and spicy with the 14.5% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with our garlic/Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese pizza.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Saturday, June 6, 2026

Battle Creek "Unconditional" Oregon 2023 Chardonnay

Battle Creek "Unconditional" Oregon 2023 Chardonnay, $20.99-$24.99, 91 points, was a light brass color with a broad graying meniscus.
Aromas of sweet apples, stone fruit, and lime juice notes were clean and lovely.
Battle Creek "Unconditional" Chardonnay was a lovely balanced white wine with a threshold good acidity, complex flavors of citrus, tropical and stone fruit, with apricot finding its way into the long finish nuanced with ginger, lemon peel, and a well-balanced 13.5% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my own Greek Spanakopita.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES

Monday, June 1, 2026

Castello Di Albola 2023 Chianti Classico DOCG

Castello Di Albola 2023 Chianti Classico DOCG, $14.00-22.00, 86 points, poured ruby red with amber highlights, a broad clear meniscus, and glass sheeting.
A panoply of red fruit aromas dominated the masked black tea and cocoa notes.
I believe this Chianti needs to age a bit, as it was quite astringent, very acidic, and with rather bitting tannins, the barely medium body was bone-dry and flavors struggled to get past all the previous observations.
Finished tense, spicy, herbal, and with an ostensibly balanced 13.5% alcohol.
Actually, paired nicely with our spaghetti in a grass-fed beef tomato sauce.
Judging this wine had me torn between its rash youthfulness and its potential.

INDEX of REVIEWED WINES